Connect with us

Tim Hortons: Saga Of Anti-Gay Non-Apology For Threatening Lesbian Couple

Published

on

Tim Hortons is once again digging itself an even larger hole. A lesbian couple who were embracing and giving each other a few kisses on the check outside a Tim Hortons restaurant in Ontario, Canada, while sipping their Tim Hortons coffee, have unintentionally set off a firestorm of protests and peeled back the anti-gay perspective of the 47-year old Canadian iconic Tim Hortons restaurant brand, the largest restaurant chain in Canada, which 3000 restaurants, mostly franchises, and an additional 600 in the U.S.

As The New Civil Rights Movement reported earlier today, “a Blenheim, Ontario, Canada Tim Hortons franchise threatened to call the cops on a lesbian couple who were drinking their Tim Hortons coffee outside the restaurant while having their hands around each others’ waists, and kissing once or twice on the cheek. The couple chose to leave rather than create a stir, and noticed a local pastor for a Pentecostal Church named Glad Tidings, with a dozen congregants in the Tim Hortons parking lot praying for the couple’s soul. Reportedly, the pastor is the one who complained to the restaurant manager.”

First, the company’s response: entirely unacceptable. Here’s why:

Tim Horton’s apology was emailed to a local radio station, and not made to the couple directly. In the non-apology apology, Tim Hortons addresses the couple by their first names. I don’t know about Canadian etiquette, but as an American (not that our manners are any better, and most likely, from my personal experience, far worse,) I would be offended by being addressed by my first name in this situation.

Additionally, Tim Hortons offers a conditional response: “we apologize if they were offended,” proving that Tim Hortons is not truly sorry this happened, other than it ruined their PR department’s day. If you’re not sorry whether or not the affected party is offended, then you’re not sorry at all. In this case,  something is either right or wrong, period, and this was very wrong.

Further, Tim Hortons’ apology calls kicking the couple and their family off the restaurant’s property a “misunderstanding.” It was only a misunderstanding if indeed they did not mean to kick the couple off the property — which also included the threat of calling the police if they did not “leave within five minutes” — but rather asked them inside for a free donut.

The Tim Hortons apology includes this entirely unacceptable sentence: “The guests’ behaviour went beyond public displays of affection and was making other guests feel uncomfortable.”

First, how do you know what exactly they were doing, since the person who was “uncomfortable” was a Pentecostal preacher, and the couple say they were embracing at the waist — they had their arms around each other’s waist, side by side — and offered each other a single kiss. In front of one of their mothers, a brother, and a cousin. Chances are pretty good that the lesbian couple in their mid-twenties weren’t involved in a heavy make-out session.

So the only one who complained was the minister, and it’s his word against the lesbian couple. So Tim Horton’s naturally, takes the side of the minister.

Sorry, folk, but whether or not he was offended is irrelevant. If I am kissing my fiancé as we walk down the street and someone is offended, that’s their problem, not mine. We’ve done nothing wrong. There are no laws against kissing, as far as I’m aware, and just like smoking, either it’s illegal in a certain area or it’s not. And if it is, it must be illegal for all couples, not just the ones a Pentecostal Minister hates.

I know. In 2009, The New Civil Rights Movement created the Great Nationwide Kiss-In, a 55-city international event designed to respond to illegal threats and arrests of same-sex couples who were harassed for simply kissing in public. I’m pretty much an expert here.

So, here’s the official Tim Hortons non-apology apology. Tim Hortons has not responded to telephone calls for comment. We will update you when and if they do.

Via Canadian radio station AM980:

In a statement e-mailed to AM980 early Monday afternoon, Alexandra Cygal, manager of public affairs at Tim Hortons head office, says the couple “went beyond public displays of affection.”

“Thank you so much for the opportunity to respond. We apologize if the two guests were offended by the misunderstanding that occurred at our Blenheim restaurant last month on behalf of the owners and management. It was not their intention.  Tim Hortons and its restaurant owners have always welcomed all families and communities to their restaurants and will continue to do so.  It was not the manager’s intention to offend or target anyone based on their sexual orientation.  The guests’ behaviour went beyond public displays of affection and was making other guests feel uncomfortable. The management has apologized to Riley and Patricia and invite them back to their restaurant.”

