An Oregon woman planning on opening a grocery store has apologized for saying on her Facebook page, “Yes, of course a business owner should have the right to refuse service to gay people.” Chauncy Childs, whose Westmoreland grocery, Moreland Farmer’s pantry, was to feature food free of genetic engineering, was targeted in a YouTube video made by Sean O’Riordan, whose brother was gay and died of AIDS.
O’Riordan stated he was alerted to Childs’ Facebook page by his neighbors. He said, “People were then starting to say, ‘Did you see the owner’s Facebook page?'” O’Riordan brought up his brother as a reason for his actions, saying, “He was loyal to a fault and would do anything for you. He was persecuted because he was gay, and it’s not a right. It’s not a right.”
Childs, intimidated, told KGW on Thursday that she would never deny someone service, insisting, “Absolutely not. Absolutely, unequivocally, totally not,” then added, “I would say that I’m sorry to the people who I have offended. I genuinely feel that way and I hope we can make amends.” She also asserted that she would donate funds to a gay suicide prevention group in order to make peace.