Catholic Fruit Grower Who Was Banned from Market for Opposing Gay 'Marriage' Triumphs in Federal Court
The rights of a Michigan fruit grower were violated when a city barred him from a seasonal market because of his opposition to same-sex weddings at his orchard, a judge said.
East Lansing’s decision to exclude Steve Tennes and Country Mill Farms in 2017 “constituted a burden on plaintiffs’ religious beliefs,” U.S. District Judge Paul Maloney said Monday, applying a U.S. Supreme Court precedent to the case.
“Plaintiffs were forced to choose between following their religious beliefs and a government benefit for which they were otherwise qualified,” Maloney said.
Tennes grows apples and other fruit in Eaton County, 22 miles away from East Lansing. He also had made his farm available for weddings.
But Tennes wasn’t allowing same-sex weddings, citing his Catholic beliefs.
When he expressed his views on Facebook, he said he wasn’t invited back to the East Lansing market for the 2017 season.
Maloney issued an injunction that year, ordering the city to reinstate him while Tennes’ lawsuit moved forward.
“He serves and welcomes everyone to his stand. No one is ever turned away,” attorney John Bursch said Tuesday.
East Lansing cited its non-discrimination ordinance and vendor rules in barring Tennes from the market.
However, the judge found problems.
“The city has not demonstrated a compelling interest in excluding plaintiffs” from the market, Maloney said. “The city’s non-discrimination ordinance tolerates the same discrimination in other situations.”
Alliance Defending Freedom, whose attorneys represented Tennes and his farm, celebrated the ruling Tuesday as a “RELIGIOUS FREEDOM WIN!”
“The district court’s decision rightly protects Steve’s freedom to operate his business according to his convictions,” ADF senior counsel Kate Anderson said in a statement.
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM WIN!
Steve Tennes, owner of Country Mill Farms, was excluded from a city-run farmer’s market for expressing his religious view of marriage on Facebook.Thanks to Monday’s ruling by a federal court, he may continue to participate at the farmer’s market.
— Alliance Defending Freedom (@ADFLegal) August 22, 2023
Read more: https://t.co/NbUnWgbNan pic.twitter.com/9Pzf4K5vDw
— Alliance Defending Freedom (@ADFLegal) August 22, 2023
An email seeking comment on the judge’s decision was sent to East Lansing officials.
Bursch said he now hopes to reach an agreement with the city and close the litigation.
Tennes addressed the issue in a 2017 Fox News interview.
Steve Tennes: “Tolerance needs to be a two-way street.” #TheStory
https://t.co/zpIvDQLlYp pic.twitter.com/ReVubLVtfb— Fox News (@FoxNews) June 2, 2017
“We were surprised and we were shocked,” he said.
“My wife and I both volunteered to serve in the military — to protect freedom now we come home and the freedom that we worked to protect — we have to defend in our own backyard,” Tennes said.
The Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press story and may have altered it prior to publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards.
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