Monday, November 10, 2014

Gay marriage question

Opinions please.  Lately there has been quite the hulabaloo surrounding the provision of marriage ceremonies and wedding services for gay couples.  In a number of cases, those providing these services to the general public have chosen not to provide their services to gay couple.  A number of times this has resulted in the companies being sanctioned by the state for their refusal to provide the service and claiming they had the right because the companies were being discriminatory.  The companies have been fined and even threatened with jail for their actions. As a parallel, doctors have the right under the law to perform abortions, and they practice in the public domain, but doctors are not FORCED under threat of sanction by the state, to perform abortions if it is against their religious beliefs or if they just choose not to.  So how does the performance of a gay marriage differ? 

Now I know a marriage is a very personal undertaking and I know everyone wants it to be perfect with the right cake and the setting, but I also think there is the emotional side as well. Will the couple really feel their day is perfect if they know the person performing the ceremony, providing the setting  and the cake, etc...etc...etc...are only providing the service under threat of sanction by the state?  Wouldn't that make their "perfect day" rather imperfect?  Why would a couple want to have their marriage performed by someone who doesn't want to do it or have it held at an establishment where they are not welcome?

Should a private business be forced to provide it's products/services to any and everyone who asks for them?  Should they as a "public accommodation" be required, even if it violates their personal creed or religious beliefs, be required under threat of fine or jail, to provide their products/services to any and all?

I know this is an other point surrounding the gay marriage issue and you know, I could care less who lives with who if it makes them happy, but I think this has much broader implication. I think this is more a slippery slope issue with constitutional implications.  I think it goes to the question of individual rights over the rights of the collective.

So, what say you good folk out there?  What right does the state have?  what right does the private company hold?  Should people/private companies be forced against their wishes or should they have the right to choose with whom to conduct or not to conduct business?

http://nypost.com/2014/11/10/couple-fined-for-refusing-to-host-same-sex-wedding-on-their-farm/

1 comment:

  1. Here is an update on the constitutionality of the issue.

    http://the-american-journal.com/entrapment-farmer-couple-leads-aclu-victory/

    ReplyDelete