Hiding the hate

There's a story in the Baltimore Sun today called "Gay nuptials a dilemma or bonanza?" Apparently some folks in California don't want to take pictures or deliver flowers for gay weddings. One couple in Lancaster had to go to Los Angeles to find their flowers and cake - must make them feel real good about their home town, eh?

Some will do some things - like this one guy, Eric Nelson of Nelson Photography in Lake Forest, who is a wedding photographer and ordained minister through the Trinity Evangelical Christian Church. He will take photos but not officiate.

Some will do it all. Richard Markel, president of the Sacramento-based Association for Wedding Professionals International, said an informal survey showed "only nine out of 720 respondents said they would refuse." He added, "Most of the time, you get into this business to do any wedding - straight, gay, interracial - even if there were alien weddings.

And then there are these losers.

Several business owners told the Times that because of their personal beliefs they would refuse to be involved in same-sex marriages. But they declined to be identified out of concern that their business would suffer.

They've got a point. Lots of people would refuse to patronize someone they knew was a bigot. I would. So they're going to hide it as long as they can. (Interestingly, they feel they'd lose more business than they'd gain. California is better than some places, then.)

Some people deserve to lose business.

Courage of your convictions, anyone?