The Chick-fil-A Bill

Texas legislation was recently passed, which supporters say protects the moral practice of one’s religion. The law states it does not allow the government to take “any adverse action” against businesses, contractors, or individuals because of their religious beliefs. Liberal critics believe it would allow Christian-owned businesses to discriminate against the state’s LGBTQ community.

I firmly believe in each individual’s right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We each possess innate rights, but we sometimes require laws to keep those very rights in place. According to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a federal anti-discrimination law, businesses can refuse service to any person for any reason unless the business is discriminating against a protected class. The federal bill does not name LGBTQ as a protected class, and there are similarly no protections under Texas law.

People on the political left are usually the first to become upset about the rights of the downtrodden, the poor, and the marginalized. Yet, the traditional right of a small business owner to “refuse to serve” an individual seems to have been ignored by the same group. That seems illogical of the left that the basis of many of their arguments is strictly emotional, not based on fact.

I think the real reason this law was written is that many know that full LGBTQ rights will (at some point) likely be added to the federal discrimination law (as they were to state laws in California) or other new legislation be passed on their behalf.

If I had a shop or service of my own, I would never refuse service to any reasonable person, no matter their looks or beliefs. Black, brown, red, yellow, white, liberal, conservative, Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, male, female, undeclared, uncertain, questioning, or any other sort. However, I would still wish to retain the right to refuse service to anyone for any reason if I so wished. Should I choose to refuse service to any person or group, they would then have the right to boycott my business. If enough people joined in, it might drive me out of business. But it could just backfire, as in the case of Chick-fil-A. The more protest and attention it has received from folks, the more chicken sandwiches they’ve been able to sell.

If each of us were willing to accept that others have the same rights without resentment fully, the problem would simply go away without any law needed. A problem can only exist where two things are shoving against each other. We can all get along and work toward a better civilization together, even if we each have ideas that vary greatly from each other. It just requires one to respect the views of others and practice tolerance.

If you still must take vengeance on Chick-fil-A, then beat them at their own game. Make a chicken fried steak sandwich calling it “Beef-fil-A.” Put up a billboard with chickens saying, “Eat more Moo Cow!”