Friday, March 06, 2015

Who Should Be Allowed to Refuser Service To Me Because I am Gay?

So, there are a lot of laws being in the process of being passed in states that are so called "license to discriminate"  or "freedom of religion, to discriminate" with reference to gay people.  The general idea here is that some people who don't agree with gay marriage don't want to provide services for it.  NOT religious services - that is not a thing, but rather commercial services that they are presently prohibited from discriminating when in business.
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An example is a bakery who won't bake a wedding gay for a gay marriage because they don't believe in it.  They lost a lawsuit.  The plaintiffs requested on $1.00 only to make the point.  The bakers have appealed and closed their business right now rather than abide by the ruling and bake cakes for anyone that wants to buy them.  Many people have become unhinged.
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So now there are laws being introduced (or passed) that would allow people to discriminate, in business or services, due to the workers religious beliefs.  My question - which I really do wonder about - is what business or stores should I not be able to attend?
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Say a grocery store?  If one cashier doesn't want to serve me, is she allowed to send me out of her line.  Even after I have waited patiently?
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How about the DMV clerk?  I mean the laws to do this are being worked on where government employees don't have to do their job if they don't want to give marriage licenses to gays - what if they don't want to give driver's licenses to gays.  The underlying reason is the same, they think gay people are sinners and shouldn't be part of society.
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This will also apply to attorneys, doctors and ambulances.  In point of fact, it has already happened with a doctor: a Pediatrician in Michigan had agreed to be the baby doctor for a new couple with a newly adopted baby.  The couple - two women, went to the doctor with their 6 day old child and the doctor wouldn't see them as they were lesbians (and yes - they had told the doctor before the appointment).  Seriously.
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If you were me, what services or stores would you be comfortable being banned from?  What if you lived in a small town and there was only one supermarket or bank?
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And what other forms of religious discrimination should be allowed?  Should orthodox jews and certain muslims be allowed to ban women from their stores?
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What is at stake here is not anyone religious freedom.  No one is forcing people to be a baker or a check-out clerk or a doctor.  What is being required is that if you choose a profession, you have to provide your service or product to everyone equally.  That includes blacks, women, old white men and homo's.  You don't get to pick and choose your customers.
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Back to my question.  What types of services or goods to you think it should be legal to deny me because I am gay?