The owners of the Indiana pizzeria who say they could not cater a same-sex wedding and received nearly $850,000 in donations from anti-gay supporters, have announced ho they’ll spend their new-found fortune.
One week ago Memories Pizza owners Crystal O’Connor and her father, Kevin O’Connor were the subjects of a nationwide controversy after they told a local news station they were happy to serve gay people at their pizza shop, but if asked, they could not cater a same-sex wedding, because of their religious beliefs. That interview came during the national debate over Indiana’s discriminatory anti-gay Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
The backlash was swift, leading anti-gay conservatives directed by Rush Limbaugh to donate cash to support their religious beliefs, and to “ram it down” the throats of the LGBT community, as the boisterous right wing talk radio pundit demanded.
Donate they did. Â
$842,387 was raised in just two days before the fundraiser mysteriously closed, no reason given.
LOOK:Â After Anti-Gay Activists Donate $842,387 To Pizzeria, Three LGBT Youth Orgs Ask For Help
Now, the O’Connors are speaking out again.
They say they’re ready to re-open for business after being “afraid” to open their door in light of the harassment they received.
And they’ve decided what they’re going to do with the proceeds of the fundraising campaign, which should, after fees, net them over three-quarters of a million dollars.
The Daily Mail reports the O’Connors “are set to share their new fortune with disabled children, a women’s help group, fire fighters, police trusts, Christian churches and Washington florist Barronelle Stutzman, 70, who was fined after declaring she would not serve a gay wedding.”
No specific amounts were reported.
It’s also unclear why Barronelle Stutzman would need their help, as she’s the beneficiary of a similar fundraising campaign that today stands at $150,000, and she’s facing a fine of just $1001.
Kevin O’Connor say he doesn’t hate his detractors.
“There are just a lot of good people out there. It seems like all we hear about is the bad ones and when something like this happens, it seems like the bad ones are the first to come out and get after you,” he says.
“I don’t hate these people. They are just angry. I am not really sure what they are so angry about. So many things today are topsy turvey. What used to be wrong is now right and what used to be right is now wrong. I don’t hold anything against them.”
And he shared a few more thoughts on the subject of same-sex marriage.
“If any child of mine came out as gay and entered into a gay marriage, I would still love them,” he told the Daily Mail, “but Daddy wouldn’t be going to the wedding.”
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Related:
‘God Has Blessed Us For Standing Up’: Indiana Pizza Shop Gets $500,000 In Donations (Video)
Indiana Pizza Parlor That Won’t Cater Gay Weddings Gets $55,000 And Christian Martyr Status
Closed: Indiana Pizza Parlor That Won’t Cater Same-Sex Weddings Because, Jesus
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Image: Screenshot via ABC 57 News