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Why did a gay woman apologize to embattled Indiana pizzeria?

April 07, 2015
Wilson

Writer

Good news! The country can come together on common sense principles and values. For the past couple of days, the battle in Indiana over the Religious Freedom Restoration Act has seemed to tear the country apart. But there are still people who understand decency and common sense in the world. Courtney Hoffman is a gay woman from Seattle. Why did she apologize to the owners of Memories Pizza all the way in Indiana? This is one of the best “strange bedfellows” stories of all time.

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On the Memories Pizza GoFundMe page, Hoffman wrote:

“As a member of the gay community, I would like to apologize for the mean spirited attacks on you and your business. I know many gay individuals who fully support your right to stand up for your beliefs and run your business according to those beliefs. We are outraged at the level of hate and intolerance that has been directed at you and I sincerely hope that you are able to rebuild.”

She shared more of her story on radio this morning with Glenn.

"After I heard about it, it just kind of sat with me. You know, just the behaviors towards this little pizzeria seemed appalling," she said.

Courtney was critical of the voices at the forefront of the gay community. She said that for the most part, people should have a 'live and let live' attitude and approach.

"What I feel has been most amazing to me has been the level of shock that people have expressed. I guess what they've been calling my tolerance. A lot of people I know believe that the gender of your significant other does not dictate your beliefs. That's just the gender of your significant other. But I know so many gay individuals who are Republican and Democrat and capitalist and socialists and Christians and atheists, and there's this whole wide view of mind-sets within a community. It's not just this one forefront that people see that seems to be made up of this bullying tactic," she said.

"I feel like there's been this kind of dialogue for a while that if someone disagrees with you or has a different opinion than you then therefore they must be malicious or filled with hate," she said. "Just change the dialogue on that front. Just because someone disagrees with my opinion, doesn't mean they're evil or that they're malicious in their intent. It just means that we differ in opinions. But we probably have so much more in common."

"The gay community has spent decades fighting for their right to just be themselves. All we ever wanted was the right to live our lives as we see fit according to our beliefs. And to turn on someone who, yeah, has very different beliefs than we have - but it's the same fundamental right to just live your right according to those beliefs. We should be defending that. If we don't agree with that, we should open a dialogue or just letting them live. You don't have to open a dialogue with them, but I'm not quite sure when or why, you know, the people who have fought for decades to live their life according to their beliefs have all of a sudden turned on those who are just doing the same," she said.

GLENN: You know, one of the stories that broke last week during this whole nightmare in Indiana, where you have these pizza owners being, I think, targeted -- intentionally targeted by a local television station looking to pick a fight. Because there's nobody that ever caters a wedding -- how many times have you gone --

PAT: That's like, I'm looking for the local Hostess shop to cater Twinkies at my wedding.

GLENN: Nobody does that. Well, actually someone on our staff did that.

PAT: Jeffy did that.

GLENN: But that's a different story. So Dana started a GoFundMe page for this really nice family that owns this pizza shop. They don't have hatred in their heart at all. And this is -- I mean, closing for a week, I know because I was a small business owner with my dad. That could put you out of business. It's just over for you.

So -- and that's what these people are trying to do. And when I say these people, I don't mean gay people. Because I think gay people aren't like this. I think it's the organizations. We all have, you know, organizations that, you know, will -- that maybe you belong to and you're like, okay, no, I don't agree with that. For instance, Stu is a vegan. But he doesn't agree with what PETA does. PETA is speaking for vegans. No, they're not speaking for him.

PAT: I'm a member of the National Association of Realtors, for example. I don't agree with everything they do.

GLENN: Exactly right. Boy, those guys piss me off.

PAT: Oh, man.

GLENN: Anyway, it's just people with agenda and want power and money. And they're separating us. And we're not that different. So one of the donations that really stuck out was from a gay woman who donated $20 to the Memories Pizza place in Walkerton, Indiana. We have her on the phone now. Her name is Courtney Hoffman. Hello, Courtney, how are you? Courtney.

COURTNEY: Yeah, can you hear me?

GLENN: Yes, I can. How are you?

COURTNEY: Good. How are you doing?

