Wedding Cake
Here’s one from the headlines (link below). The government of Oregon will now decide through some twisted manner of reasoning to force you to serve what you do not approve of. Are you kidding?
So the government of Oregon claims that a “mom and pop” bakery is violating the civil rights of two lesbians who want to buy a wedding cake for their nuptials, because the bakers refuse to make it. Now I am not about to bash the lesbian couple. In fact I have absolutely no opinion at all about them being lesbians except possibly disappointment that are compelled to let us all know they are lesbians. If I don’t care that you are lesbian, I mean I really don’t care that you are lesbian. So don’t tell me about it. And never mind that the baker’s claim religious convictions, I don’t care if they claim aliens brought Elvis back and he said don’t bake the cake. But I digress.
Someone should explain to me how a baker can violate anyone’s civil rights. By definition civil rights have to do with rights as a citizen – citizen of what, the baker’s guild. Oregon claims that because they issue a business license to the bakers they have power to hold their business to the same standard as the government itself with respect to who they choose to serve, but that is inane. The purpose of civil rights is precisely to protect citizens from the harm they may suffer because of the singular and unique power of government to coerce. Folks must be protected from the government precisely because it is “the” government and if it chooses to act unjustly you cannot take your business elsewhere. Are we really to believe this couple has suffered some harm at the hands of these nefarious purveyors of desserts? Oh the humanity – the lesbians might be forced to patronize a bakery that does not hold them in contempt.
Now I am not positive, but I suspect the government of Oregon has sanctioned more than one bakery via business license. I imagine there are plenty of bakers who would be overjoyed to take the lesbian’s money. That is how it should be in a free society. Everyone should enjoy the maximum amount of liberty possible without infringing on others. In a free society the government should not be able to prohibit or force anyone to do anything in violation of their preferences unless it harms someone else.
Thus the government should not prohibit the lesbians from renting a hall, hiring an orchestra, inviting their friends and sharing their vows. And they also should not require the baker to serve anyone they don’t want to serve – and yes that includes wedding cakes for mixed race couples or learning impaired people if that fits into their narrow world view. Oh my God, did I really just say that!
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but “civil rights” is not code for forcing people to behave as the “majority” or even as the “really cool people” think they should. It is precisely the opposite: to protect those who undertake minority or unpopular positions or actions.
So let’s see this to its conclusion. I am going to force someone (against their will) to provide food for actual consumption by me and a few hundred of my closest friends? That seems like a bad choice. And if I am homosexual, want something from your business because you are the best, and you are too swamped to serve me or anyone else because you are so incredibly adept at what you do, then all I need do is claim you won’t serve me because of my sexual orientation. Then the entire might of the state will compel you to dump Erma and Glen, whose only crime is they are white, protestant heterosexuals who got in line on time. I can force them to find another establishment to supply their needs, because I have protected status under the law?
How ironic is it that we force people through the coercive might of the state to be “tolerant”. Maybe it’s as ironic as the fact that Oregon won’t even recognize the marriage it is forcing the bakers to supply confections for. This is New Speak writ large. Have we really come so far from the Age of Reason? If we have then lesbians, blacks, the poor, Catholics, short guys, fat kids, ugly women and the just plain stupid better watch out. We’ll be coming for you in time. We’re from the government and we’re here to help.
(http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/national/investigators-bakery-violated-gay-couples-civil-ri/ncsdL/?icmp=cmgcontent_internallink_relatedcontent_2013_partners5
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