I actually kinda like this story. I do hate Sanders supporters. They're ruining the country, IMO.
I get what you are saying, but if anything, being a jerk and refusing to do business with her over a bumper sticker isn’t going to get her to re-think anything. If anything she will always remember that a Trump supporter / “Republican” and supposedly a “Christian”, a cranky “white old guy” treated her like crap.
And how did he know it was her car or her bumper sticker – it might have been a friend’s or relative’s car or she might have just bought it…. I once bought a used car that had a Clinton/Gore bumper sticker on it – which I of course removed, but it took a few days until I got around to scraping it off.
He might have use it as a learning opportunity and as example especially since she’s young and impressionable, perhaps politely engaging her in a civil conversation and letting her know how and why Sander’s policies would be bad for the country or at least proving to her that not all Trump supporters are the stereotypical hateful, knuckle dragging Neanderthals that the media portrays them as.
With that being said, as a private business owner, IMO he has the right to refuse service to anyone and on and for whatever basis.
But that’s a two-way street and every business owner should have the right to do the same. (I guess that’s my inner Libertarian coming out in me.) For example:
What if she had a Trump bumper sticker on her car and the tow operator was Clinton or Sanders supporter or a #NeverTrump type and refused to give her a tow on that basis?
What if she had a Jesus-Fish decal and the tow operator was an Atheist and refused to give her a tow on that basis?
What if she had a NRA decal and the tow operator was an anti-2nd A type and refused to give her a tow on that basis?
What if the tow operator was a Muslim and didn’t want to tow her car because he didn’t think she was dressed modestly or doesn’t think women should be driving and refused to give her a tow on that basis?
What if the tow operator was a Black BLM type and didn’t want to tow her car because she was White and had an #All Lives Matter decal and refused to give her a tow on that basis?
What if the tow operator was a KKK member and didn’t want to tow her car because she had a Star of David decal and refused to give her a tow on that basis?
If this guy can refuse the Sander’s supporter on that basis, then the above people should then also be able to refuse service to customers based on their personal beliefs, even if I find them abhorrent.
But I would also say this is a bit different than forcing someone into baking a cake, providing catering or photography services, etc. for a “gay” wedding against their religious convictions as that would mean participating in it. Towing her car OTHO, could in no way be construed as his personal endorsement of Sanders, but again, if that’s his thing and he feels strongly about it, then more power to him. But even as I don’t “Feel the Burn” I don’t think I’d want him to tow my car because he seems like a real jerk.
I pointed out once on a thread at TOS on a similar topic where it was a private company, IIRC, some sort of outdoor wilderness guide company, that didn’t want to hire a Christian woman because the owner was either an Atheist or some sort of Pagan (don’t recall which) and also because “allegedly” during the job interview she talked a lot about her Christian faith, her past jobs at Christian retreats and in her belief in “spreading the “Good News” to everyone she worked with and encountered as she felt it was her duty as a Christian. The owner didn’t think she would be a good fit for his company or a good fit with him and his staff based on this and he didn’t hire her and she then sued him for religious discrimination.
I pointed out the hypocrisy where some FReepers were saying that they as a business owner would never hire or do business with or provide services to a known Atheist or Pagan (or a Muslim or a Liberal) but at the very same time many of the same posters were supporting this woman’s discrimination law suit, saying she should be awarded big monetary damages.
I pointed out and was slammed big time for dare saying that if one supports the idea that as a private business owner, if you believe in their right to refuse service or employment to anyone and for and on whatever basis, political or religious, or even if one hates “Gingers” (and I BTW am a natural “Ginger” and proud of it) then it would need to applied equally across the board and then in that case, sometimes you may be on the receiving end of being refused.
