Two wrongs just don't.

In Grand Rapids there is an auto repair shop owner who is seeking his 15 minutes of fame by claiming that openly gay couples are not allowed in his establishment, a view he feels strongly about and claims is threatened by the lack of "free speech" in the country today. Here is the nuance, freedom of speech is alive but not free of any consequence which is the part most people miss when they speak of such things.

My favorite supreme court justice Oliver Wendell Holmes would not deem this a "clear and present danger" it would, in fact, be covered as "free speech" however there is fallout on both sides of this debate.

You can run your business anyway you want, but if you won't allow openly gay individuals at your business and if you disagree with his views he will intentionally put your car back together wrong (his words) that seems to me to cover dishonesty, thievery and immoral behavior that he states in his post he won't tolerate. 

He is right, nothing is earned and GREAT customer service can make your business but this is one of the greatest debates of our time and I feel at some point he will end up on the wrong side of history but that is his choice and hopefully his team's since he added them to the post.

On the same token starting a flame war with someone like this, banning friends who agree with him, or attempting to change his ideology, or behavior is both a waste of time and no better what he is doing - just in reverse which doesn't make it right.

Acceptance is very hard. Empathy is easier to write than it is to exercise but now more than ever it is vital. Equality covers everyone and if that is what you are seeking, you cannot waste a minute on hatred or even rage. Both are wasted on him and this.

What this event needs is a moment to disappear.

It has been great for social media flame wars and pageviews, it is not great for moving the debate forward or even having a civil discussion about how a individuals views fit into a public facing business. These are real issues, ones we need to discuss, but not like this and not using these social tools of division. 

We all have a view and we all have a voice. Some just are louder than others - but that hardly makes them right.