The spokesperson refused to provide further comment on the incident.

Duckworth says she was not contacted directly by anyone at Tim Hortons and read the apology for the first time on a website.

(Emphasis mine.)

Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Click to comment
 
 

Enjoy this piece?

… then let us make a small request. The New Civil Rights Movement depends on readers like you to meet our ongoing expenses and continue producing quality progressive journalism. Three Silicon Valley giants consume 70 percent of all online advertising dollars, so we need your help to continue doing what we do.

NCRM is independent. You won’t find mainstream media bias here. From unflinching coverage of religious extremism, to spotlighting efforts to roll back our rights, NCRM continues to speak truth to power. America needs independent voices like NCRM to be sure no one is forgotten.

Every reader contribution, whatever the amount, makes a tremendous difference. Help ensure NCRM remains independent long into the future. Support progressive journalism with a one-time contribution to NCRM, or click here to become a subscriber. Thank you. Click here to donate by check.

News

‘Radical Left Marxists’: Trump Launches Attack Hours After Judge Imposes Gag Order

Published

18 mins ago

on

October 3, 2023

By

Just hours after New York Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron imposed a limited gag order and directed Donald Trump to remove his social media post targeting and attacking, by name, the judge’s law clerk, the ex-president Tuesday evening issued an attack targeting the legal system, and apparently, by extension, Attorney General Letitia James.

Judge Engoron’s Tuesday order barred Trump from “posting, emailing or speaking publicly about any of my staff,” as Politico reported. The judge’s gag order did not extend to any officer of the court, witnesses, or anyone else involved in Attorney General James’ $250 million civil fraud case against Trump.

“Consider this statement a gag order forbidding all parties from posting, emailing or speaking publicly about any of my staff,” Engoron said Tuesday afternoon. “Failure to abide by this order will result in serious sanctions.”

Judge Engoron had announced in court: “This morning one of the defendants posted to his social media account a disparaging, untrue and personally identifying post about a member of my staff.”

“Personal attacks on members of my court staff are unacceptable, inappropriate and I will not tolerate them in any circumstances,” Engoron added.

Politico described Trump’s social media post as “a message alleging [the law clerk] ‘is running this case against me.’ The message was pulled from an account on X with fewer than 200 followers. Trump then linked to an Instagram account for Greenfield’s campaign for a judgeship in Manhattan civil court.”

READ MORE: ‘Part of the Authoritarian Playbook’: Trump’s Courthouse Rant Slammed by Fascism Scholars

“’How disgraceful! This case should be dismissed immediately!!’ Trump added. He also posted a photo of her alongside Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and referred to her as ‘Schumer’s girlfriend.'”

And while the judge ordered the social media post taken down, there’s nothing that can be done about the email blast Trump sent to “millions” of his supporters that included the post, as The New York Times reported.

Tuesday evening, despite having already been given one gag order, Trump appeared to tear into the legal system and Attorney General Letitia James in a series of false claims.

After claiming James’ civil lawsuit against him was unconstitutional and election interference, Trump wrote the decision to apply that statute to him “was done by Radical Left Marxists design, and is not the America we know.”

“It is so unfair that I am being tried under Section 63(12), which is unconstitutionally being used to punish me because I am substantially leading Crooked Joe Biden in the polls,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “It is a Consumer Protection Statute, and not meant, at all, for Election Interference purposes, which is what this is all about! Under this Section of the law, I am not even entitled to a JURY (there is no checking of a box alternative!).This was done by Radical Left Marxists design, and is not the America we know. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

As The New Yorker reported last week, the law Trump is referring to was “passed at the behest of one of” James’ “Republican predecessors, Jacob Javits.”

Continue Reading

News

‘Terrorist Attacks’: Murphy and Cornyn Slam House GOPers Over McCarthy Ouster

Published

2 hours ago

on

October 3, 2023

By

After U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and seven of fellow far-right House Republicans voted to oust their own Speaker of the House for supporting a bipartisan vote to keep the federal government of the United States from a shutdown, a powerful Senate Republican and Democrat are both strongly denouncing the work of the few GOP extremists who toppled Kevin McCarthy.

U.S. Senator John Cornyn, a hard-core Republican of Texas and a former member of the Senate Republican leadership team, blasted the eight House Republicans for their “terrorist attack,” and warned it will happen again.

