|
On the face of it, I look at these decisions and think "well, good! Chalk up another one for gay rights." But I wonder if I would be so enthusiastic if the decision with the printer involved the KKK or some such group. Bottom line, whether the outcome was "good" or not, depending on your opinion, should the government have the right to force private entities to perform actions that, in practice, support activities they don't agree with?
I just don't know! At first, I think, well, no!
On the one hand, if a private business wants to turn down custom for whatever reason, shouldn't that be up to them?
But on the other hand, at what point does one group's civil right to free speech (the gay group) conflict with the businessperson's right to behave according to his beliefs? What if nobody would print this group's flier? Or what if a printer refused to serve an African-American group? A biracial marriage support group? The Methodist church? Do businesses in Canada have the right to refuse service to anyone for any reason? And what if it wasn't a printer, but say, a restaurant (Denny's anyone?) or a hotel that refused service?
Sorry. Thinking out loud. But I wonder what everyone thinks of these alternative situations.
__________________
"If ten million people believe a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing."
- Anatole France
|