GLENN: Very good. So, Courtney, tell me a little about yourself. Do you know who we are? Did you listen to this show, or how did you find out about this GoFundMe?

COURTNEY: I do know who you are. I don't listen to the show. I'm not overly politically active.

GLENN: Okay.

COURTNEY: But I heard about it on, I think, a local radio show here. I think. I don't honestly remember how I heard about it.

GLENN: Okay.

COURTNEY: But after I heard about it, it just kind of sat with me. You know, just the behaviors towards this little pizzeria seemed appalling.

GLENN: Where are you from?

COURTNEY: I'm from Seattle.

GLENN: Okay. Wow, you're from Seattle. That's my hometown. And that is not -- that is not the place that would embrace your point of view.

COURTNEY: You know, I -- I kind of disagree with that.

GLENN: Oh, I'm glad to hear that.

COURTNEY: Yeah. I mean, I feel like we're kind of painted as this liberal city, but the individuals I know -- you know, it doesn't really have to do with conservative or liberal. It just has to do with, like, a human element. And, you know, the people that I know, gay or straight or liberal or conservative, are very just understanding and supportive of an individual's right to live their life as they see fit.

GLENN: So you're more Libertarian than anything else?

COURTNEY: I suppose, yeah.

GLENN: Good. Because that's where we are.

PAT: It's kind of like what you said yesterday, Glenn. When you said that people aren't intense about it on the other side. It's the media making it out like they are.

GLENN: It's the media. And it's those in power. Both left and right. That need us to argue with each other. I think the average person is like, look, I don't want to be around people who are hateful. I don't want people who are bigoted and racist et cetera, et cetera. But that happens. And, you know, those aren't part of my circle. And I don't know that many. And we have to change their hearts. You're never going to legislate morality. You'll never legislate hatred out. You just have to change people's heart. And the rest of us. The vast majority of Americans are cool with each other. Let's just be cool with each other.

COURTNEY: Yeah.

STU: And, Courtney, what better way to change someone's heart than what you did. Instead of coming out here like many did and were angry about things, you came out to embrace people's right to be different. And you donated to a cause and I think you won a lot of people over to listen to you.

GLENN: You did.

COURTNEY: It's been amazing. What I feel has been most amazing to me has been the level of shock that people have expressed. You know, just I guess what they've been calling my tolerance. You know, because, you know, I believe in -- a lot of people I know believe that the gender of your significant other does not dictate your beliefs. You know, that's just the gender of your significant other. But I know so many gay individuals who are Republican and Democrat and capitalist and socialists and Christians and atheists, and there's this whole wide view of mind-sets within a community. It's not, you know, just this one forefront that people see that seems to be made up of this bullying tactic.

GLENN: So, Courtney, there's a 70-year-old woman in Washington state who runs a flower shop. And she was asked by a gay couple to -- so you know the story. Right?

COURTNEY: Yeah, yeah.

GLENN: They're now suing her not only for her business, but she's about to lose her house.

COURTNEY: It's heartbreaking.

GLENN: How can we -- how can people who are, you know, on the side of the small businessperson and may be against gay marriage, may not be against gay marriage. I'm fine with gay marriage. The government shouldn't have anything to do with my marriage, you know what I mean?

COURTNEY: Yeah.

GLENN: But how do we get people to see and to change their hearts to say, this has nothing to do with hate. This has everything to do with embrace diversity and you can't force someone to violate their conscience.

COURTNEY: Yeah. Well, I feel like there's been this kind of dialogue for a while that if someone is -- disagrees with you or has a different opinion than you then therefore they must be malicious or filled with hate. And, you know, I think that would be a good place to start. Just change the dialogue on that front. Just because someone disagrees with my opinion, doesn't mean they're evil or that they're malicious in their intent. It just means that we differ in opinions. But we probably have so much more in common.

GLENN: We do.

STU: Like, for example, we shouldn't be having a conversation about a pizza place without eating pizza.

COURTNEY: Yeah.

STU: I think we can come together on that.

GLENN: Let's eat pizza. What is your business, Courtney?

COURTNEY: My girlfriend and I own a small kettle corn stand.

GLENN: A small kettle corn stand?

COURTNEY: Yeah.

STU: Where is the kettle corn? How do we not have your kettle corn here?

