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Hundreds of people gathered at an auditorium in the U.S. state of Washington on Tuesday last week to express their support for a Christian grandmother and florist who has filed an appeal at the state's Supreme Court concerning the fine imposed on her by a lower court for refusing to provide services to a gay couple during their wedding because of her faith.
Barronelle Stutzman, the owner of Arlene's Flowers in Richland, Washington, received support from more than 300 people fighting for religious freedom, Fox News reported.
Her supporters conveyed their encouragement for Stutzman by bringing white roses and signs that read "Let Freedom Bloom," "Freedom to Create," and "Justice for Barronelle."
One of her supporters, Georgene Faries of Arlington, Washington, expressed admiration for Stutzman for standing up for her Christian faith.
"I'm here because I believe in religious liberties, and I'm going to stand with Barronelle because I think that we have the freedom to stand for what we believe," Faries told The Tri-city Herald.
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The Christian florist's supporter maintained that there was nothing wrong in refusing to heed the demands of homosexuals.
"It's not hate-mongering. I think that is a real confusion and that is a distortion and especially a lie because we don't hate anybody. We don't hate individuals," she said.
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Stutzman went to the Washington Supreme Court last week for oral arguments on the appeal filed by her lawyers to reverse a lower court decision asking her to pay gay couple Robert Ingersoll and Curt Freed a sum of $1,001 for refusing to render them services for their union in 2003.
During the court hearing, the Christian florist maintained that she has the freedom to refuse to render her services for something she does not believe in.
"The government is telling me there is one choice — either I give up my faith and my freedom or I lose everything I own," Stutzman told her supporters. Our Constitution protects that freedom but it just isn't about my freedom, it is about all of our freedoms."
She also told the crowd that protecting the Christian faith is not a bad thing.
"When the government can come in and tell you what to do, what to create and what to believe, we do not live in a free America," she added.
