Ok, so here it goes again... Loss of freedom in the name of tolerance and equal rights.
I just can't sit and take this much longer!! What is this big deal that I am whining about, you ask? Here is the issue that I am referring to:
Wall Street Journal Article
Example of situations where this has been an issue
NY Times Article
Fox News Story
To tell someone that they have to offer their services, or products regardless of if they feel is against something "morally right", is a loss of freedom, plain and simple.
Let's take a fictional look from a different perspective, shall we?
Let's say there was a small screen printer in a small town outside of Topeka, KS, and they have an excellent reputation for getting orders done correctly, quick, and reasonably priced. There are other screen printers in the Topeka area, but the partners in this business, Bob and Tom are considered the best. Bob and Tom are very enterprising and smart guys, who value their customers and make it a point to make certain they do the best job for their clients. It just so happens that Bob is gay, and Tom has know since they went into business 15 years ago. Tom doesn't care that Bob is gay, he just knows that Bob has been a great partner in their growing business, and is someone that he can rely on.
Across town a group is planning a demonstration, they are a part of a church group and with all of the talk about gay rights and gay marriage, they have decided to do a protest march in CO the next state over, but want to have some t-shirts screen printed for this. It just so happens that this "church group" calls themselves the Westboro Baptist Church. Knowing that the small town screen printer is the best and can get the shirts done reasonably and with a short turn around, the church group takes their business to the screen printer in this small town.
Tom is at the store on the day that this church group comes in to place the order, upon seeing what is to be screen printed on the shirts, Tom politely turns the church group down on taking the order, telling them that their business finds what they want to have printed to be offensive and would rather not subject their other employees to the type of wording on the shirts that is being ordered. Tom even gives this church group the names and numbers of other screen printers in the area that might be willing to do the work requested, but still refuses to print the shirts. The Westboro Baptist Church contacts one of the other screen printers on the list and that screen printer decides to do the work, charging the church group a premium for having to do a rush order.
After getting the shirts ordered, the Westboro Baptist Group decides that the original screen printing company has discriminated against them, they call the ACLU and place a formal complaint that the screen printing company willfully discriminated against them due to their religious beliefs. Tom hears about this later that afternoon, and calls Bob, explaining what happened. Bob comes over and they have a meeting with their employees. Bob and Tom are totally in agreement and explain what happened and get their feedback. Each of the employees feel the same and are grateful that the owners were willing to turn this type of business away since they did not want to be exposed to this type of language as well.
The ACLU and the Westboro Baptist Church sue the small screen printing company, even though they went with another screen printer, and win in court, forcing Bob and Tom's screen printing company to take the order on anyway or face large fines and loss of business license if they refuse.
So.... Does Bob and Tom, have a right as a business to refuse servicing someone based on preference of what they will and won't work on? If Bob and Tom had already signed an agreement with the Westboro Baptist Church, this would be a completely different discussion, but they did not, the church group came in asked to place an order and the screen printer refused based on personal convictions. We all know this is is hypothetical, but I think it should make you think.
Do you think that refusing to serve a customer is a right of any business
Do you think that a company should have a right to turn away business if they choose based on personal preference, regardless of whether that personal preference is due to religious, economic, or any other personal convictions?
If a company chooses to turn business away they don't get that income, that is a business decision. If a company chooses to not be open on a Sunday due to religious dictates, that is a business decision. It might be motivated by the owners, who are people, like all of us and have our own set of reasons for making decisions, but in the end I feel company owners have a right to choose who they will and will not service with their company. This happens everyday all over the world, even in countries that don't really have a free market. Companies refuse to serve customers for many reasons, a bar might because the patron has already had too much to drink, the fast food restaurant refuses to serve a customer that does not have shoes or a shirt on, a dog groomer refuses to trim a dog that has a bad skin disorder, a lawyer refuses because he does not think the customer has a case or is doing it fraudulent, a tax pro refuses to do someones taxes because he feels that the customer is filing incorrectly and will lead to an audit, a barber refuses to cut a person with afro-textured hair, only because they are not skilled in it, a sign maker turns business away because they find the message offensive... these are all valid reasons to turn business away. Ultimately the company looses the business and the income from that customer.. that is a choice. The customer in a free market can find another company to bring their business to, that is their choice. Are we wanting to go down this road of reasoning, and make it so that the government makes all of these choices for us. Please say NO!!
I am pretty sure that due to my limited readership and that I am really a "nobody" in the world, I will not have too many that dispute this but I may, and if so, please explain why you feel that way. I am always open for discussion on both sides.