“We saw a similar thing happen to Boehner, Ryan, and now McCarthy. I’m sure the next speaker is going to be subjected to the same terrorist attacks,” Senator Cornyn said, according to HuffPost’s Igor Bobic.

Responding to a Texas radio talk show host from his official social media account, Sen. Cornyn added, “A handful [of] House members just want to blow up the institution and themselves in the process. Sad.”

READ MORE: McCarthy Ousted as Speaker in Historic First as Republicans Vow Vengeance Against Gaetz: ‘Kiss My A–’

U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) called the ouster “a deeply embarrassing moment for America. A consequence of a Republican Party that has become so radicalized that it can no longer function as an organized political party.”

“Nobody should be rooting for this circus,” added Sen. Murphy in video recorded as he watched the House voting to remove McCarthy as Speaker. He warned that the ouster of McCarthy will now take the House away from the critical work of keeping the government open after November 17, “instead of working on a budget.” And he warned that no new funds to help Ukraine defend itself against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war have been authorized.

“These are life and death stakes,” Murphy said, lamenting this “makes us look so weak and foolish around the world.”

Watch Sen. Murphy’s remarks above or at this link.

READ MORE: ‘Part of the Authoritarian Playbook’: Trump’s Courthouse Rant Slammed by Fascism Scholars

Continue Reading

News

McCarthy Ousted as Speaker in Historic First as Republicans Vow Vengeance Against Gaetz: ‘Kiss My A–’

Published

4 hours ago

on

October 3, 2023

By

U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has been ousted as the elected Speaker of the House of Representatives after a weeks-long campaign by his fellow Republican, Congressman Matt Gaetz. The Republican Florida lawmaker vowed over the weekend to put a “motion to vacate” on the House floor, which he did Monday night. Tuesday afternoon McCarthy lost the support of the majority in a full House vote.

No Speaker of the House has ever been ousted by a motion to vacation, according to the Associated Press, until McCarthy.

“The Office of the Speaker of the House of the United States House of Representatives is hereby declared vacant,” the presiding Republican lawmakers declared. The final vote was 216-210.

No Democrats voted to support McCarthy as Speaker.

Overall House Republicans are furious with Gaetz, with some vowing to expel him should the House Ethics Committee submit a negative report on their investigation into his alleged, possible sexual misconduct, unlawful drug use, and public corruption.

In addition to Gaetz, other House Republicans who voted to oust McCarthy include Andy Biggs, Ken Buck, Tim Burchett, Eli Crane, Bob Good, Nancy Mace, and Matt Rosendale.

READ MORE: Trump Has Now ‘Crossed the Line Into Criminal Threats’: Top Legal Scholar

“After talking to a few House Republican lawmakers and aides,” during the vote to oust McCarthy as Speaker, Punchbowl News’ Jake Sherman reported he “would not be surprised to see someone move to have Gaetz expelled from the House Republican Conference.”

U.S. Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) in a profane rant slammed Gaetz, in a recorded video, saying, “You want to come at me and call me a RINO you can kiss my ass! You go around talking your big game and thumping your chest on Twitter. Come in my office and have a debate mother —!”

U.S. Rep. Sam Graves (R-LA) help up his phone while delivering remarks against Gaetz, chastising him for fundraising off his efforts to oust McCarthy.

“Using official actions to raise money. It’s disgusting!” he told his colleagues.

What happens next? According to The New York Times on Tuesday, “If McCarthy is removed, the House would be paralyzed.”

“A vacancy in the speaker’s chair would essentially paralyze the House until a successor is chosen, according to multiple procedural experts. An interim speaker would be chosen from a list prepared by Mr. McCarthy and his staff at the beginning of the year, but staff intimately familiar with House rules say the role of that person would be to oversee a speaker election and little more.”

As for McCarthy, he has said if removed as Speaker he would not resign from Congress. On Tuesday he suggested he would definitely run again for Speaker.

READ MORE: ‘Fool or a Liar’: GOP Knives Out for ‘A–hole’ Matt Gaetz as Vote to Oust McCarthy Appears Likely to Succeed

Watch the videos above or at this link.

 

 

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2020 AlterNet Media.