COURTNEY: I can definitely get some to you.

GLENN: Oh, that's a definite must. We'll pay for it. Do you sell it online?

COURTNEY: No, we don't. We sell it at, like, fairs and festivals.

GLENN: That's too bad because you would have sold a ton today. Well, that's great.

COURTNEY: Yeah, so we're pretty small.

GLENN: Courtney, we just wanted to thank you and just try to get your voice to be heard as a reasonable individual, that we are all different, but it's cool to be different.

COURTNEY: Yeah. It's okay that we're different. It doesn't mean that we're malicious or hate-filled.

GLENN: Can I ask you one more question?

COURTNEY: Sure.

GLENN: Pat is just --

STU: Needling you today. It's fun.

GLENN: When I was down at the Friends of Abe. Do you know what the Friends of Abe is? The people in Hollywood that happen to be conservative.

COURTNEY: No, I don't.

GLENN: Okay. They're Hollywood people that happen to be conservative, and they're in the closet. They're actually in the closet. And they're terrified of anybody finding out.

COURTNEY: Yeah. Yeah.

GLENN: And I was speaking to them one time and I said, you know, I don't understand because, you know, Hollywood has a lot of -- a lot of people in the gay community here in Hollywood. And Jews also, a lot of Jews in Hollywood. And you would think that those two groups, out of everybody, would know what it feels like to be afraid to say who you are.

COURTNEY: Right.

GLENN: Why is this happening? What is happening to where they don't empathize with those who are now afraid to say who they are?

COURTNEY: You know, I -- I don't know. I feel like a similar movement has happened in the gay community. You know, the gay community has spent decades fighting for their right to just be themselves. You know, all we ever wanted was the right to live our lives as we see fit according to our beliefs and to turn on someone who, yeah, has very different beliefs than we have. But it's the same fundamental right to just live your right according to those beliefs. We should be defending that. If we don't agree with that, we should open a dialogue or just letting them live. You don't have to open a dialogue with them, but I'm not quite sure when or why, you know, the people who have fought for decades to live their life according to their beliefs have all of a sudden turned on those who are just doing the same. But it's --

STU: That's a great point though. You know, sometimes I'm tired of having dialogues. I just want to do my thing and go to sleep and eat some kettle corn.

GLENN: We don't have to go to Starbucks and have them write stuff on our coffee cup. Just please. Can't we just stand in line together and talk about nothing or not talk about nothing.

STU: That's why guys gravitate to sports because it's anything other than --

GLENN: Thinking.

STU: -- the real world. You just want something to distract yourself. And that's okay too. Where is the kettle corn? Is it here yet?

COURTNEY: I'm working on it.

GLENN: Courtney, thank you so much. God bless you.

COURTNEY: Thank you so much. Have a good day.

PAT: She was great.

GLENN: I love her. I love her.

JEFFY: Fantastic.

GLENN: She's -- and, you know what, that kind of person as a spokesperson for any community, oh, would win.

STU: Wins you over in a second.

GLENN: How will you argue with Courtney?

PAT: I'm personally not going to.

STU: We saw the same thing with different approaches from Ellen.

GLENN: Yes.

PAT: Remember the preachy Ellen.

STU: She's funny and likable. You just want to be around her.

PAT: Ellen would just completely reject --

GLENN: Preachy Ellen where she was, this is who I am. Blah, blah. Everybody knows who she is. And it's totally cool. Let's just laugh together. It's fine. It's fine. You don't to have jam it down our throats. Rub our nose in it.

PAT: That was the big announcement to announce that I'm running for president. The big announcement to announce that I'm gay. Everyone already knows.

STU: We're like so. Don't make your whole show about that.

GLENN: Because that says that's all you are. And that's not all she is.

STU: Right. You're more than that. And she's proven that 1,000 times over.

GLENN: Yep.

The Deep State's NEW plan to backstab Trump

Brandon Bell / Staff | Getty Images

We cannot make the same mistake we made in 2016 — celebrating victory while the deep state plots its next move.

