This week in Colorado, an administrative law judge ruled against a privately owned business, forcing the owner of a Lakewood bakery to go against his Christian beliefs and bake a cake for a gay couple celebrating their marriage.
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| When the polite refusal was voiced, the intimidation began. According to Phillips, the two both stood and stormed out of the store, one of them by his own admission making an obscene gesture and swearing something about an “(expletive deleted) homophobic bakery.” |
The American Civil Liberties Union filed a complaint against the owner; effectively violating his rights, so it could represent the rights of the gay couple. What?
So, now they are going to get a delicious cake, right? I doubt it and this is stupid to put it mildly.
First, let’s throw
out the complicated issue of the two men wanting to marry and let’s look
at a private business and you and me. Let’s say you go into a private
business and the owner smells like a barnyard, or the place is filthy,
or the guy or gal takes one look at you and crunches up their face in
disgust and proclaims he doesn’t serve people like you, whatever that
is.
I’ll tell you what I
would do. I would turn around and walk out of that place – especially
if they served food or I was going to request they create a food item
for me.
Would I go to the
American Civil Liberties Union and file a complaint? Heck no. I would
boycott the place, which incidentally is my strongest option and tell
everyone I can influence to do as well.
I know, as well as you, that the word discrimination is a vulgar four-letter word, but let’s take a look at it.
Discrimination:
1. The unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people or things, esp. on the grounds of race, age, or sex.
2. Recognition and understanding of the difference between one thing and another.
I discriminate on a
daily basis, especially when in public. Does this mean that I
discriminate unjustly? Unjustly and prejudicial here are the key
words. In my inherently righteous mind, I do not.
I pick and choose how I react to other humans by past experience and my spiritual guide. Take for instance my view on crime and criminals. I discriminate against criminals, especially those who prey on society or commit acts of violence.
I discriminate against people who appear to be criminals or are about to make me a target. I discriminate against people who attempt to force their will on me or violate my space.
I discriminate against anyone trying to force their religion on me, or make me violate my religious beliefs.
Does the American
Civil Liberties Union really believe that the judge’s order is going to
make gay people or couples rush down to this bakery and announce they
are gay and request a delicious cake? Not one in a million will do it.
Why? I shouldn’t have to explain, but for the sake of argument I
will.
To put it mildly
the cake might contain undesirable ingredients. Bakers sell cakes
because the public wants a delicious treat. The public also wants to
believe the baker wants to sell more cakes, not make them sick.
On the other hand,
the baker’s stand against what he believes is a violation of his
religious views, might just cause a flood of supporting business.
There is another
side to this that I feel needs to be brought to light and it is the same
stance I took when the smoking ban issue was brought before our fair
citizens. Neither the bakery in Colorado, nor a private business here in
Baytown is owned by the U.S. government.
People shop in both
places because they want to. The heart of free enterprise and
capitalism is the business owner’s right to serve who they want. I still
believe free enterprise allows the owner to put a sign in the front
window which reads “No shoes, no service” or a sign which reads
“Caution: tobacco smoke may be present.”
I agree that
posting a sign which reads “White (black, fat, red, yellow, brown,
short, ugly) people will not be served” is wrong, but if I knew I was
not welcome there, why in God’s name would I go there in the first
place? Again, I feel I must point out the obvious. I don’t want anyone
spitting in my cake batter because they don’t want me in their private
business and made that clear. I just won’t shop there.
Free Enterprise:
Freedom of private business to organize and operate for profit in a
competitive system without interference by government beyond regulation
necessary to protect public interest and keep the national economy in
balance.
How in the world is
it protecting the public interest to force a business owner to serve
anyone against their religious beliefs, which SURPRISE, violates the
First Amendment rights of that very person.
It’s a travesty of the intent of the law and if it really is the American Civil Liberties Union, they represented the wrong party.
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