The O'Connors of Memories Pizza; Barronelle Stutzman of Arlene's Flowers; Aaron & Melissa Klein of Sweet Cakes by Melissa: these five people have soaked up $1.45 million+ this year to cover claims of damages and losses that are less than 10% of that.
Jeremy Hooper of Good As You makes a telling point about these snake oil peddlers and the nostrums they sell:
First and foremost is the fact that it changes nothing. These pro-discrimination business owners can each raise a billion dollars, and it won't make one dent in any law or policy or ordinance that protects LGBT customers from unfair business practices. Not one deciding body or judge who put accuracy above activism would allow himself or herself to be swayed by the fact that the guilty parties can find enough like-minds to pay off their legal bills (and car loans and mortgage and...). Just like so much of what the anti-LGBT movement is doing these days, these crowdfunding efforts do little more than make themselves feel better about their cause. Which is fine, if that is the purpose. But if their aim is to change policies with which they disagree, then this is about as effective as setting the cash on fire and making s'mores. Far less delicious, too.
No comments:
Post a Comment