Gay marriage backers threaten boycotts of pro-Prop. 8 restaurants

Some opponents of Prop. 8 are threatening to boycott the businesses of people who donated money to the ballot measure that banned gay marriage in California.

It was unclear how widespread the threats were, but an latimes.com database listing contributors to both sides of Proposition 8 saw a jump in traffic Wednesday.

El Coyote, the well-known Mexican restaurant on Beverly Boulevard in Los Angeles, received calls threatening a boycott after it was reported that someone associated with the eatery contributed $100 to "Yes on 8."

Bob Montoya, a manager at El Coyote, said customers have called and threatened to boycott the restaurant, but it does not appear to have affected business. Montoya said he thought a boycott, if one was called, was misguided, as the restaurant has a number of gay employees and has always been gay friendly.

"I"m gay and I work here, and I've been here for 31 years," Montoya told The Times. "It's gay friendly. People have been coming here for many years, gay and straight, families and everybody."

Word of the boycott has spread around websites and Facebook. "We should put our money where our mouth AND support is AND NOT AT EL COYOTE," says a posting on one activist's website.

The Times also received a letter threatening a boycott of an El Pollo Loco whose owner apparently contributed to the Prop. 8 campaign.

Sonja Eddings Brown of ProtectMarriage.com said the boycott threats have extended beyond eateries.

“We have received calls today from our members in Greater Los Angeles and other parts of the state indicating that today their businesses are being hurt because they contributed money,” she said. “People who contributed have been receiving calls from people dropping their business with them.”

Eater L.A. has a spirited debate about whether it's right to boycott El Coyote.

A similar dispute is roiling the California Musical Theatre in Sacramento.

--Alexandra Zavis, Gale Holland and Shelby Grad

Comments

[lesbo inflamed]

Please. This will all be mute when the Ca. Supreme Court rules. Either every adult gets to marry the person of their choice, or no one does.

You wanna protect marriage? Outlaw divorce.

[FreeWill]

It seems ironic to me that a person with religious ties living in what some like to call a "free society" and supporting their moral and religious convictions can be treated with prejudice by a lifestyle group like the gay community.

El Coyote was the first restaurant I ate at, that was in 1947. It continued to be my favorite restaurant for many years. Then in the late 1960's and early seventies I enjoyed it less and less. Not because of any decline in the food or the service, but because of the loss of the family atmosphere. El Coyote slowly became the Lost Angeles version of La Cage Aux Folies, and I felt uncomfortable taking my young daughter or friends and acquaitences to dine there. The public display and the fawning, by the gay clientel, were just, "too in your face". Last September I had the urge to have a good El Coyote meal so I went there. Not long after I was seated the Maitre d' showed a middle aged couple to the booth diagonal from the one where I was seated. The individual seated facing me was a middle aged cross-dresser with a five o'clock shadow, no fashion sense and bad make-up skills. It spoiled my lunch.

I consider the gay boycott good news. Maybe non-gays can feel less uncomfortable at El Coyote now. Go Marjorie!

[MarjorieFan]

What is this a witch hunt?We're not in Salem anymore, Dorothys.

Give some respect to Marjorie for standing up for her long-time beliefs. She doesn't hate gays neither does her chuch. It's evident from her words and her actions. She just doesn't think it's necessary to redefine "marriage." Call it something else. New union- New term. (Atleast Marjorie didn't throw her long-time church under the bus- like our new and improved President Elect Obama did and promised he would Not!) We Love You Marjorie!!

[ProGayUnion]

Riddle: How much money does it take to scare away the Entire Gay Community? Just $100, maybe less. Who Knew! Anyone got $100?

Darn. I overpaid. I spent 10xs that. Ya do the math. $1000 down the toilet. :(

[Yesss-prop8-here to stay!]

We can all play the boycott game, let's see the majority of the people of this country are conservatives, hmmm, that tells me if we become just as nasty and immature as the gays/lesbians/etc., we can maybe go beyond prop 8 and change the diagnosistic manuals to define homosexuality as the deviant sexual behavior that it is. We will never accept it, it is not your right to destroy our country with a perverse sexual behavior/lifestyle. We will support those businesses that you want to boycott and America is waking up, thank you for exposing yourselves...Now you can go back to the closet.

[Freedom Fan]

I plan to start patronizing El Coyote to support Marjorie and others who act on the strength of their convictions. Every Mormon I have ever known was a wonderful person. Please tell me who else you are boycotting so I can support them also.

