Last week, an elderly restaurant owner in Hollywood was given the Third Degree for contributing $100 to California's Prop 8, which passed and defines marriage as being between a man and a woman. "I cannot change a lifetime of faith," she said in answer as to whether she would now consider donating money to overturn Prop 8 in order to buy off anti-Prop 8 protestors then threatening the restaurant with a boycott and disturbances.

Well, I don't think the owner has changed her faith, but the restaurant has just made a very public donation to a group raising money to overturn Prop 8. The LA Times updates this story via Michelle Malkin (video below):

Employees of the Los Angeles restaurant that came under fire this week after a manager gave $100 to the campaign to ban same-sex marriage in California said they had made a $500 contribution to the advocacy group that is raising money to challenge Proposition 8.

The Thursday online donation to Equality California, an advocacy group for the gay and lesbian community, came at precisely 7:22:03 p.m., about 22 minutes into a planned demonstration outside the restaurant's doors for the second night in a row.

It's called Protection Money. It used to be paid under the table, because it was, well, underhanded, and quietly, because it outraged Joe Public. Now, Joe Public is getting in on the act, demanding money and allegiance in  anti-democratic fashion. If that outrages those of us still quaintly attached to the ideal of freedom of opinion, the outrage has been hushed--even furtive. Will this remain a singular case, or has gangsterism entered into the workings of our democratic republic?