Originally Posted by EyeballPaul (Post 7727535)

I think it should be totally up to the cake shop what content they will print on their cakes.If they find something offensive then they should have the right to decline to make that cake.Iirc the gay men had been customers in the past of that shop and the owner had no problem taking their business before,So they had nothing against these people,Just the content which they had been told to put on their cake.
If it is the company's policy not to make cakes with offensive slogans on and this cake WAS offensive to them then they should be free to refuse to make a cake with it on.

Originally Posted by EyeballPaul (Post 7727539)

What if i went into a cake shop and asked them to make a cake with say 'cake shop owners are *****'
I could rightfully be refused business because it is up to that business as to what cakes they are willing to make.

Originally Posted by Niamh. (Post 7727538)

What if a black woman came in to order a cake for her wedding to a white man and the owner thought that interracial relationships were wrong, do you think he should have the right to refuse her on those grounds?

Originally Posted by Niamh. (Post 7727542)

You didn't answer my question eyeball :nono:

To answer yours though, it'd be a bit of a weird thing to do and could technically be described as inciting hatred towards cake shop owners :laugh:

Originally Posted by EyeballPaul (Post 7727545)

I think the cake shop should have total artistic authority over their own product.I don't think it would be right because it is not what i believe but you can't force the cake shop makers to make a cake which they don't wish to.The content that they offer should be totally up to the cake makers themselves then it is up to the customer to either use that shop or find one that better suits their needs.

Originally Posted by Kizzy (Post 7727559)

I don't feel they're fair examples either, you can't really compare anything other than homosexuals in reference to religious observance, except taxmen :/

Originally Posted by Niamh. (Post 7727552)

I have to disagree, discrimination should have no place in a business, a cake shop is one thing but if you say it's ok to discriminate you're setting a terrible precedent imo. You could end up having creches refusing to take the children of single parents or mixed race children etc etc

I mean realistically speaking, if a customer knew that a particular cake shop was prejudiced against them for some reason they probably wouldn't use them anyway because they probably wouldn't trust them with something like their wedding cake

Originally Posted by Kizzy (Post 7727559)

I don't feel they're fair examples either, you can't really compare anything other than homosexuals in reference to religious observance, except taxmen :/

Originally Posted by EyeballPaul (Post 7727562)

I would'nt compare this to a creche or something of that nature.
This is a product that is being offered.You would'nt dictate to a clothes company what they have to make and offer for sale,That is up to the designers to make and offer and hope that their product sells.If people don't like that product then they find a brand that they prefer.

Originally Posted by Livia (Post 7727568)

Businesses have the right to refuse service, they don't even have to have a sign up saying that they reserve the right to refuse, but their refusal can be based only on negative or threatening behaviour and not on grounds of race, sexual orientation etc.. Of course, I'm not sure if that's the same in Ireland.

Originally Posted by Niamh. (Post 7727552)

I have to disagree, discrimination should have no place in a business, a cake shop is one thing but if you say it's ok to discriminate you're setting a terrible precedent imo. You could end up having creches refusing to take the children of single parents or mixed race children etc etc

I mean realistically speaking, if a customer knew that a particular cake shop was prejudiced against them for some reason they probably wouldn't use them anyway because they probably wouldn't trust them with something like their wedding cake

Originally Posted by kirklancaster (Post 7727572)

This is a seriously valid point Niamh, and one which I pondered. I wouldn't go to any cake shop which I knew did not genuinely want to serve me and were being made to because of the law, because - as you say - I just would not trust them because of what they might do to my cake because of possible resentment.

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet (Post 7727575)

The best thing to do is use a little nowse and if you are a "christian" who "thinks" that the bible hates on gays and for some reason want also to hate on them then when a gay couple come in and request a cake that says "we love gay marriage" then tell them a pork pie and say you cant make it as you have ran out of icing or your dog died or you are not doing cakes this week or say that the baker may take longer as he has syphilis and its contagious

that way they go off to find another baker and the hoo ha is avoided

Originally Posted by Niamh. (Post 7727566)

They offer and make wedding cakes though

Originally Posted by EyeballPaul (Post 7727539)

What if i went into a cake shop and asked them to make a cake with say 'cake shop owners are *****'
I could rightfully be refused business because it is up to that business as to what cakes they are willing to make.

Originally Posted by EyeballPaul (Post 7727580)

They don't offer and make cakes which say 'support gay marriage' though.
Find another cake shop.Imo.

Originally Posted by Niamh. (Post 7727561)

I disagree with that, discrimination is discrimination, why should homosexuals be the only "fair game" in discrimination laws?