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Jewelry store sign prompts same-sex couple


Posted: May 22, 2015

A same-sex couple from St. John's is upset after discovering the jewelry store that sold them their engagement rings has posted a sign that seems to oppose same-sex marriage — but one of the store's owners says he's allowed to post his religious beliefs. When Nicole White and Pam Renouf went looking for engagement rings a few months ago, the pair couldn't find anything they liked. The couple was eventually referred to Today's Jewellers in the Mount Pearl area because the store offers custom-made rings. White and Renouf visited the store and later gave specifications and a price range for potential rings. "They were great to work with. They seemed to have no issues. They knew the two of us were a same-sex couple," White said. "I referred some of my friends to them, just because I did get some good customer service and they had good prices." That was before one friend went in to purchase a ring for his girlfriend — and instead found a distressing sign. It reads: "The sanctity of marriage is under attack. Let's keep marriage between a man and a woman." The friend took a picture of the poster, which made its way back to White. "I had no idea about the sign up until that point," she said. "It was really upsetting. Really sad, because we already had money down on [the rings] , and they're displaying how much they are against gays, and how they think marriage should be between a man and a woman." The couple went to the store the following day, and asked about the sign. "They just said that that's their beliefs, and they think they can put up whatever they want. I just said it was very disrespectful, it's very unprofessional and I wanted a refund," White said. "I have no issues with them believing in what they believe in. I think everyone's entitled to their own opinion. But I don't think they should put their personal beliefs inside their business." White and Renouf hope to get a refund when the man who sold them the rings returns to town next month — but it's not guaranteed. White said the rings were meant to be a symbol of love, but now the bands seem tainted. "I think every time I look at that ring, I'll probably think of what we just went through," White said. ;

So, now there is complaining if a business owner - who opposes same-sex

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marriage and DOES serve them? Wow.

Selling them jewelry and putting up a sign stating - what that one did are 2 different things.

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If the store owner doesn't believe in gay marriage, then he/she should keep it to themselves. When you're in business, you are dealing with the public, and the public includes all kinds of people. If someone can't put their religion and/or personal beliefs aside for a few hours while they run their businesses, they probably shouldn't be in business. Alienating certain groups of people isn't a good business model.

These people need to pull the stick out and stop being - so sensitive. Its getting old and tired SM

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with their whining every time someone states their belief against gay marriage, yet they all stand up screaming loud and clear for their right to marriage.

I'm not bashing gays, I am all for their marriage rights. But they need to stop riding this two-headed horse. They feel they have the right to speak out for their beliefs and lifestyle, then others have that same right to speak their beliefs also.

They aren't being overly sensitive, the store - owner was overly INsensitive.

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x

So, free speech for thee but no for me? Did you read the - article? The store didn't

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denied them service, they got what they wanted, but they still want to whine. How dare he disagree with them.
They have to enforce the "correct way of thinking" - I guess. NM
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NM

This is getting old. I think in general the left sees - conservatives and their values

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as evil, in America, Canada or wherever. Politics is nothing more than the practical application of your most deeply held values, and that is being attacked everywhere.

There's a big difference in discrimination and activism.

We do see conservatives as evil, because - most of them are.

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Greed
Corruption
Lies
Fear mongering
Lack of empathy
Lack of forethought, other than how much money they can rake in for themselves.

I've got "Cry Wolf" fatigue. - NM

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NM

Now THAT'S true. In fact, even bothering to comment on lots of - overnight spam here is pointless(Julia Sugarbaker)

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When it's just more "bait and trap" so we'd be reported for even responding in dissent to any of these comments

If the busy overnight fox in the henhouse is fatigued, night is perhaps a better time for sleeping than it is for trying to ruffle feathers and lay traps, and Memorial Day weekend is a good time to just chill.

That's what most of the hens will be doing, I suspect, including this little hen:)

To the other little hens, have a restful, reverent and peaceful Memorial Day! :)

To the fox, catch us later!:)

PS - to the commenters below in direct reply to this comment: Isn't mocking what the comment I'm replying to was doing?

It, too, is cryptic and is certainly not political.

So if my comment goes, it should go too, then :)

I don't even know what this post means??? - Fox in the henhouse? Spam?

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Is this a way of trying to discredit posts that you don't agree with?

I'm sure we will have a nice Memorial Day weekend.
I think it a hidden type of mocking. nm - Dianne
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nm
Oh. I thought mocking with no political content was what the cryptic comment I replied to was doing - Julia Sugarbaker (sm)
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So if mine happens to get reported/removed on those grounds, so should the comment I was replying to, then:)

However, I'm not reporting anyone.

