Discrimination Vs Rights…
If someone asks me to bake a cake at my home for some purpose that contradicts my belief, then I do have all rights to deny the service. One can still exercise their individual rights completely at their private capacity.
Issue here is not about individual rights but more about a Public business establishment refusing to serve certain section of people.
As a registered business they do get other state/local government benefits and protection with police/ fire department for running their for-profit business successfully. So when we setup a bake shop to serve Public as a registered business with local government then we must also abide by local laws pertained to business establishment.
There is always a choice between individual rights or profits from business.
And the law prohibits discrimination based on race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, disability — or sexual orientation. As this bakery is a registered public business establishment, they are required to comply with local laws and leave their personal/ religious beliefs at their home. The issue here was outright denial of wedding cakes that is on their sale menu for same-sex couple based on their sexual orientation.
If they choose profit then they need to comply with local laws of discrimination.
If the restaurant has bacon on menu, then the customer cannot be denied of bacon based on the religious beliefs of either customer or waiter being Muslims. Similarly, if the Pizza shop has bacon/pepperoni pizza on menu then it must serve customers regardless of their beliefs or religion or veganism.
A restaurant or Pizza shop falls in the same line of bake shop business, so it would be a valid comparison. Any other comparison with entry restrictions in gentlemen’s night club or of specific religious institutions would be hyperbole and irrelevant.
If it is too complicated, then such item should NOT be on menu and may be removed by business owner. There is a choice here too. On the flip side, they cannot make further profits from that menu item. If religious beliefs are of higher priority than profits then this should be fine with them.
Most people would not have even want to deal with someone who is so discriminatory and justifying their hate with religious quotes. But these lawsuits and debates are more symbolic to fight human discrimination rather than a fight against some bake shop or individual baker.
This bake shop issue has got much attention because this can be further exploited by other businesses against minorities, women based on their religious beliefs.
Tomorrow someone can cite this case and refuse to serve women gender at their business/ shop claiming freedom of expression, religious rights and further quoting some Bible verse about women. Obviously that should not be tolerated too. Pharmacists may refuse to sell contraceptive pills to women as it is against their Christian belief and pro-life stand.
So there needs to be boundaries on individual rights too when they are a Public establishment in order to protect human rights for all humans.
Just another perspective on this much debated issue. Hopefully on Colorado case, Supreme court provides verdict serving all of humanity.
Svetlana Voreskova, Eric Griggs. Your perspectives welcome
