A Maryland DJ company refused to provide services for a 60-year-old man's birthday party because he is gay, reigniting the controversies sparked by florists and photographers whose highly publicized trials for violating anti-discrimination laws have fueled the religious right's "Christian persecution complex" in recent years.
When Dani Tsakounis tried to hire a DJ company to play a birthday party for her brother's roommate's upcoming celebration, she hit a brick wall. Ultrasound Deejays, the company she intended to use, told her that they wouldn't work the event because Tsakounis's brother, a Silver Spring therapist, is married to a man and the birthday party they are throwing is for a gay man, The Washington Post reports.
"I just said, 'We won't be able to do it, we're a Christian organization and it would go against our faith, I'm sorry,'" Michael Lampiris, co-owner of Ultrasound Deejays, said.
Tsakounis's troubles with Ultrasound isn't an isolated incident. The DJ company has a history of turning down events that don't live up to their Biblical standards. According to the Post, Lampiris said his company has turned down other events, such as when a teacher wouldn't promise to work to stop raunchy dancing among students, or when he found out a bridal party included several lesbians.
Although, Maryland state law has banned discrimination based upon sexual orientation in public accommodation since 2001, Lampiris is standing by his decision to discriminate.
"It's important for us to make a stand. We don't want to go against the law, but we also sometimes are called to do that if it goes against your faith. To me it would be like a synagogue having to cater to a neo-Nazi party or black DJ having to do a KKK dance," he said. Gay clients don't pose a "physical threat - it's a conscience thing, and conscience is very important for everybody. In fact, I think it's the most important thing," he added.
Lest anyone think that the discriminatory DJ's are singling out LGBT clients, JoeMyGod notes the policy spelled out on Ultrasound's website lists a bevy of "no's" from the party providers.
"We will not play music that contains profanity or vulgarity. We will not support a new teen dance style called 'freaking,' the website reads. "We will not tolerate provocative dancing or actions. We will not participate with strippers or be involved in any event with strippers. We will not be involved in any event with fortune tellers, psychics, or magicians. We will not be involved in any event that celebrates Halloween. We will not be involved in any event involving homosexual celebration or activity. We follow biblical morality. We do not work on Sundays."