In 2016, Donald Trump shocked the world by defeating Hillary Clinton. Conservatives cheered, believing we’d taken back the reins of our country. But we missed the bigger battle. We failed to recognize the extent of the damage caused by eight years of Barack Obama and decades of progressive entrenchment. The real war isn’t won at the ballot box. It’s being waged against an insidious force embedded deep within our institutions: the administrative state, or the “deep state.”

This isn’t a new problem. America’s founders foresaw it, though they didn’t have a term for “deep state” back in the 1700s. James Madison, in Federalist 48, warned us that combining legislative, executive, and judicial powers in the same hands is “the very definition of tyranny.” Yet today, that’s exactly where we stand. Unelected bureaucrats in agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Energy, and the Department of Justice hold more power than the officials we vote for. They control the levers of government with impunity, dictating policies and stifling change.

This is the fight for the soul of our nation. The founders’ vision of a constitutional republic is under siege.

We’ve felt the consequences of this growing tyranny firsthand. During COVID-19, so-called experts ran our lives, crushing civil liberties under the guise of public safety. Our intelligence agencies and justice system turned into weapons of political warfare, targeting a sitting president and his supporters. Meanwhile, actual criminals were given a pass, turning American cities into lawless war zones.

Thomas Jefferson wrote in 1816 that “the functionaries of every government have propensities to command at will the liberty and property of their constituents.” Today, we see Jefferson’s prophecy fulfilled. The deep state exercises unchecked power over our freedoms, and information itself is controlled by the fourth branch of government: the legacy media.

Even when we win elections, the deep state doesn’t concede defeat. It switches to survival mode. Trump’s first term proved this. Despite a historic mandate to dismantle the bureaucracy, the deep state fought back with everything it had: leaks, investigations, court rulings, and obstruction at every turn. And now, with the possibility of Trump returning to office, the deep state is preparing to do it again.

Progressives are laying out their attack plan — and they’re not even hiding it.

U.S. Rep. Wiley Nickel (D-N.C.) recently boasted about forming a “shadow cabinet” to govern alongside the deep state, regardless of who’s in the White House. Nickel called it “democracy’s insurance policy.” Let’s be clear: This isn’t insurance. It’s sabotage.

They’ll employ a “top down, bottom up, inside out” strategy to overwhelm and collapse any effort to reform the system. From the top, federal judges and shadow officials will block Trump’s every move. Governors in blue states like California and New York are gearing up to resist federal authority. During Trump’s first term, California filed over 100 lawsuits against his administration. Expect more of the same starting January 20.

From the bottom, progressive groups like the American Civil Liberties Union will flood the streets with protesters, much as they did to oppose Trump’s first-term immigration reforms. They’ve refined their tactics since 2016 and are prepared to unleash a wave of civil unrest. These aren’t spontaneous movements; they’re coordinated assaults designed to destabilize the administration.

Finally, from the inside, the deep state will continue its mission of self-preservation. Agencies will drag their feet, leak sensitive information, and undermine policies from within. Their goal is to make everything a chaotic mess, so the heart of their power — the bureaucratic core — remains untouched and grows stronger.

We cannot make the same mistake we made in 2016 — celebrating victory while the deep state plots its next move. Progressives never see themselves as losing. When they’re out of power, they simply shift tactics, pumping more blood into their bureaucratic heart. We may win elections, but the war against the deep state will only intensify. As George Washington warned in his Farewell Address, “Government is not reason, it is not eloquence — it is force; and force, like fire, is a dangerous servant and a fearful master.”

This is the fight for the soul of our nation. The founders’ vision of a constitutional republic is under siege. The deep state has shown us its plan: to govern from the shadows, circumventing the will of the people. But now that the shadows have been exposed, we have a choice. Will we accept this silent tyranny, or will we demand accountability and reclaim our nation’s heart?

The battle is just beginning. We can’t afford to lose.

Editor's Note: This article was originally published on TheBlaze.com.

Drone mystery exposes GLARING government incompetence

Gary Hershorn / Contributor | Getty Images

The drone issue is getting way out of hand.

Earlier this month, Glenn first reported on the mysterious drones stalking the night sky over New Jersey, but the situation is increasingly concerning as the sightings have escalated. Not only have drones been seen across the Northeast Coast, including over New York City, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, but recently, they have been spotted over the night skies of San Diego and other parts of Southern California.