Have fun!

Most real men prefer listening to hens in the henhouse not the wolf or fox - Captain Sugarbaker

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I believe the Cry Wolf story was about a little boy just trying to get attention, so that reference you replied to didn't make sense in this context of the original post anyway unless the commenter really did mean themselves

See, this is why I'm marrying Captain Sugarbaker:) - Julia Sugarbaker
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Thank you. I love you:)

They deserve a refund as the business - became a hostile environment

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If the jeweler is so gung ho about its beliefs, they should have no problem issuing a refund, he obviously has no interest in serving same-sex couples.

No they do not deserve a refund. - nana7

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I have been on this site condeming any business who will not serve gays or anyone else. But this one I disagree with. They did not refuse to serve them, they just posted their belief. What is wrong with that? Nothing IMO. Tha is what is wrong with this worldy now. You're not even entitled to your beliefs because it might "offend" someone elses belief. We need to get religion and church back in our lives and just because it takes all kinds to make this world but does not mean we cannot voice our opinions.

Just like people finding the nativity set offensive. So if you find it offensive then don't look at it, but you don't have the right to make someone take down what they believe in.

So in this case I agree with the business owner. If that were me I would not give them a refund period and I would probably sue them for the balance if their rings if they designed them.

I have a gay son and if he came to me with this I would slap him upside his head.

It just takes a few activists to shed a bad light - on a group. My cousin is a lesbian

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but she isn't militant about it.
Not being militant about equal rights dooms - them to a life hidden in the closet.
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I have several lesbian couples as friends - some are out, and others (the older ones) are so closeted it's pathetic. I feel so sad that in this day and age, someone can't love another person without feeling they have to hide it from the world.

Thank you for a sensible comment people can respectfully debate (safely:) - (edited) Julia Sugarbaker

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I didn't state my actual opinion on this issue earlier, but I actually agree with you. I'm sure they were embarrassed after referring others to them later and discovering the sign, however they already expressed their concerns with the business about how they felt about the later "sign o' bigotry" and vice versa - the end. Just don't refer people to that business anymore or protest, but no refunds or riots.

Thanks for posting a sensible comment on this issue that others can safely offer respectful dissenting opinion on without fear of being reported;)

Let's try a similar scenario - sm

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you are doing some sort of business with a company that requires a deposit and return visits.

Your first visit is fine, you think they are good people for you to work with, then you return and they have artwork promoting pornography and masochism, maybe satanism or being Wiccan or something icky. Do you stick it out or do you look for somewhere else to do your business? Do you wish you could just get a refund and choose another business? Do you wish they had just kept their private thoughts to themselves? Some of us, just forfeit and go elsewhere, sometimes you can't afford to.

This is what I perceived happened here.

I truly wonder if their happiness with the business and promoting it, didn't increase the gay customer base and it made the jeweler nervous/uncomfortable, so he posted the sign, or maybe some old foggie in the business decided to see if they could discourage gay customers and this one just got caught in the cross-action.
I am going to a business for a service and nothing more. - nana7
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I don't have to like the people, I don't have to like their beliefs, I don't have to like their decor or anything else about them. I am not going to their business for any of that. I am going for a service and if they perform that service to my satisfaction then there should be no problem.

Now if they try pushing their beliefs on me, whether I agree with them or not, that would be another story. Again that is not why I went to their establishment.

As far as all the what ifs in your post that is exactly what they are what ifs.
We will never know the answers.

If he hung a crucifex on the wall of his business I do believe everyone would know he is against gay marriage so I am not sure why it makes a difference. He has the right to post anything he wants but he still performed the service for the gay couple. IMO he is well within his rights. If gays are uncomfortable going to that store then so be it. Go elsewhere.
If bigots are uncomfortable selling to gays, - blacks, or any other vilified -
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minority group, then likely they shouldn't be in business at all.

Instead, they should just work for someone else, and hope like heck that their employer isn't prejudiced against THEM.
See, I disagree on actual refunds in both scenarios because the products themselves are fine - Julia Sugarbaker
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If the product I bought itself had an anti-gay inscription on it I discovered later, that'd be different.

But they don't, they are happy with the actual products purchased.

Otherwise it's just two groups discriminating against each other over what they find offensive in belief and nonproductive, IMO.

Either move on and don't refer anymore or protest, but no refunds or riots IMO :)

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