In Reply: Standing Up For What You Believe is Right isn't Always Easy (Ask Replacements Ltd. and Madeleine McAulay)

Revised and extended, in reply to the following comment at the American Conservative post "Punishing Businesses on Gay Marriage," about the backlash against Replacements Ltd., a North Carolina business who rallied against the anti-marriage equality amendment that recently passed in that state:

I doubt that the conservatives who stop shopping at Replacements will take the course of action that homosexual activists have taken against those opposed to SSM. The homosexual activists are especially aggressive and are determined to shut down all speech that they disagree with check out this link American Power: YouTube Pulls Madeleine McAulay Gay Marriage Video as Violating Guidlines on 'Hate Speech' to see an example
5/26/12, 10:22 AM
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It was the wrong decision, to be sure... ...but it was youtube's wrong decision.

I get why people might be offended when you suggest they're second class citizens, so I don't actually blame the "homosexual activists" who complained about Madeleine McAulay's video--though they were wrong; it isn't hate speech to spout Christian dogma about marriage; it just fails to take into account that we shouldn't and generally don't look to the Bible to write the laws in this country, in part because this is the result when we do--but it was up to youtube to stand up for speech, and in the end it was youtube who failed Madeleine McAulay ...and all of the people who use their service. (Twice, in fact. Madeleine appealed their original decision calling the video hate speech, and even after looking a second time, they still said it contained hate speech.)

And (tying this back to the original subject) there are a whole lot of conservatives and others who feel strongly about speech who are vowing not to use YouTube, based on decisions like these. I'm all for voting with your wallet and your feet when you feel strongly about a political or social issue. So, perhaps I'll use youtube a little less, and spend less time and money in CA and NC, until they get right with human rights... except for Replacements, Ltd. and others in those states who stood firm against laws that make love and equality a crime. (And having spent some time in the dinnerware industry back in the 80's and 90's, I can say that I heard nothing but good things about Replacement's Ltd. back then, so even apart from my being down with their stance on marriage equality, I recommend them highly to anyone who needs to find discontinued dinnerware, flatware, crystal pieces for their table.)
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Submitted Posted 5/27/12, 2:13 AM
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Also:
Replacements Limited’s Stand for Gay Marriage Has a Cost - NYTimes.com
American Power: Bob Page, Replacements Ltd. CEO Who Turned Firm Into Pro-Gay Campaign Outlet, Now Concerned His Radical Politics Could 'Hurt Our Business' ("Radical politics"... What a maroon...)
Gay 'Replacements Ltd' Owner Faces NC Hate After Opposing Amendment One| News | Towleroad