Coffee Shop Kicks Out Atheists

In Homewood, Alabama, the Cool Beans coffee shop has informed a local atheist group that they can no longer use the place to meet. Local religious groups will continue to meet there, which means that the shop is likely violating federal anti-discrimination laws. Rather than file suit, the atheists are organizing a boycott.

The Universists explain:

[Cool Beans] owner Amy Anderson said on Monday “I am a Christian, and I am not comfortable with your group putting fliers on our table or having meetings here.” Other local religious groups do meet at the business, which gladly hosts fliers for Christian groups including CASBA (Catholic Singles in the Birmingham Area) and Elevate College Ministry. Confronted with the discrimination, Universist Movement Director Ford Vox informed Anderson that “Over the years, businesses have discriminated against people for reasons of race, gender, sexual orientation and religion. Your policy is part of that sad history.”

Anderson's exclusionary policy, made on the sole basis of our religious views, is in violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which stipulates that "All persons shall be entitled to the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, and privileges, advantages, and accommodations of any place of public accommodation, as defined in this section, without discrimination or segregation on the ground of race, color, religion, or national origin."

The Universists say that they have tried to discuss the issue with Amy Anderson in order to change her mind, but it appears that her religious prejudice and bigotry are simply more important than simply ethical fairness — much less following federal law. A court battle would be costly for everyone and it’s unlikely that people would feel especially happy regardless of the outcome. Thus, a boycott is being worked on instead.

I try to patronize local business rather than large corporations because I believe in supporting the community. Thus, it’s a shame for a local place like Cool Beans to become the target of a boycott aimed at hurting its business, but the cause is indisputably just and I hope that they are successful. Cool Beans has a web site you can use to contact them to express your opinion, but if you do please be polite and civil. Their actions may mean that they don’t deserve civility, but you should be better than them and show it anyway.

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