Mar 2, 2014 by winjaw

Sometimes I get a yearning for a certain kind of food. Might be hamburgers one day, crawfish another. Or one of my favorites, a gyro.

Strips of lamb with tzatziki sauce, tomatoes and lettuce all wrapped up in pita bread. Thought to have originated in Greece, it’s a staple all over the Middle East as well. And when I’m dying for a gyro, there’s only one place to go — Jamal’s Kebab and Gyro Palace.

So I head over there and notice, as I’m getting out of my car, a big sign on the front door. And I’m thinking, “Darn it, they’re closed.” But I see people coming in and out so I head over and read the sign.

“No Jews allowed.”

My jaw dropped. I knew the owner, Jamal, and went over with a “what’s up with that?” kind of look.

“It’s my religious right,” he responded. “I should not have to be forced to serve those infidels. They’re doing the same thing in Arizona.”

Ah yes. Arizona. The governor of that state just vetoed a controversial law that would let businesses refuse service to gays and lesbians based on the owner’s claim of religious freedom. Opponents said the bill was discriminatory and so broadly worded any business owner could refuse service to just about anyone citing religious freedom. Obviously, Jamal was taking the broad view.

Much of the law came about after a Christian photographer refused to shoot the wedding of a gay couple, citing her religious beliefs. The case is now before the U.S. Supreme Court.

I was going to try and explain to Jamal that the bill got vetoed and this was Georgia anyway and … why bother? He wouldn’t change, and as much as I wanted a gyro, I just couldn’t go with his stance. So I left.

Maybe barbeque. So I drove over to Bubba’s Big House of Pig Meat and walked up to the counter. Bubba walks over and gives me and up and down look. And I’m wondering what in the heck is going on.
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“You queer?” he asks. “Them faggots like to wear pink.” He then points to a sign behind him. “No homos served.” I glance down. I’m wearing a pink, button-down dress shirt. I gave up and left.

How about a hamburger? Off to John’s Hamburger Station. “If you voted for Obama, you are not welcome” blazed the sign. I have to ask why. “He’s the antichrist and it’s my religious right and only God-fearing Christians are allowed in here,” John retorted.

And how does he define Christians? “Southern Baptists, obviously. Maybe some Methodists.” I asked about Catholics and got shown the door.

Some time ago, there was a slogan that took the evangelical Christian world by storm — What Would Jesus Do?

I thought about that slogan and the debate over that Arizona law. I thought about what would happen if everyone got to claim “religious freedom” as an excuse to deny service to someone who was “different” — in sexual or religious persuasion.

And I thought about what Jesus would do. I think Jesus would hold a big feast. And he’d invite conservatives and liberals, Southern good old boys and Hollywood reality stars, blacks and whites, and hispanics and gays and straights. There’d be room for Jews and Muslims and Catholics, too.

All one would have to do would be to come.

I thought about that as I drove home to make myself a PB&J.