The Janis Joplin poster adorning the wall inside Smart Pizza says as much about the vocal renegade spirit of Guerneville as the pro-LGBTQ decorated pizza boxes on the counter with phrases like “Make pizza not war.”
“What can I get you?” pizza parlor owner Suzy Kuhr asked calmly after she picked up the phone while taking a typical Saturday afternoon order as walk-ups streamed in and diners were chillin’ outside.
Kuhr, openly gay and proud, was in her happy place.
It was hard to imagine the place proudly flying the rainbow flag, a gay symbol, was the scene in March of such strife when anti-gay protesters descended on her restaurant. Holding signs and yelling gays were sinners who would go to hell, they spread their “word” to anyone within earshot. The protesters have shown up on and off in the Sonoma County community since 2019. In March, they started showing up more often, about every week.
“They got really…
