Lesbian couple refused wedding cake files state discrimination complaint

http://www.oregonlive.com/gresham/i...an_couple_refused_wedding.html#incart_m-rpt-2

So how do you folks feel about this? Personally I think the complaint is without merit. While I sympathize with the same-sex couple I believe a business reserves the right to refuse service to anyone they want.

 

I could make an argument both ways, but ultimately I side with the lesbo's. I respect a business right to refuse service to anyone, but in this case it was meant solely as a political and/or social statement, not in the better interest of their business. If they want to make these kind of statements they should be prepared for the fall out. To put this in perspective, would it be ok for the to refuse a wedding cake to an interracial couple because they didn't support crossbreeding?

 

Its not 'OK', but its their right

 

Its not a political or social statement, its a religious one. Its a very mainstream belief of most of the major religions and I think they should be allowed to not go against their political belief and refuse.

 

How is it any different than this?

 

What if they refused service because the couple is black? Or an interracial couple? What if my religion said interracial marriages are a sin?

Can businesses decide not to serve people for any reason whatsoever?

I say let them eat cake!

 

Good point, it is a religious statement which has no place in politics or social issues. Unfortunately they are all somehow twisted together these days. At what point does "your" religious rights and freedoms infringe on someone else's rights and freedoms?

 

That is not a commonly held mainstream religious belief.

 

Can you ask a muslim bakery to bake a cake of the prophet muhammed?

 

I'm pretty sure they do, and it's the reason for this entire situation.

 

So if it's a commonly (not so common these days) held religious belief, it's ok to discriminate against a protected class (sexual orientation is a protected class in Oregon)?

 

I think it's sad that the bakery refused service to anyone. If that's their religious beliefs, that's their religious beliefs. They disagree with gay marriage. It's sad. It's unfortunate. It's unkind. It's not the "human" thing to do. We should all love one another.

That being said, I think it's stupid the couple filed a complaint. It's as annoying and obnoxious as the do-gooder little girl in elementary school that is the ultimate teacher's pet. Tattletale, tattletale. If they don't like it, they should say "F off - we'll take our business elsewhere," and leave it at that.

 

Its their business, so yes. If they want to take the backlash from it, so be it. Let people protest, well within their rights to do so. However, I don't think that they should be forced to do something that goes against their (and probably 90% of the world's religion's) beliefs.

 

The irony is that it's not very christian to hate, belittle and ostracize someone for their life style and beliefs. Disagree all you want but love thy neighbor, right?

WWJD?

 

I like this post. I agree on your take for both the business and the couple.

 

75% of Americans are Christian, yet state after state is starting to legalize gay marriage. Spain and Portugal are Catholic countries, yet gay marriage is legal. Same with Argentina and parts of Mexico (I think). Just because you (generic you) are Christian/Catholic and you don't believe in gay marriage doesn't mean that it is still a commonly held Christian belief (even if it is the official stance of the church).

 

Eh, personally I liked my other comment on cake-eating more.

 

Yes. But I said the religion's beliefs. You can't prove that a majority of Christians support gay marriage around the world even though they are predominantly catholic or religious. Even though, its irrelevant to this particular incident because this couple happens to have a strong religious belief for "traditional marriage". To force them to participate in this would be akin to religious persecution.

 

A secular business is subject to secular law. If law prohibits discrimination in public accommodation, the business cannot discriminate. End of story.

Clergy have total decision making power as to whether they will perform a marriage. They can refuse same sex couples, mixed race couples, mixed religion couples, cross border couples, couples too old to procreate, whatever. A secular business, however, cannot pick and choose. If you want to run a bakery, you follow the law.

Sidebar, I once briefly worked at a bakery where the owner explained it took 9 hours to get the day's work done, but he could not afford all that overtime so he'd start paying OT after 9 hours worked instead of 8. I filed a complaint with the state who informed him he could not just invent laws to suit himself, and he had to shell out back pay for many past years. No difference. Businesses, like individuals, cannot pick and choose what laws to follow. Of course, we all have the right to try and change laws. I understand why folks ask why don't the women just take their business elsewhere? Answer, because businesses do not have the right to pick and choose what laws they follow and must face consequences at flagrant legal violations.

 

I don't disagree. But people use religion to skirt the law all the time, and I'm sure these people will continue to do so. They're going to be forced to make a wedding cake for a couple when they follow their religion and their religion doesn't believe in gay marriage? It's dumb, yes. But now we're forcing them to change their religious beliefs. It's a stupid umbrella, yes. But you're forcing the bakers to change their core beliefs. Yet, the bakers can't ask gay people to change their core beliefs.

I guess I just don't understand why the couple is making a stink. I'm not saying they're in the wrong, necessarily. I think it's petty and stupid, and it just enrages/annoys other groups who don't really care one way about gay marriage, but they don't want to be forced into believing or not believing. If I were the couple, I'd put my middle-finger in the air, walk away, and let the bakers stuck in the 1800's stay there. Ultimately, they'd be the bigger people.