Restaurants across the country — and the service industry as a whole — have been suffering over the last few years thanks to lockdown mandates during the pandemic and a workforce that hasn’t fully returned to work.
One would assume that restaurants would be excited and grateful for any opportunity to host a large number of people and bring extra cash in the door.
However, for one restaurant in Richmond, Virginia, this is definitely not the case.
Metzger Bar and Butchery was scheduled to host The Family Foundation, a faith-based community nonprofit that advocates for policies based on biblical principles. An hour and a half before the event was scheduled to begin, the foundation received a shocking call — their event had been abruptly canceled as attendees were on their way to the restaurant.
After requesting an explanation for the cancelation, Metzger’s shared that members of their staff refused to serve the group due to views that, they deemed, might “seek to deprive women and LGTBTQ+ persons of their basic human rights in Virginia.” In more detail on Facebook, they stated that the group’s views made their employees feel uncomfortable and unsafe.
Translation: they were canceled for their religious views.
Despite its claims of being “inclusive” and “tolerant” and a place where individuals of all walks of life and beliefs can flourish, the restaurant has set a clear double standard: the only people and groups welcome under its roof are those who align with progressive beliefs.
While The Family Foundation thankfully found an alternate location for their event, the consequences of Metzger’s actions still exist: they discriminated against individuals they had never met on the basis of religious convictions — or perceived implications.
What would their reaction have been if conservative or Christian restaurant owners refused to serve a pro-abortion organization? You could expect mass outrage, harassment, boycotts, and more.
Discrimination in the name of tolerance is just that: discrimination.
