Growing dissatisfaction

[Tyrel Arington]

For example, a Gay couple goes into a cake store for a wedding cake. The said store refuses to sale a wedding cake, but will sale any other type of cake. It goes against their religious choices. The Gay community rallies a protest outside said store. A group from a local gun club reacts by staging a Anti-protest of before mentioned protest.

I'm curious as to why you specified a gun club coming out in protest of gay rights in your hypothetical story. The fact that it was a gun club has no bearing on the story and it only serves to make it seem like you have something against gun owners. If you don't like firearms that's your own business but I'd prefer you didn't begin by stressing your desire to see the situation impartially then stereotype a group.

I didn't stereotype anything. All that was said that a local gun club staged a anti-protest. I love guns, and will protect my rights to own them, but this isn't the aim of this thread. I acknowledge that my statement may have seemed more like a sweeping generalization, I didn't mean it as such. I should have simply stated to begin with a group of like-minded people who don't believe in gay rights.

 

[orangeban]

I have no problem with protesting that cake store, because it chose an asshole policy. Freedom of speech is not freedom of consequences.

And more to the point, that store was refusing the couple service because they were gay, they would have sold a hetero couple a wedding cake I presume. I'm not even convinced that would be legal in the UK.

 

[Lugbzurg]

Hate gets thrown around way too much. Just yesterday, I was out and about, looking for places to apply for, and this random couple, whom I've never meant, drove by calling me "gay" for no reason, zipping right by, like the cowards they were. Like this makes them feel proud and powerful, that they just called out a total stranger and then got out of there as quick as they could, without so much as saying a word to my face? Such idiocy...

It's the same with that Justin Bieber kid (or however you spell it). A lot of people hate him because they think he's "unmanly". Well, I really, really, REALLY rather dislike the guy, myself. But, I've seen for myself that the "unmanly" argument just doesn't stand. He's got his own set of separate problems (namely, his snobbish, disrespectful attitude). There are plenty of things out there that may be disagreeable, and people hate them... but for the wrong reasons.

No, I don't agree that bigots like the cake shop owners should be equal. They are actively taking away other peoples freedoms, so they shouldn't be treated as equal to a person who just so happened to be born gay and was just trying to buy a wedding cake. Like I said, if the people had been mentally disabled and the baker refused them because of their religion shot would fly. But because the people were gay there's a debate when there shouldn't be at all! Religion should be something practises in the home and in private places, religious people shouldn't force their views in any other place. Put yourself in the gay men's shoes for a moment, you are about to get married to the man you love and some bastard refused you because of their religion, that they probably didn't follow. It's fine for a Christian to do this, but if say a Muslim person forced every woman to wear tons of clothes (no sure about the name) nobody would have it. Christianity has had it too good for too long, and its gotten to your heads.

The gay couple can go to any cake shop they like. Your argument is invalid.

 

[itsausernamewhatofit]

For example, a Gay couple goes into a cake store for a wedding cake. The said store refuses to sale a wedding cake, but will sale any other type of cake. It goes against their religious choices. The Gay community rallies a protest outside said store. A group from a local gun club reacts by staging a Anti-protest of before mentioned protest.

I'm curious as to why you specified a gun club coming out in protest of gay rights in your hypothetical story. The fact that it was a gun club has no bearing on the story and it only serves to make it seem like you have something against gun owners. If you don't like firearms that's your own business but I'd prefer you didn't begin by stressing your desire to see the situation impartially then stereotype a group.

I didn't stereotype anything. All that was said that a local gun club staged a anti-protest. I love guns, and will protect my rights to own them, but this isn't the aim of this thread. I acknowledge that my statement may have seemed more like a sweeping generalization, I didn't mean it as such. I should have simply stated to begin with a group of like-minded people who don't believe in gay rights.

Alright, I'm glad to hear that. I'm sorry if I seemed a bit harsh, I'm just a bit on edge about people's opinions on gun owners after the seemingly endless series of gun control threads around here lately.

 

[Leadfinger]

Lately, I have been growing disillusioned with the world in general. I choose to be informed as well as I can, see both sides of any argument. A large part of this is due to some internet forums, articles but isn't limited to it.

I try rather hard to start with an unbiased view, much like your supposed to when selected for Jury Duty. I view things from a rational point of view.

For example, a Gay couple goes into a cake store for a wedding cake. The said store refuses to sale a wedding cake, but will sale any other type of cake. It goes against their religious choices. The Gay community rallies a protest outside said store. A group from a local gun club reacts by staging a Anti-protest of before mentioned protest.

What is making me sick here is the cycle of hate. I feel that the cake store respected Gay consumers by not blanket refusing service to them, while still maintaining their moral choices. The Gay community could have reacted better here by respecting the owner's moral freedom by simply going somewhere else. I understand the need to protect one's rights, but is a cake shop really the place to do it? Did the shop deny the gay couple any of their freedoms? When I think of the word tolerance used in these situations I feel it is far to one sided. I choose to view it as a two way street. I respect your right to choose your pursuit of happiness, I ask you respect mine as well. When in conflict, don't make me compromise my moral choice, because you feel it slighted yours.

With this mindset, my dissatisfaction with the world in general has been increasing exponentially. I am a white, heterosexual male. I am also Christian, born and raised. I believe in separation of "Church and State" and they should never mix. I am closer to Conservative republican than any other current political mindset. I believe in Classical liberalism. I hold rights to be self evident and everyone is an equal. When someone isn't being treated equally I will support them in getting their rights, even if I don't like what they stand for. I believe in the Constitution and everything the Bill of Rights means.

I know I may sound, in the strictest sense of the word, hypocritical here in that I will not support the rights of groups based on inequality and hate, like the KKK and Nazis.

My question is how to find the strength to deal with a cycle of ignorance and hate?

Interesting captcha: Cookie Cutter

The cake store respected the gay customers by refusing them service? It's ridiculous. And how does it violate the store owners morality to make a wedding cake for gay customers? The cycle of hate was started by the bigoted cake store owner.