Hypothetical (or Not So) Lifestyles of the Intolerant and Hypocritical

 

“I learned that very often the most intolerant and narrow-minded people are the ones who congratulate themselves on their tolerance and open-mindedness.”
— Christopher Hitchens

 

Let’s talk hypothetically for a moment. Let’s make it two moments as I give two hypothetical cases:
A) A gay couple go into a bakery and order a cake for their wedding. The owner refuses to serve them. A large ruckus results that includes people calling up the baker with death threats and boycotts. The baker tries to protest that he has the right to refuse service to anyone including those who do not live according to his beliefs. Eventually he is fined for discrimination. Justice has won the day according to most people.
B) A right wing politician whom many consider bordering on fascist enters a restaurant. The owner refuses to serve him. The restauranteur states that he has the right to refuse service to anyone including those who do not live according to his beliefs. The politician leaves followed by a crowd of people jeering at him and threatening violence in protest. Justice has won the day according to most people.
I have a serious problem reconciling the two ideas of justice portrayed in the two situations above and yet both situations resemble real world happenings.
This has little to do with my own political leanings except that either business owners have the right to refuse service at their discretion or they don’t.
I disagree with both restaurant owners and find their refusal in both cases to be ridiculously narrow-minded and shortsighted. Did the baker fear that the lord would strike down his bakery if he helped make something beautiful for two people in love. Did the restauranteur fear that if the politician started talking, people would immediately be spell-bound, put on jackboots and start walking down the street hitting minorities with truncheons? Then again I have never feared ideas or lifestyles that were different than my own and I detest the idea of letting fear control my actions.

Blessings, G

 

Click on images to see full-sized:

 

Star GamesStar Games by G A Rosenberg

 

Spatial ExtremitiesSpatial Extremities by G A Rosenberg

 

MortisMortis by G A Rosenberg

 

2 thoughts on “Hypothetical (or Not So) Lifestyles of the Intolerant and Hypocritical”

    1. Why thanks <3. In both of these cases tho, it wasn't even hatred.. as much as fear.. If any of us were to sit down with any of the people involved in both cases, the baker, the restauranteur, the politician, the soon-to-be marrieds members of the mob (in both cases interestingly enough the mobs involved would consider themselves liberal and tolerant), we would no doubt have a pleasant if challenging at times conversation. We would agree with many things each of them said and disagree vehemently with others. In my experience that tends to be what happens when civilized people sit down in conversation not as the labels they represent to other people (or themselves) but as other beings. When we start distancing others that problems occur.
      What percentage of conversations do you suppose people have (especially ones that involve discussing politics, religion, sexual mores or philosophy) that remain totally devoid of hate speech even if it is hate speech aimed at people perceived to hate us?
      Why do people choose simple answers rather than understand complex issues?

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