If someone is opposed to gay people and makes that opposition public, I withdraw my energy from that person, or their business. I do not financially support people who believe that I am evil or that my soul is going to hell. I have thought about my convictions while the recent “Religious Freedom” bills have been foisted on the public in certain states.
I grew up outside of the small industrial city of Jackson, Michigan, a rather conservative area of my home state, and I lived for many years in the smaller city and rural surroundings of Traverse City, an even more conservative area. I also lived in the somewhat liberal island of Louisville in the conservative state of Kentucky. Even in conservative Jackson, Traverse City and Louisville, one can find liberals who offer many services. I’m sure that if I wanted to get married to another man, there would be a progressive baker or florist within 30 miles who would provide the needed services for my wedding. Though I personally have never been wild about weddings, gay or straight, (and I’ve never understood why people pour so much money into them), I recognize that many gay and straight people want to publicly celebrate their unions, and they are free to spend their money how they see fit. However, I can’t see hiring people who pass judgment on me and believe that I am fundamentally flawed. I have worked hard to get where I am, and I’m not sharing my wealth with haters and hypocrites.
I have a difficult time with the lawsuits brought by gay couples against bakers and florists and planners who refuse to supply their services because those people are against homosexuality. Yes, I do believe that we all have the basic right to be served. But do the aggrieved couples really want to hire someone who despises them? If I lived in a rural area, and someone refused me services, I’d ask a supportive friend to help me with my wedding. Or, if I knew that the service provider would take my money but badmouth me, I’d go to the next large city for the cake or flowers, or just have the marriage vows at the courthouse and throw a party afterwards.
Even if a service provider is personally nice to me, if I know that they will give a portion of their profits to their church, which will in turn work against me (for example, the Church of Latter-Day Saints actively worked to defeat the right to marry in California), I won’t support that business.
Though this may sound impractical, I really would like to see a provision added to the “Religious Freedom” bills. I think that every business should be made to publicly disclose that they do not believe in the rights of homosexuals. I want to know who those people are, so that I don’t unwittingly give them my hard-earned money.
I grew up outside of the small industrial city of Jackson, Michigan, a rather conservative area of my home state, and I lived for many years in the smaller city and rural surroundings of Traverse City, an even more conservative area. I also lived in the somewhat liberal island of Louisville in the conservative state of Kentucky. Even in conservative Jackson, Traverse City and Louisville, one can find liberals who offer many services. I’m sure that if I wanted to get married to another man, there would be a progressive baker or florist within 30 miles who would provide the needed services for my wedding. Though I personally have never been wild about weddings, gay or straight, (and I’ve never understood why people pour so much money into them), I recognize that many gay and straight people want to publicly celebrate their unions, and they are free to spend their money how they see fit. However, I can’t see hiring people who pass judgment on me and believe that I am fundamentally flawed. I have worked hard to get where I am, and I’m not sharing my wealth with haters and hypocrites.
I have a difficult time with the lawsuits brought by gay couples against bakers and florists and planners who refuse to supply their services because those people are against homosexuality. Yes, I do believe that we all have the basic right to be served. But do the aggrieved couples really want to hire someone who despises them? If I lived in a rural area, and someone refused me services, I’d ask a supportive friend to help me with my wedding. Or, if I knew that the service provider would take my money but badmouth me, I’d go to the next large city for the cake or flowers, or just have the marriage vows at the courthouse and throw a party afterwards.
Even if a service provider is personally nice to me, if I know that they will give a portion of their profits to their church, which will in turn work against me (for example, the Church of Latter-Day Saints actively worked to defeat the right to marry in California), I won’t support that business.
Though this may sound impractical, I really would like to see a provision added to the “Religious Freedom” bills. I think that every business should be made to publicly disclose that they do not believe in the rights of homosexuals. I want to know who those people are, so that I don’t unwittingly give them my hard-earned money.
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