Christophobes out in force. Usually the gutless bureaucrats that support and encourage this kind of discrimation would not dare try in on the Muslims. It would of been real hard for these people wanting thier perverted relationship sanctioned to cross the road and take their business elsewhere.

This bakery I gather from the "reviews" https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Ashers+Baking+Co./@54.5988331,-5.9303231,16z/data=!4m5!1m2!2m1!1sbakery,+belfast!3m1!1s0x0000000000000000:0x5e2e9cd917173259

There are a number of other bakeries nearby. I don't admire their business practices but in this case in my view the issue for the law should be that they accepted the order then reneged. To many flow on effects when people are required to provide service against their conscience but once a commitment is made the responsibility to meet that commitment was theirs.

R0bert

HIDDEN CAM: #GayWeddingCakes at Muslim Bakeries?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgWIhYAtan4

There is in fact a sort of equivalence here in that both religion and homosexuality are something one does rather than something one is, in the Ashers case it was two ideologies at loggerheads, not two groups of people and if anything the power differential was in the favour of the Gay Rights activist. Shopkeepers and service providers just need to be smarter, put up a sign saying "Management reserves the right to refuse service" and then flatly refuse to give a reason for denial of service if asked. Few people outside the pro Gay milieu take same sex marriage seriously enough to even see it as threat but even though we don't see it as an authentic marriage and the state does doesn't mean that taking on city hall is going to be a fruitful or pleasant excercise. The state has lots of stupid laws that we ignore or at least avoid breaking in an overt manner but there are always ways to work around them.

'I don't admire their business practices but in this case in my view the issue for the law should be that they accepted the order then reneged. '

Yeah but its fine Robert to promise to be faithful to death to a spouse and then dump her/him when someone better comes along. Fine to change your mind especially when true harm is done to the kids. I mean walking across the road is so inconvenient. Pathetic.

So, the Northern Ireland Equality Commission thinks that it is doing the right thing to go for a private business, at taxpayer expense, over such a trivial issue. The baker loses - surprise, surprise - and the gay gets 500 pounds. But the cost of the ridiculous pursuit of a private trader, who should be able to sell or not as he chooses, will have cost the public much more.

Did the gay person use the 500 to buy a cake elsewhere? Or, was he so puffed up with his small-minded bullying victory, that he forgot all about the cake?

In the past, there was no compulsion for a private business to sell to anyone. There was an offer to sell on the part of the trader, which could be withdrawn by the trader in the same way the offer to buy could be withdrawn by the potential customer.

Perhaps draconian 'rights' laws (for some) have extinguished this arrangement, and we all stand up for what we thought were our rights at our peril. Anythings seems possible these days. It just remains to be seen how much more the long-suffering majority will tolerate it.

The earlier hoo hah about a pizza shop in America not wanting to cater for a gay wedding could mean there is more of this nonsense to come from minorities and the idiotic media who stirred the pizza possum. Who said gays would settle for pizza at their weddings anyway?

I Agree with RObert!

These folk entered into a commercial arrangement for money, then found a reason to unlawfully discriminate!

Yes these customers could go across the road, as will most of their fiends and family; or around 80% of us!

We don't need a rainbow flag, just fair and equal treatment; and an ability to keep your prejudices and bigotry to yourself!

The Ashers need to understand all manner of folks and all their famlies and friends make up the shopping public/customers; and if they would avoid a particular section of them, then they can always "CHOOSE" to operate an overnight bakery and wholesale to other front line businesses?

Alternatively, they could post a sign saying we withhold the right to provide service!? And then select the target for that refusal?

Blacks, Jews, Gypsies, toothless old Crones, westernized oriental gentlemen (WOGS) or gay and lesbians? Jawol?

Incidentally, a young Jewish man in his first trip to Hitlers prewar Berlin, was very uncertain where to go to get refreshments? And so, settled tentatively for a Chinese Cafe.

He went in and asked timidly, do you serve Jews in here?

Yes sure, replied the Chinese proprietor, what kind of Jews you want? We got apple Jews, orange Jews, lemon Jews or even grape Jews.
Rhrosty.