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Cracker Barrel, a well-known, southern-style food chain located in the U.S. has banned a homophobic priest from holding a meeting in one of their restaurants.
A homophobic pastor who said the government should execute gay people, has been banned from holding a meeting with his followers at a Cracker Barrel restaurant located in Cleveland, Tennessee.
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Grayson Fritts, a pastor and former police officer who worked as a detective for 19 years, planned to hold a meeting June 29 at the Cracker Barrel in Cleveland for the All Scripture Baptists Church.
However, the restaurant chain announced it would not allow the meeting to take place at its Cleveland location via Twitter, saying it "disagrees strongly" with the church's hateful and divisive rhetoric.
“Cracker Barrel is not affiliated in any way with Mr. Fritts or All Scripture Baptist and we disagree strongly with their statements of hate and divisiveness,” the restaurant said in a statement released June 18.
“We have advised All Scripture Baptist that their event will not be allowed at Cracker Barrel. We serve everyone who walks through our doors with genuine hospitality, not hate, and require all guests to do the same,” said the restaurant's official statement.
The month of June is celebrated as Pride Month worldwide.
We continue to work hard every day to foster a culture that is welcoming and inclusive. We strongly disagree with Mr. Fritts' statements of hate and divisiveness. Please see our full statement below. pic.twitter.com/nNqmN8kiKC
— Cracker Barrel (@CrackerBarrel) June 18, 2019
The restaurant made its decision after finding out Pastor Fritts made comments during a June 2 sermon that federal, state and county governments should arrest, convict and execute people in the LGBT+ community, according to Pink News. Mary Mancini, Tennesse Democratic Party Chair, wrote to Cracker Barrel’s CEO about the church’s plan of holding a meeting in their restaurant.
“Among other statements anathema to the standards and values of this great country, Pastor Fritts said members of the LGBTQ+ community are ‘freaks’ and ‘animals,’ and ‘are worthy of death,” Mancini told restaurant executives.
“Mr. Fritts also called on the United States government to carry out death sentences against the community,” she added in her letter.
Mancini said that hosting a meeting for this chuch goes "in direct conflict with the culture you are working so hard to build as well as the inclusivity and diversity pledge stated on your website.”
The Knox Country Attorney General’s office is looking into the sermon that was at first published on Youtube but has since been deleted, and prosecutors say they are reviewing the case.
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