Judson Phillips, founder of Tea Party Nation, is warning us of what is to come as a result of Jan Brewer's vetoing AZ Senate bill 1062. In a word, Christians and others who simply wished to engage in religious-based discrimination against gays are now their slaves. Among the things we can look forward to are God-fearing bakers being forced to create pastries and cakes in the shape of penises and probably vaginas too. If my partner and I had only known this when we were planning our wedding. And then there's the devout wedding photographer who will be required to document homosexual weddings as they devolve into wild orgiastic displays of animal lust (how come we never get invited to those?). According to Tea Bagger Phillips, what Brewer has done is to give gays total control over the work of legions of bakers, florists, photographers, and caterers. Caligula has to be looking down and smiling. The reality I think is closer to this. Could a photographer decline to photograph a straight couple's nude wedding? Of course. It has nothing to do with the couple's orientation, the photographer simply does not have nude photography on his or her list of wedding-related services. Would she be able to turn down a similar request from a gay couple? Yes. However, if the gay couple simply wants Wedding Package B, with everyone keeping their clothes on then the photographer needs to accommodate them. Could a baker refuse to bake a penis-shaped cake for a straight couple's wedding? I'm pretty sure the baker would have that right. However, if the couple says that they like that three-tiered thing with the butter cream frosting on page four of the wedding cake album then the baker is probably stuck with them. Ditto in respect to the gay couple who like that cake too. Or any other one on the list of available options. I think it boils down to whatever goods or services that the business has normally and customarily provided to the straight part of the public, it needs to provide to gay part of the public as well. [http://www.teapartynation.com/forum/topics/tyranny-the-loss-of-liberty-and-arizona-s-sb1062]
I couldn't agree more. My wife once picked up a penis shaped cake for a straight woman friend's birthday party. No questions. It was funny. That was the intention. Perhaps for her birthday I'll order one with a "swishy" voice. Just to get a reaction. Nahh... we're really not cake eaters.
I've never had a penis shaped cake, but they make pans for them. If your baker refuses to make one for you then one option would be to make your own. But then there's the question of what you do with the pan after you've used it to make a penis or two. How many penis cakes do you really need? Here are some ideas. WARNING! if your religion does not allow you to view cake images that could be considered phallic DO NOT click on the link or you will go to HELL. Google bundt cake images, or "festive holiday cupcakes for the little elves in your life" and look at those instead. http://imgur.com/gallery/JjpLL
But, there are so many things you can do with a penis-shaped cake mold besides just making penis-shaped cakes. How about penis-shaped jello molds? Penis-shaped custard? It would be delightful to use as a small container to grow some herbs in your kitchen window. It would probably make a great gravy bowl on Thanksgiving due it's natural pouring shape. Or a great drip pan when you change the oil in your car. The possibilities are endless!
I recently went to a Catholic church, for a wake...or whatever it's called. From my perspective, participation in the religious proceedings was extremely small, considering the number of people who attended. Out of the five hundred or so people who came, only 3 or 4 participated in the "preaching" part (where members recite verses). It was rather interesting in another way. One thing I remember from my youth, when I did attend church, was how certain members took up "stations" around the congregation. What they'd do is spread people, who could recite the verses by heart, around the place...in part to encourage others to recite as well. At the wake, or whatever it's called, there were only 3 people who did this. One woman sat in front of me just before the recitations, and I wasn't surprised that she knew all those complicated verses. Why do I mention this? Because: The participation among the people there was wayyyy less than what I remember as a kid. That suggests that fewer people are actually active members, rather than people who go to church 'cause they're supposed to. They go to church, but they don't adhere to it's doctrines the way they used to. What does that mean for gays? Don't worry about the churches, they don't have the power to influence people the way they used to. And, congratulations: America is finally comin' around to accepting sexual diversity.
Uh, wait a minute! You went to a church and you didn't immediately burst into flames the moment you walked in? Not possible.
I love the cat-lickers myself. Use to be one myself. I attended catholic school for many a year in my youth. Today, I want absolutely nothing to do with the Catholic Church. In fact, if I could actually get them to excommunicate me, I'd do it in a heartbeat. I did figure out the trick to Catholicism though. With Lent coming up, and Catholics everywhere trying to figure what to give up for Lent, they should simply give up the Catholic Church. Problem solved forever. I did and I never looked back. Signed Recovering Catholic
That was pretty damn funny Coin. So much that I "liked" it. I'd probably grow chives in one. Easy maintenance.
I'm not sure how I stand on this situation. The blade does cut both ways. How about being forced to print flyers for a KKK rally? Being forced to touch-up the Fresco in the Catholic Sanctuary? Forced to fabricate the bullet traps used in conducting Carry and Canceal Permit classes? Forced to photograph a Skinhead, Nazi or GOP wedding?
I believe that if you throw your shingle up in the public commons, your personal likes and dislikes go out the window. Nothing says that I have to do a good job on those KKK fliers.
Do you really feel A Muslim Artist should be forced to paint a Fresco in a Jewish Temple? A Jewish photographer forced to work a Nazi wedding? Purposefully providing shoddy work due to philosophical differences isn't a very strong defense in Civil Court.
I believe that religious beliefs are irrelevant if you choose to run a business. Business has nothing to do with religion. Should I be able to a sue the church down the street because they chose to not do business with my company because I was an atheist? That would be ridiculous. It's just as ridiculous to think you can discriminate against anyone while operating a business in the public commons. Are there going to uncomfortable business dealings when you run a business? Absolutely! Too bad. Go to church and pray about it on Sunday but keep your hate-filled religious opinions to yourself the rest of the week. I know that you are just playing devil advocate here but the real issue here has nothing to do with people feeling uncomfortable or that their "religious freedom" is under attack, this is simply the last most desperate attempt by the haters out there to take one more pot-shot at the gays. This is the same tactic these haters used during the civil rights fight of the 60's. Look it up. They claimed that their businesses had the right to discriminate because the bible said that the races should be separate. Same crap, same haters, different day.
Wouldn't that also include the same level of quality/craftmanship of work and equal pricing even if it is KKK Flyers?
But they believe that's untrue, and that belief, that fear of being forced to do something against their will under the threat of legal action, is powerful. Can a Muslim be forced to paint a fresco in a Jewish temple? No. But they believe that answer to be mistaken, hence the problem: How do we alleviate that kind of fear, when common sense isn't prevailing? (shrugs)...It's a lot like the fear that Obama was "comin' fer our guns!" that, the moment he took the oath of office in January 2009, he was going to round-up any and all guns in America and whatnot. That insane ranting hasn't ceased, despite the fact that, in his entire first term in office, he didn't do one damn thing to alter any 2nd Amendment rights in any way. Yet, some still insist he's gonna....and so how do you alleviate the fear when the fear is so @#$%ing irrational? Seriously, I'm open to suggestions.
