This is going to sound wrong at first, but I can feel for the web designer who doesn’t want to work for a gay couple. But I would want proof that the work would go against the WD’s religious beliefs. My biggest question would be: What is the name of your church so I can verify your religious standing? I think that too many people are using religion as an excuse to not work with same-sex couples, or gay people in general, because it’s easy, and nobody is really going to check.
However, if you open a public business, it is against the law to discriminate based on the federally protected classes. You have to assume, and acknowledge, that at some point in time you may have to work with a class of people you’d rather not.
Can a gay coffee shop owner refuse service to women? No. Can an Asian dry cleaner refuse service to black customers? No. Can a grocery store refuse service to a person with Down Syndrome? Absolutely NOT!!
I think that the Supreme Court needs to finally draw a line in the sand for business owners. It’s either your religion, or the business. Take your pick.
There are millions of businesses out there that do just fine without the discrimination. Losing one or two because of their defiance to state and federal laws isn’t going to hurt the town, city, county, state, or country. If you want to open a business to serve the public, then you can’t pick and choose which public you are going to serve, and which you are not.
Yes, I do care about religion. I don’t go to church every Sunday. When asked what religion I belong to I say “The Church of Infinate Pasta”. I enjoy reading, and watching YouTube videos about “Is there a God”, and “Early Christians”, and I love watching the History Channel documentaries about Christ and before when they show them around Christmas time. But am I firm believer in Christ and God? That’s hard to say. And for another post. But yes, I do believe there was a person named Jesus in Israel about 2000 years ago. At least that much isn’t to hard to believe.
But summing up on our web designer: He needs to lose his case. He put himself out there in the public domain to design websites. He MUST follow state and federal anti-discrimination laws or be shut down. It’s that simple. Well, to me it’s that simple anyway. Follow the law, or pay the price.
A Little Bit of This and That 