Same-Sex Couple To Sue B and B's For Rejecting Civil Union Ceremony

In Illinois, same-sex couple Tom and Mark Walthen are about to sue two bed-and-breakfasts after the establishments refused to rent space to the couple for their civil union ceremony.  According to yesterday's Chicago Tribune, the owner of one of the B and B's-- Timber Creek Bed and Breakfast in Paxton-- explicitly invoked his religious freedom rights.  He e-mailed the couple: "We will never host same-sex civil unions. We will never host same-sex weddings even if they become legal in Illinois. We believe homosexuality is wrong and unnatural based on what the Bible says about it. If that is discrimination, I guess we unfortunately discriminate." The Illinois Department of Human Rights found "substantial evidence" of a civil rights violations in the refusal by both B and B's, freeing the couple to file suit.  They plan to do so shortly.