A pizzeria in Chattanooga, Tennessee said it was a decision of “personal conviction” not to provide catering services for same-sex weddings after critics slammed the policy.
Wood-fired pizza restaurant Pizzeria Cortile posted a statement its facebook account It confirmed its policy on Tuesday after a left-leaning media company first drew attention to it a day earlier.
“Recently we made the difficult decision not to hold a wedding due to our personal beliefs,” Pizzeria Cortile wrote. “This belief comes from a place of personal conviction, which we know is not shared by everyone, and it is this belief that we hold without being judgmental toward others. This decision was not intended to harm or hurt anyone and we are sorry for the pain it has caused to those who have been a part of our community.
“We recognize and listen to the feedback of all those who have reached out today. We hope that over time we can have the opportunity to extend grace and listen to each other, and to remember that even if we don’t always agree, we can treat each other with respect and love. Can behave together.
The statement thanked the community and asked to “continue to show you love when you come through our doors.”
Pizzeria Cortille restricted comments under that specific post. However, its Facebook page was flooded with hundreds of negative comments criticizing the decision under other unrelated posts.
An earlier post on Sunday, showing photos of one of its dishes, received more than 1,500 comments in the last 24 hours reacting to the controversy.
“There are not two fair sides here. No one asked you to be gay. Or promote any kind of message. He asked for pizza. And the fundamentalists refused. This is the whole story. It’s not any deeper. This is black and white discrimination,” read one Facebook comment with more than 200 likes.
“Will you start asking your patrons about their sexual orientation as soon as you enter the vicinity?” Another top post was mocked. “Being bisexual, am I welcome?… You can go ahead and put it on your website that you do not cater/serve homosexuals.”
Another top comment suggested someone alert the IRS to audit the business.
Online commentators also criticized the owners as “bigots” and wished that the news would harm their business.
One commentator defended the business, Citing Supreme Court precedent,
“The Supreme Court has ruled on this, and it’s not actually discrimination. You are free to make your choices, but they are free too. Who are you to force someone else to share your beliefs and then expect them not to,’ the comment read.
The flood of negative attention appears to have been driven by posts on Reddit and readers of the progressive news website The Chattanooga Holler, which first drew attention to the company’s policy on Monday.
“Inbox: Apparently, Pizzeria Cortille won’t cater same-sex weddings. Just don’t let people waste your time (or money),” Chattanooga Holler posted on its social media account along with a screenshot response from the pizzeria.
“All I hear is ‘By the grace of God we’re allowed to be homophobic,'” one person joked under Haller’s Facebook post.
Another person said, “Calling bigotry a ‘personal conviction’ is a huge turn off.”
A social media post titled, “Big L for Pizzeria Cortile,” on Chattanooga Reddit also had more than 900 comments Monday, the majority of which appeared to be bashing the business.
Pizzeria Cortille did not respond to a request for comment.
