Landscaping firm's antigay e-mail sparks online fury

Forum on firm's Web site gets 26 pages of postings--many criticizing the owners and urging a boycott.

The story "Landscaping firm's antigay e-mail sparks online fury" published November 9, 2006 at 9:15 AM is no longer available on CNET News.

Content from Reuters expires after 30 days.

[Hardrada]

forum not down

their forum is not down, they just removed the link from their site...

http://216.30.130.70/cgi-bin/yabb/gardenguy/YaBB.cgi?board=rose;action=display;num=1161213225;start=379#379

links to the topic that is the subject of this article

[ALPICH]

compassion and grace not hate

Do you really think that a small gardening company is going to do bad in the US with anti homosexual statements. Especially when they are tied to Christian beliefs. The sad thing about this is that it ties the Christian faith to acts of hate rather than acts of love. Even if you believe that God is against homosexuality you have to see that Jesus (God on earth) would have probably spent a lot of time caring for them... he did with prostitutes, adulters and murderers. Their email should have read "We would be blessed to serve you and pray that our relationship shines God's love into your life". That would have still been a little odd but much nicer.

[Sunflare98]

pathetic

"Do I want to say that before you send an e-mail you might think about the fact the whole world can see it? I guess I do"

Imagine that... thinking before you say something. I was taught that in my Sunday school class - I'd suggest they find a real church....

[mattumanu]

What I think is pathetic...

Is the fact that Cnet picked this story up in the first place. The only earthly reason I can think of for doing so is to start a flame war in the talkback section.

Everyone responding to this topic: Doesn't it feel nice to be minipulated like this?

[Penguinisto]

*Shrug* Their Right, Their Peril.

If that's how they want to do business (assuming that it's actually not a hoax), there's no law stopping it (that I know of).

OTOH, they also get to face the loss of business and the antipathy that may result from the rest of their customer base.

The Free Market cuts both ways, folks.

(and if it does indeed turn out to be a hoax, then someone's about to be litigated clear into the next geological era...)

/P

[aabcdefghij987654321]

Tolerance

Why is the people who want every to "tolerate" them have no tolerance for others? Hate mail and death threats are an extreme reaction.

[enthem]

Whatever happened to freedom of speech.

What I don't understand is why the hell do any antigay remarks spark fury and pro-gay remarks don't. Why those who are for gay marriage and other gay related things always complain about those who are against it??? Don't those who are against it have the same right to express their opinion and exercise the right to freedom of speech than gays and their supporters!

We need to stand-up to gays and their supporters the same way they stand up against us and our beliefs.

[PlaceHolder]

What it the email had said...

What if the email had been directed to a person of color and had said "I'm sorry but we don't do business with blacks"? Its a very slippery slope you're trying to navigate... and what the right balance between fairness and freedom is never clear cut...

[faust]

Let me use my freedom of speach

to say that this garden guy is an *******.

See, reedom of speach works both ways.

I wonder how he feels after Tuesday's republican implossion.

[ddesy]

"Us and our beliefs?"

Hey buddy! I'm straight, and I can fully understand why gays would be upset!

Sure, freedom of speech is great, but it's the anti-gays who spread most of the hatred! If you want to spread your message of hate, let them spread their message too!

[Gromit801]

You have that right

For the most part, you have freedom of speech, though it is not an
absolute.

You also get to handle the consequences of your speech. Say
whatever you like, but if you grab the Tiger by the tail, you better
have a plan for dealing with it's teeth.

[ohberon]

You can say whatever you want...

Freedom of Speech means that you can express yourself and the government should not hinder you.

It does not mean that every lame-ass idea you spout must be greeted with open arms.

[i,Jimbot]

Re: Freedom of speech

The Garden Guy did have freedom of speech, and they chose to
use it. They are now reaping the consequences.

What you fail to understand is that those making anti-gay
statements are making statements AGAINST others. They are
attempting to prevent gays from having some very basic human
and legal rights. Those making pro-gay statements are making
statements in favor of themselves; they are not making
statements AGAINST heterosexual people. They are not asking
to ban hetero marriage, are they?

If you don't like the idea of gay couples, don't get into one. But
you should have no right to tell others who they should be
allowed to marry.

For the record, I am a straight male married to a straight female.

[LJ Story]

Free speech =/= freedom to oppress

"We need to stand-up to gays and their supporters the same way they stand up against us and our beliefs."

It isn't so much the beliefs they are standing up against as it it the ACTIONS those beliefs inspire: gay bashing, fire bombing "gay" nightclubs, changes to the US Constitution, stripping mothers of child custody rights, and so on.

When gays start proposing hetero-marriage bans to Congress and state governments, I'll be right there with you, enthem. Till then, no.

[mitiori]

Usual obsfucation from haters

Free speech has nothing to do with no consequences. Nice try though.

[mattumanu]

Why did cnet pick this story up in the first place?

First of all, those who are smart realize that many media organizations are using this kind of topic to drive traffic to thier websites. I find this kind of journalism to be disgusting, and the practice wont stop until people realize they are being used.

Second of all, people of all sexual orientations realize that it's merely a loud and obnoxious few who make this kind of topic into thier very identity. Many people wish that the misogenistic bastards who whip up this stuff... and I mean people on all sides of this great (read IGNORANT) debate... need to get real lives.

Third of all, people on all sides, religious and secular, are getting tired of it... Cnet, I wonder how those site numbers are these days? Laying it all out on the table, I come to Cnet to get news about IT, new gadgets and directions in computer tech. The absolute last thing I want to see is stories about tiny minded little people (on all sides) fighting a tiny little battle about who's doing who.

GET OVER IT ALREADY!!! Let people have thier say and knock it off.

[mattumanu]

Why did cnet pick this story up in the first place?

First of all, those who are smart realize that many media organizations are using this kind of topic to drive traffic to thier websites. I find this kind of journalism to be disgusting, and the practice wont stop until people realize they are being used.

Second of all, people of all sexual orientations realize that it's merely a loud and obnoxious few who make this kind of topic into thier very identity. Many people wish that the misogenistic bastards who whip up this stuff... and I mean people on all sides of this great (read IGNORANT) debate... need to get real lives.

Third of all, people on all sides, religious and secular, are getting tired of it... Cnet, I wonder how those site numbers are these days? Laying it all out on the table, I come to Cnet to get news about IT, new gadgets and directions in computer tech. The absolute last thing I want to see is stories about tiny minded little people (on all sides) fighting a tiny little battle about who's doing who.

GET OVER IT ALREADY!!! Let people have thier say and knock it off.