THE CONSERVATIVE VIEW
BY RUSSELL TURNER
A PULLED PORK SANDWICH
For a long time I have noticed that many Americans have forgotten the meaning of being free. Our country was founded upon the principle of being left alone as long as you are not harming someone else. We are free to travel wherever we want without the government's permission. The government doesn't have the right to tell any of us who we can associate with. We are free to choose the political party that most agrees with our philosophy and most of all we are free to worship in any religion. We, the American consumer, have the right to shop wherever we want and to patronize the businesses that best fit our needs. While we consumers cherish that freedom, the judicial branch of our government is ready to deny that freedom to the small businesses and entrepreneurs of our country.
In the state of Oregon there has been a case making the national news about a small bakery being sued for not decorating a cake for a lesbian couple. The owners of the bakery were ordered to pay a $135,000.00 judgment for refusing to decorate a gay wedding cake. Recently the Oregon Supreme Court upheld that decision and ordered the couple to pay up. The bakery owners professed to have a strong Christian belief and, based upon their faith, refused to decorate the cake. In my opinion the courts in Oregon have overstepped their authority. We need to remember that the bakery is a privately owned business. All business strive to get as much market share as possible, but when they are asked to do something that goes against their core religious beliefs, the government should not be forcing them to do it in defiance of their beliefs.
Would the government force a Jewish publishing company to print propaganda from a neo Nazi group? Would the government force a Muslim owned restaurant to serve a pulled pork sandwich to an irate customer? I have noticed that society has gotten into a bad habit of attacking anyone who has deep roots in a religious philosophy, even more so if they happen to be Christians. Our country was once a strong Christian nation, but sadly we are becoming an antichristian nation. We Americans like to complain about the decay of our society, but when it comes down to the time to get serious too many of our fellow citizens just duck their heads and walk away. Throughout life I have found out if you take a stand usually you have to stand alone. I am sure that if someone wants to purchase any particular item there will always be someone to sell it to them. I have always had the belief if someone doesn't want to do business with me I do not want to do business with them. We as a people need to live and let live. The next time I get a craving for a pulled pork sandwich I won't go to a Muslim owned establishment. I respect their right to their beliefs and will not ask them to do something they find offensive. Until we extend freedom to all parts of our society we are not truly free.
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