It doesn't take an expert to identify the potential dangers and risks that dozens of undetectable, unidentified six-foot or larger drones pose to national security. Yet, our government's response has been one of unimaginable incompetence, leaving us to speculate on the origin and intention of these drones and wonder in astonishment at the government's ineptitude. Here are three examples of the government's lackluster response to the mystery drones:

Iranian Mothership and Missing Nuclear Warheads

- / Stringer | Getty Images

After several weeks of hubbub, New Jersey Representative, Jeff Van Drew gave an interview on Fox News where he claimed that the drones originated from an Iranian "mothership" off the East Coast of the United States. This theory has since been disproven by satellite images, which show that all Iranian drone carriers are far from U.S. shores. Another theory suggests that drones may be equipped with sensors capable of detecting nuclear material and that they are looking for a nuclear warhead that recently went missing! With these apocalyptic theories gaining traction in the absence of any real answer from our government, one can't help but question the motive behind the silence.

Pentagon's Limp Wristed Response

Alex Wong / Staff | Getty Images

In a recent press conference, national security spokesman John Kirby responded to reporters demanding answers about the government's lack of transparency, which has caused increasing public anxiety. He insisted that the drones did not pose a threat and were not assets of a foreign power, such as from Iran or China--even though he is still uncertain about their identity and origin. He also claimed that many of the sightings were simply misidentifications of normal aircraft.

This lackluster answer has only further inflamed national anxieties and raised even more questions. If the government is unsure of the identity of the drones, how do they know if they are a threat or if they aren't foreign assets? If they aren't foreign, does that mean they are U.S. assets? If so, why not just say so?

The Pentagon has also stated that they are leaving it up to local law enforcement to spearhead the investigation after concluding that these drones pose no threat to any military installation. This has left many feeling like the federal government has turned a blind eye to a serious issue that many Americans are very concerned about.

Where's Pete Buttigieg?

Chip Somodevilla / Staff | Getty Images

We are in the closing weeks of the Biden administration, and with the finish line in sight, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg probably figured nothing else could go wrong on his watch—but boy was he wrong. As Secretary of Transportation, Buttigieg is in charge of the FAA, the agency responsible for managing all air traffic across the nation. One would think that mysterious, 6-foot-long, seemingly intractable drones are invisible on radar and flying above major cities would pose a serious threat to the myriad of legal aircraft that traverse our skies. Yet, Buttigieg has been silent on the issue, adding another failure to his resume which includes: malfunctioning airplanes, the train derailment in Ohio, and the Baltimore Key Bridge collapse, just to name a few.

Glenn: How Alvin Bragg turned hero Daniel Penny into a villain

Michael M. Santiago / Staff | Getty Images

We cannot allow corrupt institutions to punish those who act to protect life and liberty.

America no longer has a single, shared understanding of justice. Two Americas now exist, each applying justice differently depending on who you are and where you live. One America, ruled by common sense and individual courage, praises heroes who stand up to protect others. The other, driven by political agendas and corrupted institutions, punishes those same heroes for daring to act.

This stark division couldn’t be clearer than in the case of Daniel Penny, the Marine whose trial in New York City this week drew strong reactions from both sides across the divided line of justice.

If we let this slide, we accept a world in which heroes are treated as criminals and the law is a weapon for ideological warfare.

Penny was on a subway train last year when Jordan Neely — a man suffering from severe mental illness and reportedly high on drugs — began threatening passengers, saying, “I’m going to kill you all.” The fear on that subway car was palpable, but nobody moved. Nobody, that is, until Penny did what needed to be done. He took action to protect innocent lives.

In the America many of us used to believe in, Penny’s response would be heralded as heroic. His actions mirrored the courage of Todd Beamer on Flight 93, who, on September 11, 2001, rallied others with the words, “Let’s roll,” to prevent further tragedy. But in New York, courage doesn’t seem to count anymore. There, the system turns heroes into villains.

Penny subdued Neely using a chokehold, intending only to restrain him, not kill him. Tragically, Neely died. Penny, filled with remorse, told the police he never meant to hurt anyone. Yet, instead of being recognized for protecting others from a clear and present threat, Penny stood trial for criminally negligent homicide.

