The story is actually two years old, but it couldn’t be more timely.
New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez believes that marriage is a relationship between a man and a woman. Gov. Martinez also needs haircuts.
But two years ago, her hair stylist, Antonio Darden, said that he would refuse to cut the Governor’s hair as long as she continues to support the natural and historical understanding of marriage.
According to Darden, “It’s just equality, dignity for everyone. Everybody should be allowed the right to be together.”
Why is it that you know about the florists, photographers, and bakeries who didn’t want to be part of same-sex weddings but you don’t know about the stylist who refused to cut the Governor’s hair?
Instead of filing a lawsuit, Gov. Martinez simply found someone else to cut her hair.
Last week, the possibility that Arizona would allow all businesses the freedom to make the same decision this gay hair stylist in New Mexico exercised was described as a return to the days of Jim Crow.
In a similar story, a lesbian who wanted a short haircut in Toronto filed a complaint against a Muslim barber shop that refuses to cut women’s hair because of their belief that it is inappropriate for them to touch women who are not in their family.
Can you make a man touch a woman who is not a relative? These days, who knows?
In one sense, the entire conversation seems trivial.
Our nation is chronically unemployed.
We have more debt than we’ll ever pay; $55,000 per citizen.
The Russians have threatened to take over another country after Putin convinced us not to deploy the third phase of the missile defense shield, SM3 IIb, because he’s just a big, cuddly, misunderstood teddy bear.
Iran has vowed to eliminate Israel from the map and is trying to build nuclear weapons.
Still, while some of the cases seem trivial, the question being asked is not.
Should you have the freedom to do things that I think are mean?
Those who support natural marriage surely chuckle at the idea that their hair is not worthy to be cut.
In the same way, those who identify as homosexuals cannot possibly imagine why someone would object to being part of the happiest day of their life.
Isn’t that ok?
Shouldn’t we have the freedom to have a passionate debate and agree to disagree without one party becoming the slave of the other? Isn’t the whole “conquered peoples” concept something we’ve moved past?
Liberty should allow people to make choices I don’t understand, especially when the only possible harm is that my feelings will be hurt.
Whether you’re a gay hairstylist who doesn’t like your Governor or a Muslim barber with religious beliefs about what is appropriate with women, everyone has limits.
A culture that respects the dignity of the individual allows each person to draw those boundaries for themselves, not have them imposed or erased based on the preferences of the current political majority.
Hopefully, all the gay hairstylists will defend the rights of photographers, florists, and bakeries not to bake cakes for their same-sex “wedding”, otherwise they might one day find themselves being forced to cut the Governor of New Mexico’s hair.
Fair is fair.
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