OK, I get it. Things are tough for small businesses and when you’ve got a little bit of the market cornered, it must be irksome when a nearby business starts to target the same customers. But, that’s the chance any business takes and it’s not incumbent upon any business to protect the profits of its neighbours.
The owners of Hattonvale Nursery on the Warrego Highway, Queensland, seem to have a different view, however. They’ve got their knickers in a knot because the guys at Wet Dreams Aquatics at nearby Plainlands have, apparently, started selling plants as well as aquarium products. Shock! Horror!
Now, a little argy-bargy between businesses in difficult economic times is to be expected but Hattonvale Nursery went way beyond the pale when they aired their grievances against Wet Dreams Aquatics on their Facebook page (since taken down and then reinstated).
This wasn’t a quiet bitch about local businesses sticking to their own defined markets. No. This was a full-scale homophobic rant against the owners of Wet Dreams Aquatics.
Now, I don’t know anything about the owners of Wet Dreams Aquatics – except that they obviously have a cute sense of humour! Are they gay, straight or otherwise? I don’t know and don’t care – and nor should anyone else. It certainly has absolutely nothing to do with how they run their business.
I also know nothing about the owners of Hattonvale Nursery. I assume from the tenor of their Facebook message that they attend one of the local fundamentalist Christian churches, or at least, consider themselves ‘good Christians’. And yet, their message drips with hate and intolerance. Can anyone – Christian or atheist – imagine the Jesus of the New Testament writing (or approving of) such a disgustingly small-minded, sickeningly prejudiced message against the pariahs of his day – lepers? tax collectors? prostitutes?
All I can say is, Hattonvale Nursery, you should be ashamed. You give Queenslanders a bad name. You give your local area a bad name. You give Christianity a bad name. And, you certainly red flag your business as one that as many decent people as possible should stay away from.
As for the blokes at Wet Dreams Aquatics, I’m assuming this isn’t doing their business any harm at all. I note that people are liking their Facebook page in droves. Whatever ‘Wet Dreams’ they may have for the expansion of their business, let’s hope this nasty little incident ironically turns it into a ‘Wet Reality’!
I understand that a peaceful protest outside Hattonvale Nursery is being planned for 10am, Sunday, 10 March (please note, the statue shop just outside the nursery is not affiliated with the homophobes who own the nursery).
The owner has not reacted well, posting on Facebook:
Hmmmm.
Red necked ignorance is a fact of life, I guess, but that doesn’t mean we should ignore it or give those who express such views a free pass. I’m not calling for people to congregate outside of Hattonvale Nursery with pitchforks and flaming torches, but I would encourage Queenslanders, in particular, to spread the word about this business and, perhaps, decide to buy your plants elsewhere.
Funnily enough, for someone who is so preoccupied with the ‘ethics’ of his competitors, the owner of Hattonvale Nursery doesn’t seem to have spent much time reading the very book he cites as the source of his own ethical code.
Luke 6:42
New International Version (NIV)
42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
Luke 6:29
New International Version (NIV)
29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them.
Matthew 7:1
New International Version (NIV)
Judging Others
7 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.
Matthew 19:24
New International Version (NIV)
24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
But then, I guess for someone who runs a nursery, cherry-picking comes naturally, eh?
Chrys Stevenson
NB: Hatton Vale, Queensland is actually two words, but, in referring to the nursery, I have preserved the one-word spelling of its own Facebook page.
Gladly, the Cross-Eyed Bear 
It gives me great pleasure to report their Facebook page has mysteriously vanished into the ether…
Sadly, this means that the fantastic record of people standing up for the community has disappeared as well… There were hundreds of comments per post on multiple postings…
Oh dear, but what if the ‘two poofs’ were selling aquarium plants, is that OK?
Ross Noble has this God Loving valley summed up very well in a show my friends told me about.
Apparently, he was on the Warrego Highway on his way to Toowoomba when he spotted a host of signs urging repentance, daily Bible readings and an end to abortion, or face BURNING HELL.
Having seen him on TV I am sure the act was far more involved and VERY funny, but it sort of puts this post into perspective, I think.
It’s good to see these sort of emotions posted so a good Identikit snapshot of God Loving Christians can be created and compared against the rantings of such as, who?, well, why not?, Jim Wallace and his mates at the Australian Christian Lobby, a group so favoured by the ALP and JUlia Gillard that they have been gifted a special place in Gillard’s atheist heart.
