Discrimination

I am a disabled person. I have ben having a conversation with some extreme Libertarians who think that allowing businesses to discriminate based on disability is a good thing - or rather, that stopping them from doing so such as with the Americans With Disabilities Act - is a bad thing. Do you think that businesses and business owners should have the right to not serve, or accommodate, a disabled person for any reason?

Hi there, Personally I think that discrimination against someone because of a disability is horribly wrong and should not be accepted in our society. As for business and business owners I can't see the point of them refusing disabled people from buying their goods or using their services. They would be turning away customers and ruining their own reputation. However if a person owns their own business I also believe that they should have the right to decide on who they deal with. This is where the moral conflict pops up. Ultimately I think we need to accept that society has its fair share of a**holes and if you disagree with the way someone is treating you/ or their actions; you have the power to take your business elsewhere.

It is quite a moral dilemma. But let's say... XYZ restaurant or store doesn't serve you because you're disabled, and you live on the side of a highway where that is the only store. You can't drive, and through a variety of circumstances out of your control, you're disabled (Not a choice), and you really have nowhere else to go - unless it is at great expense of either effort and time, or money for a taxi. Unlike simply having different beliefs, disabilities logistically limit people's options and actions that they can take in a situation like this, and I do not think that group of people who fall through the cracks will be enjoying their liberty very much. Different beliefs on the other hand... those are a choice.

I probably wouldn't go to sed business if there was discrimination happening, it shows that they are saying you are a lesser being I am not saying go out of your way and spend tons of cash to make an entrance to your store A-ok for wheel chairs, maybe just make a ramp out of wood, it's the same as saying you won't service your war veterans when they come back from protecting your country but they got injured and are stuck with a wheel chair for the rest of their life, I am sure I would have snapped if I seen that when and if I ever go to the states In other words that idea is just silly.

Well in that situation the person with a disability would be screwed over through no fault of their own and to me that is horribly wrong. Ultimately though life is unfair and there will always be someone getting screwed. Also I would think that because beliefs are a choice it makes them a more powerful motivator when making a decision.