Free Markets Can Fight Bigotry

Bakery's discriminatory business practice leads to economic consequences

An Oregon bakery that made national headlines for refusing to make a cake for a gay wedding shut its doors last weekend. The initial reports were not clear as to why they shut down, though it was obviously connected to the outcry and the investigation by the state as to whether they had violated public accommodations laws.

The couple who owned the bakery, Melissa and Aaron Klein, have now spoken out to the Christian Broadcast Network about their decision:

 

According to the announcer, the wedding cake part of their bakery business suffered a "major loss" that is not explained. Aaron Klein claims gay activists have been very "militant" and used "mean-spirited, mafia-style tactics" to shut them down. Again, this is not explained, but it sounds more like good, old-fashioned public pressure not to do business with them. If there were any actual "mafia-style" threats of violence, one would hope they'd say so and inform the authorities.

So the next time somebody asks how to deal with bigotry and discrimination in the marketplace without the intervention of the government, show them this.

(Hat tip to blogger Joe.My.God)