As seen in the Troy Record on Sunday October 21, 2012
Gay Marriage isn’t the issue at Liberty Ridge Farm. With the recent news that Liberty Ridge Farm passed on allowing a marriage to take place at their farm because the couple was gay all the attention is focusing on gay marriage. Instead I feel like we should take a deeper look into private property rights, but I know there are too many emotions on both sides to actually be hopeful that property rights would be brought up on a serious level on this issue in the media.
Now one must be able to step back and from the hype for a minute and really look at the issue. Remember you can defend someone’s right to make a choice while not defending the choice itself. Private property rights are vitally important because ultimately they protect us from the government. As a business (private property) you have the right to refuse service to anyone for any reason at any time. And yes this includes sexual orientation, color of skin, religion or even your hair color. Now a free market would solve this issue as if you did not like the businesses practices you are free to bring your dollars elsewhere.
Instead the immediate reaction I’ve seen is: this is illegal, this is discrimination, they should be shut down, gays should be allowed to marry there, etc. Those claiming this is illegal they say is because gays are a “protected class.” I would purpose that the mere fact the legislature passed any law “protecting a class” actually shows that the law makers feel that class is inferior, weak and unable to manage in society with out governments help, which is far worse than refusing a service. The farms decision in no way hurts anyone, sure it hurts some feelings, but it does not actually cause any damage to anyone. You are free to go to another business that is similar with different beliefs if you feel strongly against spending your money at a business that you don’t agree with.
When we start crying out that our laws prevent businesses from refusing gay marriages it is not too far off where the government will decide every one who enters your home and all activities that take place on it. For instance as a gay couple I’d imagine you would not invite a loud mouth bigot into your home while you were having a party with your friends, and if you take all the emotion away from this story and focus on the real story that is what you are asking the government to regulate: your own home and your own decisions.
Matthew Martoccio
Wynantskill