It was not opinion, it was fact. And still is...

Okay, hold on a minute. I didn't say that those events were a matter of opinion, I know that black people went through a hell of a time over there. Fucking hell. I was simply asking about people's overall attitude at the time; commonly referred to as 'popular opinion'. Also, I'm mixed race and know very well that racism isn't dead yet, but I also can appreciate that had I been born 50 or 60 years earlier things would have been a lot different. Overall our attitudes towards racism have shifted dramatically.

As for the rest of your comment, fair points and food for thought. I didn't initially come here to argue with you about the ins and outs of racist cake legislation, but it's been a good run. All I was saying is that either way, somebody's an unhappy person indeed. HomophoBaker will feel that his right to practice religion is being compromised, or the gay person will feel hard done by, and rightly so; and there is no easy solution.

The "ideal" bigoted baker (never thought I'd say that) in my hypothetical world I created in my first post would refuse the gay person his services, but then be judged in turn by society for being an ass. Yes, an "economic violence" has been committed, and now the customer doesn't get his cake. On the other hand, now the baker has to pay for it with a big smear on his business' reputation and lose sales. You win lose you some some.

In my mind, a situation like that is probably better than a legal situation where someone is forced by law to do something that they feel is morally unacceptable. If they really feel it's morally unacceptable, then fine, let them do it and let them be a victim of their own decision.

You obviously disagree, and I see why. In your mind (as far as I can tell), the customer should never be discriminated against in the first place, and everybody should have equal access to everything. Also, you don't trust society to make the right decision. This is a fair way of looking at things; I can see your train of thought and I definitely don't disagree.

All I can say is, if I was refused a service because I'm brown I wouldn't try to sue them, but I would sing from the rooftops about what a shitty person the owner is.