The purpose of marriage in a society is to honor and promote the lifetime relationship which best provides children with a stable home environment and male and female adult role models. It is already tough enough for a gal to get a guy to commit to a lifelong relationship without making marriage into a joke. Marriage is on the ropes because of welfare and the loss of the social stigma of divorce. Traditional marriage is as old as civilization; supporting traditional marriage is not anti-gay rights; it is pro-civilization.

Society does not have much interest in whether gays change partners. Gays through California Registered Domestic Partnerships already have all the rights of married folks. So what do gays really want? The truth is that gay "marriage" is about legislating universal acceptance of the gay lifestyle and intolerance of traditional values.

For example, in Canada and other countries they have "Human Rights" Commissions which can fine and impose lifetime "hate speech" bans on anyone who criticizes gay behavior even by directly citing scripture. This is where we are headed. This is a freedom issue. Our freedom to express ourselves is in danger.

The traditional definition of marriage is supported throughout the country -- even in California. Using a couple of liberal judges to subvert the will of the people is undemocratic.

You need to change folks' minds. Throwing your sexuality folks' faces and attacking their religion will just result in a backlash.

[Amused Observer]

I love it when liberals become militant. It's the surest way to scare off support by the general public. The gay community made its greatest strides when it was cute, cuddly and lovable--the nice guy/gal next door-like Ellen. Now when it doesn't get what it wants, it tries to shut businesses down. Do you really want to start an economic boycott war?---you'ld lose. Should Christian families boycott Disneyland because of its pro-gay stance?. Or should we all boycott Hollywood because of its liberal-everything stance? We have the power to shut these industries down, but we don't. The reason, because that is not how reasonable poeple act.

[Basil Fitze]

I live in Canada and gay and lesbians can legally marry with equal rights and the sky did not fall. Business go on and life is fine.

Gay marriage is big business in Canada and thousands of Americans flock here to marry thier partner and are welcomed and excepted, give us the business we give you your rights.

Wake up America, maybe gay people should refuse to pay taxes since they are not true citizens and are not equal.

The USA is a joke. I boycott the whole place, if its made in the USA its not for me. The USA IS what its claiming its fighting, terrorists. Compare Iran to USA on gay rights exactly the same more or less.

The USA is dying and draging the whole world with it.

[Lance]

Amazing and gives me hope. Largely ignored by politicians, gays and gay supporters are voting with their money. Very clever.

Nothing hypocritical about it. The fact that these businesses aren't allowed to refuse employment to gays is moot. Really, idiots abound.

Money speaks louder than words. Bravo.

And please, save the fake outrage and fear that gays will harass and threaten violence to the now revealed Prop 8 supporters. Not going to happen, save for a small chance of isolated instances. Gays are more likely to use soft power, their money, than the hard power of fists. Again, BRAVO!

[Caleb]

It's simple. No on 8 people are exercising their voices as citizens by flexing their rights as consumers. This boycott may not have the intended outcome, but it is reminding the businesses and individuals of a very important right that they do not have: the right to be protected from monetary losses if you use your free speech to offend someone else. Are gays offended? Yes. Far be it from you to mock their sensitivity to an issue that affects them more than it affects you.

Yes on 8 people bicker that gay supporters are sore losers. Well, complaining that people are boycotting your business makes YOU a sore loser. Are you upset that you are not getting a return on your investment...those big chunks of change with which you parted in support of the marriage ban? If you lose money, it's because your support was never about money. It was about morals. Well, you won. Be content with your moral victory.

And please, stop with all the accusations that gays are further dividing society with this boycott. Had gays remained on the fringes of society, hiding and divided, none of this Prop 8 stuff would've ever happened. Also, the number of businesses and individuals that cared enough to donate to the Yes on 8 cause is a minority. Any boycotter who wishes to consume goods and services has a whole host of other businesses from which to choose, not only gay-specific businesses. Boycotting isn't as divisive as everybody is warning.

[Caleb]

Wait a minute. Boycotting is an unreasonable act? It’s childish? You really think you have the power to shut down Disney and Hollywood, but you won’t because you’re so high-minded and reasonable?! Please. You are not shutting them down because they’re not attacking your right to marry. They treat their gay employees fair and make movies of questionable taste, and that might upset you, but their not after YOU.

[Jack D. Ripper]

"GAYSTAPO". ?? So if I don't vote the way YOU THINK, your gonna try to hurt me? Go after my Buisness, Family, Religion? Sounds like SODOMITES have turned into Nazi's. I liked them better, when they were under rocks, or in the Closet's......