total-news-1024x279-1__1_-removebg-preview.png

SELECT LANGUAGE BELOW

Tennessee pizza shop Pizzeria Cortile faces backlash after declining to cater same-sex wedding

A Chattanooga, Tenn., pizza shop says its decision not to provide catering services for same-sex weddings was a choice based on “personal beliefs,” after critics criticized it.

Pizzeria Cortile, a wood-fired pizza restaurant, posted the following statement: That Facebook account It confirmed the policy on Tuesday after left-wing media companies first drew attention to it the previous day.

“Recently, due to personal beliefs, we have made the difficult decision not to cater weddings,” Pizzeria Cortile wrote. “This belief comes from a personal belief, which we know is not shared by everyone, and it is something we hold without judgment towards others. This decision was not intended to offend or hurt anyone, and we are sorry for the pain this decision caused to those who were part of our community.

“We acknowledge and listen to the feedback from everyone who contacted us today. Over time, we find opportunities to give grace and listen to each other, and we will always agree. I hope we remember that even though we may not, we can still treat each other with dignity and love.”

The statement thanked the community and asked for the opportunity to “continue to show love to all of you who walk through our doors.”

Pizzeria Cortile has restricted comments on that particular post. However, the company's Facebook page was flooded with hundreds of negative comments condemning the decision among other unrelated posts.


Pizzeria Cortile, a Tennessee pizza restaurant, said its decision not to cater for same-sex weddings was based on “personal beliefs” amid intense backlash. google street view

A previous post on Sunday featuring a photo of the dish received more than 1,500 comments reacting to the controversy in the past 24 hours.

“There are no two rational sides here. No one is asking you to be gay. Or promote all kinds of messages. They ordered pizza. And the bigots. “That's all there is to it. It's black-white discrimination,” read a Facebook comment with more than 200 likes.

“Are you going to start asking patrons about their sexual orientation when you walk into that neighborhood?” another top post sneered. “Will I be welcomed as a bisexual person?…Maybe they should go ahead and say on their website that they don’t even offer gay services.”

Another top comment suggested someone alert the IRS to audit the business.


What the store said was "This decision was not intended to hurt or hurt anyone. We apologize for the pain this decision has caused to those who were part of our community."
“This decision was not intended to hurt or hurt anyone, and we are sorry for the pain it has caused to those who have always been part of our community,” the store said in a statement. Anastas_ – Stock.adobe.com

Online commentators also slammed the owners as “bigots” and hoped the news would lead to a downturn in business.

One commenter defended the business by citing Supreme Court precedent.

“The Supreme Court has ruled on this, but the fact is that this is not discrimination. You are free to make your own choices, but so too. Who are you to expect me not to do the same,” the comment read.

The outpouring of negative attention appears to have been sparked by posts on Reddit and by readers of the progressive news website Chattanooga Horror, which first drew attention to the company's policies on Monday.

“Inbox: Obviously Pizzeria Cortile does not accommodate same-sex marriages. We just want to make sure people don't waste their time (or money),” Chattanooga Horror wrote on social media along with a screenshot reply from the pizzeria. Posted on media account.

“All I hear is 'homophobia is allowed under God,'” one person sneered under Mr. Holler's Facebook post.

“Calling prejudice 'personal beliefs' is a gross misrepresentation,” added another.

Social media post titled “Pizzeria Cortile's Big L'' on Chattanooga Reddit on Monday also received more than 900 comments, the majority of which seemed to criticize the business.

Pizzeria Cortile did not respond to a request for comment.

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Telegram
WhatsApp