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Unlike my ancient predecessor, this Tullius hasn't had his hands chopped off. With hands attached I offer my thoughts on philosophy, religion, politics, and whatever else I find worth mentioning. I'm conservative religiously and politically (with libertarian leanings). I value reason and freedom but also traditions and "Oldthink." I relish being on the wrong side of history when history is wrong--part of a philosopher's job is to be unpopular. (Views given here may not represent my employers')
Hah! Call that an interface between human rights, politics, and confectionery? Normally your controversies are bigger and brasher than our UK controversies, but Northern Ireland has you beaten here:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.christian.org.uk/ashers-baking-company/
Sam,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment and link. Perhaps you're unaware that this has been an issue in the national media here with several cases, this one perhaps being the most prominent:
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2015/1229/Oregon-bakery-pays-144-000-fine-for-refusing-to-bake-gay-wedding-cake
But perhaps you mean that Northern Ireland has us beaten in that it's illegal not to bake one there whereas here it is not illegal, even though judges here have recently been ruling that refusing to bake a cake is not protected by the free exercise of religion clause in the 1st Amendment to Constitution. As well, Obama made a ruling interpreting the 60's Civil Rights Act against discriminating on the basis of "sex" to include "gender." (Though I believe this interpretation was recently struck down in one Federal Court district).
Blimey! I meant that Northern Ireland can normally be counted on to top any league of bigotry, but I had no idea that you had similar cases in the US. Anyone might think that gay cakes are rapidly becoming a dietary staple in the Western world. Alternatively, it might be that gay activists around the world are provoking these cases in order to make a political point...
ReplyDeleteThe bakery owners in the UK case are appealing, with the judgement pending. But it seems we're leading the way in destroying the rights of religious groups in the name of our new state religion, which is "Equality & Diversity". Ironically, support for Christians has melted away for fear that other more aggressive religions (well, just one particular religion, really) would take advantage of a more protective environment.
In the case of the Trump-supporting girl customer, I now don't know if she is genuine, or (ahem!) confecting a controversy so as to cause trouble for the company. Why is this happening?
I would bet that the Trump-supporting girl was not trying to create a controversy. It sounds like it was just one employee who refused to bake the cake and not the owners. However in the infamous Oregon case, it's clear that the gay customer intentionally went after this bakery. The baker politely declined and offered another one who would do it. Then they decided to escalate the situation and file with the government.
ReplyDeleteWhy is this happening? Inside every progressive is a little fascist waiting to get out.