Quote:
Originally Posted by Xist
If you run the last gas station for 100 miles, and I am out of gas, but you refuse to sell to me for any reason, you are causing me problems for apparently no reason.
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Why would someone refuse to sell you fuel? Unless you're being a jerk, the owner is going to want to sell the overpriced fuel to you. If someone is being a jerk, they should be refused service.
Of course there would be some instances of unfair denials of service, but they would be rare, and we can chose to boycott these businesses. I've stopped making purchases at places that treated me unfairly, and I've also stopped shopping at a place that treated my friend poorly.
Businesses that routinely (or even just once) disrespect customers are not likely to be successful.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Natalya
Seriously though. Is there a difference between a white diner owner not wanting to serve black people and a christian wedding cake shop owner not wanting to serve gay people?
I mean sandwiches and cakes are both foods, it's the owner vs the patron, its refusal of service.
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No, there isn't a material difference. Businesses serve sandwiches to black people because they have money, not because the law requires them to be served. If gay people want a wedding cake, there are businesses happy to take their money.
If someone walks into a bakery owned by a gay person and orders a cake that says "no gay marriage", should the baker be required by law to make it?
It isn't up to the law to determine what is acceptably offensive and what is unacceptably offensive. Any rule must be applied evenly. Either business owners are required to fulfill any order a customer places, or they reserve the right to refuse service for any reason. The number of things a person could find offensive is infinite, and it isn't useful to tie up courts trying to decide which of the infinite things are acceptably offensive, and which are unacceptably offensive.
BTW- My application at an apartment was recently denied. It was annoying, but I'm all for their right to refuse to do business with me. I don't want to live somewhere that I'm not wanted, and besides, I found a better place that does want my money.