Conservatives have been finding any way they can to bash gay rights in America, and one of their favorite excuses has been the 'religious freedom' argument they use to try and protect the homophobes who refuse to serve gays in our country. Fox's Elisabeth Hasselbeck was so angry that a court ruled against a Colorado bakery for violating the state's non-discrimination law that she declared it as the death of American free enterprise.
Fox's Elisabeth Hasselbeck interviewed the owner of a Colorado bakery who was recently found to have violated the state's non-discrimination law by refusing to make a cake for a same-sex wedding, asking if he believed his rights had been violated by efforts to prohibit anti-LGBT discrimination.
During the December 10 edition of Fox & Friends, Hasselbeck invited Jack Phillips, owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop in Denver, to discuss a recent ruling by a Colorado judge that found that Phillips had violated that state's law against discrimination when he refused to serve a same-sex couple. Phillips was joined by his attorney Nicolle Martin, who does volunteer work at the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a group notorious for pushing for the criminalization of homosexuality internationally.
During the segment - which featured a graphic declaring "The Death Of Free Enterprise" - Hasselbeck asked Phillips why he believed he shouldn't have to abandon his "personal religious beliefs just to make a buck."
This country was not founded on the principle that local businesses can discriminate against anyone they choose because of race, creed or color. Notice how Elisabeth 'The Homophobe' Hassellbeck monetizes her disapproval with the law.
Hassellbeck: And ultimately even though things have gotten kind of harsh for you there in terms of response, have you changed your stance at all, and why is it important for you to have a business and not have to abandon your personal religious beliefs just to make a buck?
First of all, to conservatives, making a buck takes a back seat to nobody, but as a business owner there is a responsibility to the community they serve.
As the judge in who issued the decision in Phillip's case made clear, requiring business owners who operate in the public market to abide by non-discrimination laws isn't a violation of the business owner's religious liberty or free speech rights. Business owners like Phillips may have a personal aversion to serving gay customers, but personal animus - even when it is based in sincerely held religious beliefs - isn't a good enough reason to discriminate against an entire group of customers.
A racist business owner, for example, would be prohibited under Colorado law from refusing to bake a cake for the wedding ceremony of a non-white couple.
Not serving blacks was acceptable during the Jim Crow days, you Neanderthals, but in today's America, discrimination is not being tolerated. It's nice to see some progress in this country on something.
