To the editor:
Like many Hoosiers, I have viewed “hate crimes law” with only mild interest. However, upon further reflection, I have altered my thinking. I have concluded that there indeed is a pressing need for such legislation.
Recently, in a small northern Indiana town (Walkerton, I think), a tiny pizza joint politely refused, on religious grounds, to sell a pizza to a customer. The owners did not threaten anyone or become violent — just a polite “No.”
Despite the obvious fact that businesses exist exactly because they WANT BUSINESS, there is no law requiring a store owner to sell any item to anybody at any time. Furthermore, even though they WANT customers, establishments consistently exercise their right to even dictate the dress of their customers with the standard signage, “no shirt, no shoes, no service.”
The proprietor has the right to operate the business any way she or he sees fit, and at any moment, the customer is free to leave and take their business elsewhere.
BUT! The full weight and terror of the LGBTQ World fell on the hapless business owners for running their pizza establishment as they saw fit. For their trouble, they were deluged with personal death threats from all corners including social media.
Moreover, who can forget even a local teacher who called for volunteers to actually help her burn the building to the ground? Yes, these crusading ‘think enforcers’ are entrenched in our schools. Achtung! Or you will be destroyed!
Why does such a person as this get to decide what is ‘hate?’ Don’t the rest of us get a say? Who gets to decide? This teacher must have received an A+ in her “Grievance Studies” course.
Life is not, nor ever will be, “fair” by human standards. The Bible assures us that “the poor are always with us” and that the “rain falls on the just and unjust.” Leave it, however, to the elitist in academia to work overtime in advancing the trendy “competitive victimhood.”
This is precarious territory into which the United States is venturing.
In addition to a variety of laws that are broken by these threats, surely this whole sad, incredible episode would qualify as “HATE” in the United States.
One would hope that with the hate crime bill, such terrorist activities would be prevented or at least punished, and lawful small business places and their hard working owners, just trying to make a living, would be spared such treatment.
Do you suppose a chapter on this doomed pizza owner would be included in the “Grievance Studies” courses? Not a chance. See above….ACHTUNG!
In the year 1620, the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock, the end of a long and dangerous voyage as they sought only religious freedom. For the past 300+ years this event has been the bulwark of all American freedom and this includes religious freedom. I do hope these freedoms are not so fragile as to depend on the decision, made on personal, moral principles, of not selling a slice of pizza, or even decorating a wedding cake.
Kenneth R. DeVoe
Greenwood
