Anti-Gay Christian Auto Repair Shop Makes Itself A Target For Equality Activists, Has No Business License
People are responding in hysterical, creative, and investigative ways to anti-gay comments made by the Grandville, Michigan owner of Dieseltec auto repair, who banned gays because of Jesus.
When Brian Klawiter posted an anti-gay rant on his company’s Facebook page, he probably didn’t expect the backlash, upset, demonstrations, and anger that was to come. The owner of a Grandville, Michigan auto and truck repair shop, Klawiter wrote, “I am a Christian. My company will be run in a way that reflects that. Dishonesty, thievery, immoral behavior, etc. will not be welcomed at MY place of business. (I would not hesitate to refuse service to an openly gay person or persons. Homosexuality is wrong, period. If you want to argue this fact with me then I will put your vehicle together with all bolts and no nuts and you can see how that works.)”
There was more, including his feeling marginalized as a white Christian male, and his discount for gun owners.
Of course, Klawiter has become a martyr of the Christian right, despite being the perfect example of why so-called religious freedom laws are dangerous and discriminatory.Â
So, of course, Ann Coulter supports Klawiter, and is blaming liberals for his anti-gay comments.
As it rurns out, Klawiter does not have a license to operate his business, and refuses to do so on extraordinarily strange grounds.
“Brian Klawiter earlier this year told the City Council that requiring a license violates his constitutional rights because it authorizes city inspectors to enter his property without a warrant,” Michigan news site MLive reports.
“This is a blatant and intentioned violation of the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution,” Klawiter told the council on Jan. 26. “I dispute your lawful ability to do what you claim. I will not sign the application. I cannot and will not give up my civil rights, especially when requested by a government entity for which the Constitution was designed to limit the power of.”
Meanwhile, not surprisingly, Dieseltec’s Facebook and Yelp pages have been receiving all sorts of comments protesting his hate.Â
UPDATE:Â Michigan Auto Repair Shop Owner Who Refuses To Serve Gays ‘Is Not A Licensed Mechanic’
But now Dieseltec is losing support of one of its biggest suppliers.
Cummins, which manufactures the engines and engine parts integral to Dieseltec’s business, has asked to have its brand and logo removed from Dieseltec’s website and marketing:
@ThirtyBirdy At Cummins, diversity is a core value. We are not affiliated with this business and are notifying them to stop using our logo.
— Cummins Inc. (@Cummins) April 16, 2015
Then there was the GoFundMe page that was started and quickly deleted, but not before it got its one and only donation, for $5 from Holli Biggs, who wrote, “I’m legally married to another woman, and a proud parent to 3 beautiful little girls that i have taken in as my own…I want to be the first one to donate to this because you are going to need it in time to provide for yours. Will you except my money? Or is it too gay for you?”
And one bankruptcy attorney has offered Dieseltec his services, making a rather creative statement. An excerpt:
“I noticed your post on Facebook where you decided to alienate most of the general public by stating that you will refuse service to openly homosexual people,” Jeffrey Mapes of Mapes Law Offices wrote on his company’s website. “This is certainly an unorthodox business strategy, and perhaps it will work for you, but I get the feeling you will need a bankruptcy attorney pretty soon and I wanted to offer my services. Like you, I am white, male, Christian, a business owner, and a gun owner. Unlike you, I provide services to everyone regardless of their sexual orientation because it doesn’t matter to me — I hope this won’t be a deal breaker for you.”
MLive reported on a local man who said he was a regular customer and bisexual. He reportedly tried to throw eggs at the auto repair shop.Â
Man tries to egg Grandville anti-gay Dieseltec auto shop. More to come: http://t.co/3jEvlda0PH @GRPress @vandebum pic.twitter.com/K2lZJP8unu
— Cory Morse (@CoryPMorse) April 16, 2015
And then there’s this tweet, the content of which has not been verified:Â
LOVE the owner of #DieselTec not allowing any “immoral behavior” despite being convicted of battery/assault in 98 https://t.co/MmAcWYC68z
— Tweeter LeGrand (@TweeterLeGrand) April 16, 2015
And yes, protestors:
Protesters outside Dieseltec in #Grandville after owner’s anti-gay statements: http://t.co/v4zkX5dgg3 pic.twitter.com/hHSJhdehTX
— FOX 17 (@FOX17) April 16, 2015
Sadly, in a separate Facbook post, Klawiter writes that he’s getting death threats:
“Listen up folks, If you have an opposing view to mine that IS OK, what is NOT OK is threats to kill me, my family, and friends; threats to burn down my shop and my home. I will stand firm on my views and will not back down.”
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Image via Facebook
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