In Alvin Bragg’s New York, justice bends to ideology. The Manhattan district attorney has made a career of weaponizing the law, selectively prosecuting those who don’t fit his narrative. He’s the same prosecutor who twisted legal precedent to go after Donald Trump on business charges no one had ever faced before. Then, he turned his sights on Daniel Penny.

A jury may have acquitted Penny, but what happened in New York City this week isn’t justice. When the rule of law changes depending on the defendant’s identity or the prosecutor's political motives, we’re no longer living in a free country. We’re living in a state where justice is a game, and ordinary Americans are the pawns.

The system failed Jordan Neely

It’s worth asking: Where were activists like Alvin Bragg when Neely was suffering on the streets? Jordan Neely was a tragic figure — a man with a long history of mental illness and over 40 arrests, including violent assaults. The system failed him long before he stepped onto that subway train. Yet rather than confront that uncomfortable truth, Bragg’s office decided to target the man who stepped in to prevent a tragedy.

This isn’t about justice. It’s about power. It’s about advancing a narrative where race and identity matter more than truth and common sense.

It’s time to demand change

The Daniel Penny case — and others like it — is a wake-up call. We cannot allow corrupt institutions to punish those who act to protect life and liberty. Americans must demand an end to politically driven prosecutions, hold DAs like Alvin Bragg accountable, and stand up for the principle that true justice is blind, consistent, and fair.

If we let this slide, we accept a world in which heroes are treated as criminals and the law is a weapon for ideological warfare. It’s time to choose which America we want to live in.

Editor's Note: This article was originally published on TheBlaze.com.

CEO Brian Thompson's killer reveals COWARDICE of the far-left death cult

Jeff Swensen / Stringer | Getty Images

Early on the chilly morning of Wednesday, December 4th, Brian Thompson, CEO of health insurance giant, UnitedHealthcare, was walking through Midtown Manhattan on his way to a company conference. Suddenly, a masked and hooded figure silently allegedly stepped onto the sidewalk behind Thompson, drew a 3-D printed, silenced pistol, and without warning fired multiple shots into Thompson's back before fleeing the scene on an electric bicycle. After a multiple-day manhunt, a 26-year-old lead suspect was arrested at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania after being recognized by an employee.

This was not "vigilante justice." This was cold-blooded murder.

As horrific as the murder of a husband and father in broad daylight in the center of New York City is, the story only gets worse. Even before the murder suspect was arrested, left-wing extremists were already taking to X to call him a "hero" and a "vigilante" who "took matters into his own hands." Even the mainstream media joined in on the glorification, as Glenn pointed out on air recently, going out of the way to show how physically attractive the murder suspect was. This wave of revolting and nihilistic fanfare came in response to the findings of online investigators who surmised the murder suspect's motives to retaliate against healthcare companies for corruption and denied coverage. The murder suspect supposedly underwent a major back surgery that left him with back pain, and some of his internet fans apparently viewed his murder of Thompson as retribution for the mistreatment that he and many other Americans have suffered from healthcare companies.

The murder suspect and his lackeys don't seem to understand that, other than depriving two children of their father right before Christmas, he accomplished nothing.

The murder suspect failed to achieve his goal because he was too cowardly to try.

If the murder suspect's goals were truly to "right the wrongs" of the U.S. healthcare system, he had every tool available to him to do so in a constructive and meaningful manner. He came from a wealthy and prominent family in the Baltimore area, became the valedictorian at a prestigious all-boys prep school, and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a master's in engineering. Clearly, the murder suspect was intelligent and capable, and if he had put his talent into creating solutions for the healthcare industry, who knows what he could have accomplished?

This is the kind of behavior the far-left idolizes, like communists on college campuses who wear shirts that celebrate the brutal Cuban warlord, Che Guevara. Merchandise celebrating the UnitedHealthcare CEO murder suspect is already available, including shirts, hoodies, mugs, and even Christmas ornaments. Will they be sporting his face on their T-shirts too?

This macabre behavior does not breed creation, achievement, success, or life. It only brings death and risks more Americans falling into this dangerous paradigm. But we still have a chance to choose life. We just have to wake up and take it.