Cakes and Rights

There is a controversy these days over whether people who sell goods and services for weddings should be forced to provide those services to weddings between homosexuals, irrespective of their beliefs about the propriety of those weddings.

The first thing to do in considering the question is to look at the principles involved. Homosexuals have the right to practice their sexual choices  with other consenting adults without punishment or interference from any government.   Homosexuals have a complete right to marry if they  want to, in ceremonies performed by anyone willing  to do so, and to attach any meaning to the event they choose to. (So, by the way, do threesomes of various sorts, polygamist Muslims and fringe sect Mormons, and other possible combinations of consenting adults.) Other people have the right to think homosexuality is wrong or perverted and to deny the validity of marriages between homosexuals and view them as shams (just as followers of some religions view civil marriages between heterosexuals as shams and sins). The issue of what types of marriages, if any, get a stamp of approval from the government  should be a purely a political  and rather irrelevant one to be decided by the usual grubby political processes. 

In a free society that would be the end of it. People would be free to hold their various opinions and go their various ways without trying to impose their preferences or beliefs on others. However we are not that free. Having until quite recently condemned practicing homosexuality as illegal, our governments are now making practicing disapproval of homosexuality illegal. (And who knows? In a few years they may switch back. Politicians are fickle that way.)  In particular governments are forcing bakers, photographers, and others  to provide services to weddings between homosexuals whether they want to or not. This is clearly and completely wrong. We all have a right to choose whether or not we wish to associate with another person, and that right does not go away because money changes hands in the interaction or because I or anyone else might thing someone’s reasons for his choices are foolish or bigoted. The government has no more right to force a Christian to bake and sell a wedding cake for a pair of homosexuals than it would to force him to throw them a bridal shower.  

This raises the question of what a person who wants to work in the bridal industry, but has scruples against participating in weddings between homosexuals should do. One answer is simple. He could look people in the eye and lie, just as homosexuals had to look people in the eye and lie when governments were violating their rights. He could turn the jobs down while never admitting why he did so,  and make up false reasons if he needs them. There would be no ethical wrong in doing so. One does not owe criminals or oppressors the truth. You don’t have to tell the mugger about the extra twenty you’ve got in your shoe or the nosy cop about the gun or contraband in your trunk or the would be thought police about your thoughts or motivations.