Patrick Stewart defends ‘gay cake’ bakery (in Northern Ireland; refused gays)

News Corp Australia ^ | June 05, 2015 2:57PM

[Olog-hai]

Veteran actor and gay rights activist Patrick Stewart has defended a Christian bakery which was found guilty of discrimination for refusing to bake a cake with a pro-gay marriage slogan.

Last month, a judge ruled that Ashers Baking Company in Northern Ireland had discriminated against a gay customer by refusing to make a cake with the words “support gay marriage”, along with a picture of Bert and Ernie from Sesame Street.

Gareth Lee commissioned the cake for an event to mark International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. The bakery initially accepted the order, but called Mr. Lee two days later to cancel. …

[tanknetter]

The baker probably should have refused on the grounds that he wouldn’t engage in copyright infringement.

[Marko413]

Respect to Patrick Stewart, at least he has common sense in this issue.

[KC_Lion]

The Baker should have refused on the grounds that he didn't want to upset Muslim Sensibilities.

The Baker is for Freedom of Expression BUT he didn't want to inflame a situation. (al la Pam Geller)

[dainbramaged]

How’s he doing after Mel Gibson bit off his nose?

[TBP]

“Make it so.”

[miss marmelstein]

Ian McKellen will not be happy.

[cothrige]

Stewart demonstrates a basic wisdom in his statement that "It was not because this was a gay couple they objected, it was not because they were going to be celebrating some kind of marriage, it was the actual words on the cake they objected to, they found them offensive." He recognized that discrimination, as applied legally, is about persons, not ideas, which is how I have argued businesses should operate here in America. People cannot refuse to sell cakes to white supremacists just because of who they are, but they could refuse to write something bigoted on a cake, and I think any court would defend that principle. Focus on the words and not on the people and you may stand a chance. Sadly, though, that did not hold true in N. Ireland, but I would like to think we have still not managed to fall as far as they have over there, at least not yet.

[tanknetter]

Hitting back at a SJB, directly, allows them to pull the whole faux outrage victimization bit.

Hitting back at them using a legal technically, tho, really ticks them off. Especially if they know you’re just using it to mask your real reasoning.

[kingu]

A decision so wrong that even a gay rights activist can’t agree with it. Thing is, this is a natural progression of the gay mafia’s cause. Denying anything to someone who is gay, for any reason, is by result, a crime.

[GeronL]

There would have been rioting on Sesame Street

[tanknetter]

Yes, exactly. If a baker can be forced to write something offensive on a cake, then an actor can be forced to say something offensive.

However, that’s a challenging analogy to apply to a wedding cake. At least a plain one, without any sort of writing or topper, or other explicit message.

[tanknetter]

See my post above. Stewart is an actor before he’s a gay rights activist. So he gets the implications of forcing someone to convey a message (whether in writing or speaking) they disagree with.

[TBP]

Whether or not you agree with Patrick Stewart on gay rights, I’ll give him credit for a certain consistency. He may be all for the gays, but he’s also for the right to say no to them and against their efforts to force their agenda on those who cannot in good conscience support it.

I can accept that, whether or not I completely agree.

[Red Badger]

He doesn’t want to go where no man has gone before?......................

[Buckeye McFrog]

Yes, have to respect Stewart for being principled in this.

Though he is going to catch hell for it in the UK. They’ve pretty much destroyed Rupert Everett’s life for saying that gays should not be raising children.

[Rodamala]

[Fido969]

[Talisker]

Finally a gay activist with some brains. Although pointing out the writing on the wall just before the wall falls on you is a tad late. Nevertheless, better late than never. All Stewart is saying is, “hey wait a minute, I think we need to hold on to at least the last shred of personal freedom under the law, I don’t like the way the Muslims are smiling these days...”

[11th Commandment]

The little boy was sitting on a park bench munching on one chocolate bar after another. After the 6th one a man on the bench across from him said, 'Son, you know eating all those chocolates isn't good for you. It will give you acne, rot your teeth, make you fat.'

The boy replied, 'My grandfather lived to be 107 years old.'

The man asked, 'Did your grandfather eat 6 chocolate bars at a time?'

The little boy answered, 'No, he minded his own damn business!'