Ovation: Knoxville’s Bistro At The Bijou Stands Up To Representative Stacey Campbell.
Last Sunday, Martha Boggs, owner of The Bistro at the Bijou, ejected Tennessee State Representative Stacey Campfield from her restaurant. I commend her.
Campfield, author of the ridiculous “Don’t Say Gay” Bill that was passed by the Tennessee Senate last year and awaits a vote in the House has been making national headlines once again. This time, it’s not just because of his discriminatory and bigoted views regarding sexuality in the twenty-first century but by his ludicrous and horribly untrue statements regarding HIV/AIDS.
Representative Campfield, during a recent radio interview on Sirius SM, in no uncertain terms blamed the AIDS virus on men having sex with monkeys and further stated that the disease is “virtually impossible” to contract via heterosexual intercourse. And, contrary to twenty-plus years of scientific research performed around the world, he continues to defend his remarks.
“I didn’t want his hate in my restaurant. I told him he wasn’t welcome here. I feel like he’s gone from being stupid to dangerous, and I wanted to stand up to him”. – Martha Boggs, Owner of the Bistro at the Bijou.
The message that he is sending, not only to his constituents but to the entire world, is one of ignorance and intolerance and could have possibly deadly consequences. He’s not simply “ill informed” or “mistaken” he’s simply wrong. And, as he continues to spew untruths for a living, it appears that he’s convinced himself that he’s not. I think he really believes that he’s smarter than the world’s scientists.
Something must be done. As if Representative “Stomping Mudholes” Floyd isn’t doing enough damage with his campaign of ignorance surrounding department store dressing rooms, Campfield appears to be on a mission to make the State of Tennessee a laughingstock in the eyes of fair-minded citizens across the nation. Who will want to open a business in such a backward state? Who will want to send their children to school in Tennessee? Who will want to have a Tennessee institution of higher learning appear on their resume? Who will want to work in Tennessee? Who will want to seek healthcare in Tennessee? This man and his ignorant remarks are doing much more harm to their lives than his constituents appear to comprehend.
Our world needs more people like Martha Boggs. People that are willing to stand up to bullies and say “I’ve had enough … I can’t just watch this insanity happen any longer.”
Click Here to sign a petition to stop Campfield from spreading any more lies and Click Here to show your support for The Bistro at the Bijou.
I couldn’t agree more.
Part of me likes this, but part of me also wonders how we’d be reacting if that bistro kicked out a pro-LGBT supporter because the owner didn’t like his or her views.
Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to own a business and tell Campfield to get out, I’m just looking at the other side, too.
Very good point!
The crux is that, ultimately, one side is on the right and the other on the wrong, as infantile or simple-minded as it may sound.
“Restaurant kicks out misogynistic legislator who is attempting to undermine the rights of all women in the state”
Vs.
“Restaurant kicks out a patron who supports gender equality”
This is in essence a “take that” of sorts; a taste of their own discriminatory medicine.
Exactly. And in a world where it’s become increasingly impossible to “agree to disagree”, a taste of their own discriminatory medicine might do some good. Is it really discriminatino if both sides are playing by the same rules?
Kicking someone out based on a point of view is one thing. What is wrong however – and illegal – is refusing someone service although they belong to a protected group. Though in TN and many other states that doesn’t include sexual orienation
I love the Bistro, Martha and the crew have always been a bright spot in downtown. I agree with Bob wonder how we would react.. I like to think we would see this for what it is… I see this like a lunch counter in the 60′s in their refusal to serve a black person. It is wrong to refuse a person based on their race, sex, sexual orientation, religion or class.. How easy we forget that in the USA. She simply refused a person service based on his bigotry. I stand up and say thank you Martha for standing up against hate.
Campfield’s homophobia is not news. Gay people getting asked to leave restaurants is not news. But elected officials that insist on making untrue statements about a deadly disease that effects everyone (not just “regular” people!) are certainly newsworthy. I hope the line at the Bistro goes around the block for weeks to come.
Good for Martha Boggs for taking a stand against the madness! Hmmm . . . I wonder if maybe Stacey Campbell thinks he’s speaking from experience. Maybe he personally knows a few monkeys.
I don’t know what he’s thinking. He’s trying to quote “facts” from a book that was written in 1987 and ignoring the 24 years’ scientific research.
It makes me want to drive to Knoxville and have lunch there. Good for her! It was personal and not categorical. I’m glad she did it.