These Hatton Vale ‘Christians’ are just the sort of people Gillard so loves and supports with our taxes.
This week – the Facebook page disappears.
Next week – spun as we’re “denying their right to free speech.”
They want speech without consequences – in this case, the consequence is having to justify their bigotry.
They have already created a new Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hattonvale-Nursery/470089689728849?ref=ts&fref=ts
It’s bizarre, but I am not surprised, living out this way – there is still a generation or 2 of people with limited education and in-bred suspicion of the ‘stranger’. Bet my hat I know who he will vote for. Will be interested in the conversation of the local newspaper next week. Let’s hope it shows more enlightened voices.
However, I think he’s done the guys a favour for free advertising. I’m glad I know it’s there – will have to pop in and have a look.
Wet Dreams has been selling plants for six years, and besides that it is not the first non nursery I have seen that sells plants. So their excuse for spreading homophobia is pathetic at best.
Yes they have you d h water plants for fish tanks not what I sell plus did you read what was put on wet dreams page the next day by a person he put the same as what I put and he got 4replys saying l o l why did I get 3678 dh reply hay?.
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Don’t know either of you antagonists, but Hatton Vale Nursery ought to take a few lessons in how to spell the English language. The word is “straight”, NOT “strate” and the other word is “knickers” NOT “nickers”. Get a life (or perhaps, get your hand off it or you will go blind)!! £x.
It seems Mr Gretton has a talent for enraging the Lockyer Valley locals: http://www.qt.com.au/news/dispute-turns-violent/558872/
No you are string up shit by having this still on this page and you have just run with all the rest of you one eyed things that knows everything but knows f K all about what happened
Stirring things would be promoting this post anywhere, or otherwise causing the page to come to the attention of… Anyone. I’d basically forgotten about this post until you started up again. You could always simply apologise for the homophobic portion of what you said. Knowing Chrys’s desire for fairness and accuracy, she *might* even be willing to publicise your apology for you. Then again, your consistently ridiculous approach might mean she wouldn’t be.
Your best options are to apologise or let it lie,
I once dealt with the guys that own Wet Dreams Aquatics when they first opened the store (they were after sign writing for the store front), even though they went with a different sign company in the end I found them to be great guys to deal with throughout the whole process. In fact, I should buy a plant for my Betta’s bowl from there. 😉
Holy crap. The only person I’ve seen go so Monika Milka on their own page like that is Monika Milka. That was epic.
You are saying I give queenlanders a bad name i only said what a lot of people are thinking so why don’t you right something about that and ask people to right comments instead of banging the nursery and put what all your supporters wrote about the nursery now our you re one eyed to yes wet dreams have been selling plants for years water plants not the other ones Plus the next day it was put on wet dreams page what I said and he got 4hits saying lol so why did I have 3768 people hit my page so get your facts right before you post this ?have a old look at what they sell in a fish shop and when 99 percent of those lived over seas jumped on band wagon you make it bigger to make your story look good but ?.
Sentence structure.
Spelling.
Grammar.
Facts.
Intelligence.
Faith?
All sadly lacking…;(
Honey, I’m sure you can provide us a link to these statements, hmmm?
Not to mention your statistics re “what a lot of people are thinking”. As for why you had 3768 people hit your page: You made international news – OF COURSE you’re going to get some OS views! This is one instance where “Any publicity is good publicity” does not apply.
You’re in the minority now sweetie, and judging by the backlash I recommend you either change or figure out how to exist like that without aggravating your clientele…
Hay you have had your fun with your story but why don’t you write some facts about all of what was said not what you think people what to here I told you that 3768 gays hit my site one day my friend put on wet dreams page what I said the next day and had four people say l o l and that’s a facted so why don’t you write a story about that I know why you don’t write about that you are like I said one eyed and like to write thing to make you look so rightist in quote ing the bible and if I can spell at lest I speak thethruth and call a spade a spade so bye for now
Fuck you do gooder a poof is a poof
Why don’t you write the fax no bull shit chrys Stevenson you are full of ? Shut this page down
Hey you guys JUST STOP , all of you . I have been into Wet Dreams Aquatics several times and happy to do business there , bought several marine fish. Good service , if they want to sell plants , they have the right to and whatever else for that matter.
On another note , I am a Christian and go to church regularly. I accept gays, lesbians , mechanics , reluctantly accountants etc for who they are no problem as people , however I don’t accept them necessarily for some things they do or their lifestyle. As the bible clearly says “love the sinner but hate the sin” and I include myself in that.