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Memories Pizza

Memories Pizza7 posts

Memories Pizza is a pizza restaurant in Walkerton, Indiana, which is owned by the O’Connor family. It became the focus of media attention after the owners said they would not cater pizza for gay weddings.

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7 Apr, 2015

Daily Mail interview

Interview0 Comments

The O’Connors say they will open Wednesday 8 April. The also say they they will share the $842,000 raised on GoFundMe with disabled children, a women’s help group, fire fighters, police trusts, Christian churches and Washington florist Barronelle Stutzman, who was fined after declaring she would not serve a gay wedding. Kevin O’Connor:

If any child of mine came out as gay and entered into a gay marriage, I would still love them, but Daddy wouldn’t be going to the wedding…I don’t care who comes through that door. They are people. I don’t care if they are gay. I don’t care if they walk in on their hands. I don’t care if their heads are attached to their knee. They are more than welcome to come in and eat. ‘That is not what is about. We believe that it is not right for a man to marry a man and for a woman to marry a woman. People could end up marrying trees…come on!..When this country was founded it was a Christian nation and those were the rights given to us by the founders and before that by God. People just don’t want you to have those rights any more….

Crystal says that the family has received death threats:

I was asked a hypothetical question and that was the answer I gave. But I didn’t hope to gain anything by saying what I said. I wasn’t trying to score points. It is something I believe in from my heart and my faith about gay weddings. But I don’t regret what I said. I have been scared, but God is giving me strength. I think it is nothing compared to what Christ had to suffer…I don’t like attention, period. Before all this I was the “Pizza Girl” and I didn’t like that and now I got even more attention. I don’t know how to take it…I didn’t want to leave my apartment. I was scared. People were looking at me and all that brought my spirits down. But the support we got also lifted me and made me stronger and humbled.

2 Apr, 2015

Will re-open

Interview0 Comments

Appearing on Cavuto, O’Connor says the store will re-open soon:

We have decided that we will re-open again. I’m still shaken about — over this and I’ll be the one that’s serving the customers and answering phones. And I’m not ready to face that yet. But it will be soon.

She also clarifies that gay people are welcome in the store:

Anyone is welcome in the store, it’s against our belief — to cater to their wedding. We’re condoning that if we do that, and that is against our religion, it’s not at all hateful, we show no hatred towards them, we just — we ask that they respect, as we have to allow the way they believe, we just ask that they respect the way we believe…we have to accept them [gay people], and we just ask that they accept us.

About the detractors:

All you can do is pray for them, and truly, we’re not really angry at them. We’re sad for them.

Go-Fund Me account raises over $40,000

Donation0 Comments

A GoFundMe page called “Support Memories Pizza” set up to raise $35,000 for the restaurant gets $40,000 from more than 1,000 donors in five hours. The Gofundme page donations are now over $300,000.

After being interviewed by Dana Loesch on her television show on Blaze TV, we learned that the family may never even reopen the doors to their restaurant as the death threats and vicious online reviews continue to pour in from the arbiters of “tolerance.” My name is Lawrence Jones, and I’m one of the television opinion contributors on Dana’s show. Before the televised interview the producers discussed the situation…We all agreed: this family needs help to get through this assault. So we set up a GoFundMe page with the modest goal of $25,000. The intent was to help the family stave off the burdensome cost of having the media parked out front, activists tearing them down, and no customers coming in.

Arson threat coach suspended

Makes Statement0 Comments

Jess Dooley, a Concord High School assistant softball coach, who works with special education students, is suspended for a threat to burn down the store on Twitter:

Who’s going to Walkerton, IN to burn down #memoriespizza w me? Agree with #FreedomofReligion bill? “That’s a lifestyle they CHOOSE” Ignorant

The Walkerton Police Department are proceeding with the county prosecutor:

The Walkerton Police Department is committed to extending professional police services to all in need, regardless of said person’s sexual, religious, or political views. We encourage all to follow Indiana Laws and Statutes. We ask that all frustrations and rebuttals with Memories Pizza’s recent media statements remain within the law.

Won’t cater pizza to gay weddings

Makes Statement2 Comments

Memories Pizza, in Walkerton, Indiana, says it will not cater gay weddings. The store, run by the O’Connor family for nine years, says they would not discriminate against a gay couple or a couple belonging to another religion who came to the restaurant to eat, but that they don’t agree with gay marriages and wouldn’t cater them if asked to. Crystal O’Connor:

If a gay couple came in and wanted us to provide pizzas for their wedding, we would have to say no. We are a Christian establishment. We’re not discriminating against anyone, that’s just our belief and anyone has the right to believe in anything.

On the bill:

We definitely agree with the bill. I do not think it’s targeting gays. I don’t think it’s discrimination. It’s supposed to help people that have a religious belief.

Kevin O’Connor:

That lifestyle is something they choose. I choose to be heterosexual. They choose to be homosexual. Why should I be beat over the head to go along with something they choose?