Below is my column in The Hill on the recent controversy of a Tennessee Florist shop refusing to serve Republicans and encouraging others to do the same. It is a timing boycott as we await the decision in 303 Creative v. Elenis.
Here is the column:
Alex Vaughan and Quinn Kiesow are florists on a mission. In establishing the FLWR Shop in Belle Meade, Tenn., they announced that they intended to be “the very best flower shop, not just in Nashville, but well, ever!” It appears, however, that that their “passion for unique and elegant flowers” does not extend to Republicans.
The owners are at the center of a national controversy after refusing to provide decorations for a GOP event featuring former President Donald Trump, former Vice President Michael Pence, and other Republicans. They further urged other businesses to deny future services to the Republican Party over gun control.
Some liberals are ecstatic and heaped praise on the shop.
For many, however, this is a rather incongruous arrangement. Many liberal pundits oppose religious businesses like bakeries in refusing to serve same-sex weddings and oppose the Supreme Court’s recognition of free speech rights for businesses generally. Indeed, if liberals now favor such denials of service for political or religious reasons, they are going to love what is coming in a case called 303 Creative v. Elenis.