Refusing Service | Teen Ink

Refusing Service

May 10, 2017
By jennifer27 PLATINUM, Sunnyside, Washington
jennifer27 PLATINUM, Sunnyside, Washington
20 articles 0 photos 2 comments

When going to a business we’re expecting to get good customer service, however, when they provide us with a bad one, we feel unwelcomed. Throughout history, we see how businesses closed their doors on people because of their race, religion, age, or gender. In Germany, we saw how Jew’s got discriminated because of their religious beliefs. In American, we saw how African-American’s got discriminated because of their dark skin color, but as the years go by we started to change our point of view and learned that we’re all different and we have to accept that. Today one of the world’s greatest issue is accepting same-gender marriages even though they’re protected under the law.

 

In order to form a perfect union and establish justice, we the people of the United States needs to work together. (Preamble) The United States is a country that is ruled by the people, the power of the government comes from the people. Which means that the people vote for representatives to make laws and we agree to follow them. In 2015 there was a federal ruling that prohibited all states from banning same-gender marriages.(NCSL) Under the law marriage is not only between a man and a woman, marriage is also between same genders which means that no one has the right to discriminate them because they’re protected under the law. To become a better country we will follow the law and not discriminate.

 

Every person born or naturalized in the United States has equal protection of the law, no state has the right to enforce any law that will interfere with the person's life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. Everyone in the United States has equal protection of the law (Amendment 14). Under the law, every state is prohibited from banning same-gender marriages which protect them and those against them, but they have not right to discriminate them. Amendment meant 14 protects all the people in every way when trying to get justice. Amendment 14 protects everyone.

 

In Richland WA there is a flower shop that provides services to the people, especially for their wedding. The owner Barronelle Stutzman provided service to Rob Ingersoll and Curt Freed for many years, but when they asked Barronelle to provide them with flowers for their wedding she said she couldn't and suggested other flower shops that could help them. The couple wasn't happy with her decision because they've bought from her before and now for their wedding, she couldn't sell them the flowers, they felt discriminated and took her to court. The couple won the case because Barronelle had no right to discriminate the couple, she was fined with a fee of $1,000.00 and legal fees of $1.00. The court told Barronelle she had no right to discriminate same gender couples and she had to sell flowers to everyone or she had to stop providing flowers for a wedding in general.(Richland florist) Most businesses that refuse service to same gender couple it's usually because of their personal beliefs, but their beliefs should never interfere with their business and service to others. Everyone own has their own beliefs and no one have the right to enforce their beliefs on anyone. Refusing service to a same gender couple because you believe what their doing is wrong you are interfering with their life and pursue happiness which is against the law. Everyone has the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

 

The people of the United States have the freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly and petition. Those against same gender couples are mostly religious people that believe God created marriage for a man and woman because that would allow them to reproduce.The law protects religious people but they can't interfere with other people pursuit of happiness. Everyone has the right to be happy and if that's what makes them happy then let them be. If your religious beliefs make you happy then no one has the right to interfere with your beliefs, but no one has the right to discriminate other. It is the person free will if they want to believe in a God they can be forced to believe like the State can't enforce a law that interferes with your life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. As the years go by people change their religious beliefs and so does society.

 

Everyone has the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Same gender couples have the right to find happiness and people have no right to discriminate them. Refusing service or closing your doors to same gender couples is discrimination which is against the law. When a business discriminates a person their not only losing them as a customer but they are losing a lot of other customers because no one likes those people that discriminate. A business that refuses to provide service to the same gender couple ends up in court with a fine. Are you going to but your business and your reputation at risk because you don't want to provide some flowers or cake to the same gender couple for their wedding? People have all the right to be happy and you should not be the reason that interferes with their happiness.


Works Cited
"The 1st Amendment of the U.S. Constitution." National Constitution Center – The 1st Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2017. .
"The 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution." National Constitution Center – The 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2017. .
May, Rochelle Finzel Alison. "Same-Sex Marriage Laws." Same-Sex Marriage Laws. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Mar. 2017. .
Originally Published February 16, 2017 At 8:24 Am Updated February 16, 2017 At 4:21 Pm. Richland Florist Discriminated against Gay Couple by Refusing Service, State Supreme Court Rules (n.d.): n. pag. Web. 03 Mar. 2017. .
"Preamble We the People." National Constitution Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2017. .



Similar Articles

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 0 comments.