In part one I addressed the Supreme Court decision that ended Affirmative Action. In part two I addressed their decision against student loan debt forgiveness. This week I address their unprecedented and dangerous decision to allow blatant discrimination against the LGBTQ community in public commerce on the basis of protecting free speech based on religious beliefs.
Putting aside my doubts as to whether actual standing existed in the case where this Supreme Court upheld a Colorado woman’s right to deny her (hypothetical) website creation services to same-sex couples should she decide to open a business based on her freedom of speech and her religious beliefs, I believe the ruling was wrong in that it promotes discrimination in the public sphere. It wasn’t too long ago that signs were posted in windows denying service to “colored” people. It probably goes without saying that I wouldn’t want to patronize a business that didn’t want to serve me anyway. Their service would not only suck but could even be harmful to me. I wouldn’t trust the cake of a baker who hated me or “my kind” nor would I hire someone who objected to my views to create a website on my behalf. In fact, no one asked for a same-sex wedding cake (last year’s case) and no one asked for a same-sex website to be built. Both plaintiffs before the Court only feared that such a request might be in their future. The truth is that there are plenty of other businesses who welcome the patronage of same-sex couples, and I’m pretty certain many of us would prefer to patronage a business that welcomes our business.
Legalizing discrimination against members of any particular group based on bigotry cloaked in speech based on religious belief degrades that religion and harms society by condoning the differential treatment of certain people. Too many so called “Christians” misread Jesus’ mandate to “love thy neighbor as thyself” to be “hate thy neighbors who are different from you”. And the Supreme Court wrongly agreed that discrimination based on unsupported religious beliefs and freedom of speech is allowed. First, it would have been nice if they had required that designer to point to a specific Christian teaching that prevented her from serving same-sex couples. I have never seen a teaching in the New Testament that calls upon Christians to deny services to gay or any other group of people. If anything, Jesus made it a point to meet with and serve with the societal outcasts of his day. And second, I wonder if the Court considered that the content and design on the website would rely solely on the input provided by the same-sex couple. So, is it really the website designer’s speech? I guess the objection is that her business would be forced to parrot content she opposes in exchange for payment. But couldn’t she post a disclaimer that the views expressed on this website are solely that of the client? It appears to me that the conservative judges bent over backwards to condone discrimination in public commerce.
So, given the decision of this current Supreme Court, how should decent people who want to reside in an inclusive community respond to a business owner who decides to discriminate against particular members of our families, friend groups, community, and human race? My response is to boycott that business. Should signs go up on websites or in store fronts to advertise their discrimination, I will take my business elsewhere and certainly let them know why. I will inform my circle of friends and family about the discrimination and ask them to do business elsewhere as well. And most importantly, I will follow the lead of my LGBTQ family and friends when they inform me of businesses who discriminate against them.
White “Christian” nationalists have taken over the Republican Party and have infiltrated too many churches with a brand of Christianity that is in direct opposition to the actual teachings of Christ. They have successfully infiltrated our Supreme Court and are now represented on school boards, state legislatures, governorships, and in Congress. If we are not careful, one might again become the next president.
The time is now to push back on their agenda to “make America great again” which is code for turning back the clock to when white heterosexual men held all the power, extended human rights only to themselves, hoarded all the opportunities to succeed, legalized discrimination, and exploited the labor of women and people of color to further enrich themselves. If nothing is done, I foresee a return to those days.
What was true in Hitler’s Germany remains true today. Apathy, distraction, and threats of violence are tools of the fascist. And so, the reality is that silence remains a form of consent. Patronizing discriminating businesses enables more discrimination. And neglecting to vote is further empowers the oppressor. At this moment in time, we have the collective power to protect our country and the civil liberties we have gained for women, people of color, and the LGBTQ community.
The question is whether or not we have the courage and the will to resist. I will not go along to get along. As a patriot, I am willing to die on this hill to protect and defend this country and to preserve the hard-won freedoms of the people I love.