Tennessee florist refuses service to Republican National Committee
A Republican National Convention fundraising event scheduled this weekend could go without flowers after a florist in Nashville, Tennessee, reportedly refused to provide its services over the GOP's gun positions.
The FLWR Shop wrote a letter to the Republican National Committee, saying the shop had received a request to provide floral arrangements for a Nashville fundraising event planned for mid-April. The letter, which was made public on Instagram, indicates that former President Donald Trump and "other prominent members of the Republican party" will be in attendance.
The shop said it declined the opportunity, noting instead that it would use the spotlight to push the GOP on its stance on gun violence. Going even further, the letter encourages fellow small business owners in the area to follow its lead.
"We would like to challenge others in the Nashville event industry to say no to taking money or jobs from the Republican party until they begin to make the changes to gun laws that most Americans are calling for," the flower shop wrote in the letter on Instagram.
To further clarify the shop's stance, the owner posted in the caption on Instagram that they feel it's appropriate at times to mix personal beliefs with business.
"I've been loud about protecting Black lives, the illness of racism in our country, and in defense of trans people," the post says. "These things should not be considered political in my opinion."
The letter was picked up by local news site WZTV, which went to the shop but found that the owner was not in the store. The shop then issued the following statement, according to ABC7.
"Most Americans including Conservatives agree we need some commonsense reform of gun laws," the reported statement says. "Refusing to work with the RNC is not a rebuke of Conservative values, it was a plea to our lawmakers... To step up and do what Americans are asking and expecting of them."
