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comment by briandmyers
briandmyers  ·  3115 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Religious Freedom - HELP ME

You repeatedly express the belief that it's okay to discriminate as long as you don't accept public funds (in certain situations, granted). I don't agree with that. I believe that if you offer a public service, you should not be allowed to discriminate, regardless of your funding. ALL businesses receive benefits derived from public funds (roads, fire protection, etc etc), so I don't see why public-fund CASH should make a difference.





istara  ·  3115 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Okay, then what if you run a private business from home, making cakes? Or knitting sweaters with slogans that you sell on Etsy?

At what point are you required to make a product that conflicts with your moral or artistic integrity?

kleinbl00  ·  3115 days ago  ·  link  ·  

At the point where you offer it for sale.

user-inactivated  ·  3115 days ago  ·  link  ·  

...if the baker set up a "free cakes for straight people" stand on the side of the road?

kleinbl00  ·  3115 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Sounds like ACLU bait.

user-inactivated  ·  3115 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Sounds like something an edgy college group hungry for attention would do. So yea, ACLU bait.

user-inactivated  ·  3115 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Shit, I think that's my point but I can't really tell anymore.

briandmyers  ·  3115 days ago  ·  link  ·  

When you are offering a service to the public.

istara  ·  3115 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I get that if you are offering an essential service. Like a pharmacy, or grocery store.

But a wedding cake? It's very much a discretionary item. I could equally feel indignant that a local boutique won't stock my size, but ultimately I'm not going to unduly suffer just because I have to shop elsewhere.

If I was unable to buy contraceptives in the only pharmacy for 100 miles or more (and this has happened in rural Australia) then that's a massive issue.

briandmyers  ·  3115 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I hear what you're saying, but I still disagree. Discrimination only on non-essential services is still discrimination.

To use your example (AFAIK size is not yet a discriminatory quality) - If the only reason a local boutique doesn't stock large sizes is because they don't want fat customers - I don't think that's fair or right.