A Mississippi event hall is facing backlash after one of its employees actually said “our Christian race” and “our Christian belief” were reasons why the venue refused to allow a wedding for an interracial couple.
LaKambria Welch told Deep South Voice magazine on Sunday that she drove to Boone’s Camp Event Hall in Booneville after the venue told her brother through Facebook that he wouldn’t be allowed to hold his upcoming wedding there because of the hall’s beliefs, Black Voices reports.
Welch said she went there to hear it for herself and find out why her brother, who is Black and engaged to a white woman, had been refused by the venue. Welch was able to get an employee on video, which has now gone viral, to say that the venue did not allow LGBTQ or interracial couples to host weddings there.
“First of all, we don’t do gay weddings or mixed race, because of our Christian race — I mean, our Christian belief,” the woman is heard telling Welch.
“Okay, we’re Christians as well,” Welch responds. “So what in the Bible tells you that …”
The unnamed woman interrupted Welch saying, “Well, I don’t want to argue my faith. We just don’t participate. We choose not to.”
After the video went viral, Boone’s Camp Event Hall deleted its Facebook page before reinstating it on Sunday. The owner of the venue then posted an apology on Facebook, explaining they had met with their pastor and discovered that there are no Bible passage forbidding interracial marriage.
The page was apparently deleted again this week.
The city of Booneville was prompted to issue a statement on Monday saying it does “not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, gender, age, national origin, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status.”
“The City of Booneville, Mayor, and Board of Aldermen do not condone or approve these types of discriminatory policies,” the statement said.
Roommates, what are your thoughts on this one? Let us know.
