Why is this fair?

[benbo]

EHarmony to offer same-sex matches after New Jersey settlement*

1:06 PM, November 19, 2008

Coming soon to EHarmony -- Adam and Steve.

The Pasadena-based dating website, heavily promoted by Christian evangelical leaders when it was founded, has agreed in a civil rights settlement to give up its heterosexuals-only policy and offer same-sex matches.

Why is the government suing a private business and forcing them to offer a service they don't want to offer? And, although I suspect they will make money on it, would they have to offer it even if they lost money?

If it were me, I'd offer it to everyone, to make a buck. But why should they have to?

 

[wilheldp_PE]

Shhhh....Big Brother is watching.

 

[maryannette]

I wonder if that opens the door for married people wanting extra-marital affairs.

 

[Flyer_PE]

Why is the government suing a private business and forcing them to offer a service they don't want to offer? And, although I suspect they will make money on it, would they have to offer it even if they lost money?

The concept of private property rights is pretty much dead in this country and has been for some time. EHarmony, or any other company for that matter, should be allowed to decide what services they wish to provide. If there is a dollar to be made at it, why didn't the plaintiffs start up a competitor to EHarmony and offer the homosexual service. I guess it's easier to use the government to impose your will on somebody else.

 

[benbo]

I wonder if that opens the door for married people wanting extra-marital affairs.

You know, married people or gay people could always use E-Harmony to recieve the same service E-Harmony offers to everyone - opposite gender matchmaking.

It's like me going into a vegan restaurant and saying because I am by nature a carnivore they have to sell me a bacon burger. Any carnivore can eat at a vegan restaurant, but they only get the service the restaurant offers.

 

[udpolo15]

If i were Eharmony, I would find some gay dating sites and sue them for not offering heterosexual matches. Why stop there, I would sue jdate and say they need to offer catholic dating matches and as well as a site for catholic - protestant matches.

I would also sue BMW since they cater to rich people and are discriminating against my poor ass self. they should offer BMWs to low income people. Also, don't get me started on Harvard and their treatment of stupid people.

PS:EB, you better watch out, I am not sure why you don't have a lawyer forum. What kind of family were you brought up in?

PPS - I would do a google search for a gay dating site example, but somehow my wife would find the search and I would have to answer some awkward questions.

 

[Flyer_PE]

I would also sue BMW since they cater to rich people and are discriminating against my poor ass self.

I like that idea except I want to sue Cirrus for not making a plane that I can get for the same price I paid for my 30 year old Cessna.

 

[cement]

this is good news. I've been looking for a cute goat.

 

[Flyer_PE]

I wonder how long it would take PETA to throw a fit over E-Farmanimal.com.

 

[Dleg]

^^ nicely played!

I think this absurd, too. Private business should be able to operate how it wants to. If they want to risk pissing of the gay population, that's their decision to make. But I don't see anything wrong with stating, up front, that they don't provide gay matching services. Big Fucking Deal.

Why didn't some gay entrepreneur take this as his opportunity to get rich anyway? Now they've blown a perfectly good opportunity for a minority (gay) business to really take off, by letting a big corporation outcompete them.

 

[SkyWarp]

http://www.state.nj.us/lps/dcr/accom.html

The New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD) prohibits an owner, manager, or employee of any place that offers goods, services and facilities to the general public, such as a restaurant, hotel, doctor's office, camp, or theater, from directly or indirectly denying or withholding any accommodation, service, benefit, or privilege to an individual because of that individual's race, creed, color, national origin, nationality, ancestry, marital status, domestic partnership status, sex, affectional or sexual orientation, or disability.

 

[Flyer_PE]

^^ I have a problem with how they apply that though. If I offer "man seeking woman" and "woman seeking man" services, I don't think I am guilty of discrimination. Any man, gay or straight, is free to use the 'man seeking woman' service. It should be my choice whether or not to offer services for 'man seeking farm animal". The marvel of a capitalist system is that if there is a need, somebody will eventually try to make a profit filling it.

 

[Dleg]

Exactly. Does that law mean that a clothing store that specilizes in selling women's lingerie, must also sell men's lingerie? Or lingerie that is fitted for a transvestite? (bigger pouch in the panties?). There has to be a limit, and I don't find offering only heterosexual matching services to be particularly egregious.

 

[SkyWarp]

Some of these analogies are off base. There is a difference between marketing your services to a particular group and excluding other groups from using your services because they are not from that particular group. As I read it, this law is an attempt to protect the latter.

This case was settled, so the law, however it is to be interpreted was never applied.

 

[Guest]

^^^ In a matter of speaking. The company probably settled in order to avoid protracted legal battles - and in doing so, is bowing down to the interpreation of that law.

I wonder if that opens the door for married people wanting extra-marital affairs.

That door was opened a long time ago, notwithstanding the addition gay matching service.

JR

 

[chaosiscash]

I like that idea except I want to sue Cirrus for not making a plane that I can get for the same price I paid for my 30 year old Cessna.

Sounds good to me. Class-action lawsuit time?

 

[Capt Worley PE]

I can see I'm going to have to start my own country...

 

[Flyer_PE]

^^ Will this country need an airline? I know where I can lay hands on a 30 year old 4-seat Cessna.....

 

[ODB_PE]

why do gays even need eharmony? Isn't that what highway rest areas are for?

 

[benbo]

Some of these analogies are off base. There is a difference between marketing your services to a particular group and excluding other groups from using your services because they are not from that particular group. As I read it, this law is an attempt to protect the latter.
This case was settled, so the law, however it is to be interpreted was never applied.

First, just because there is a law, doesn't mean the law is correct. That's my point. I didn't think they'd have so much hubris to sue somebody without having some statute they concocted to base it on.

I don't really like most of these anti-discrimination laws. In reality, it was a change it attitudes and good business that brought about the end of discrimination more than any of these laws. But if anyone is to be protected I am much more in accord with protecting racial minorities, particularly African Americans who have at least in a lot of cases a legitimate grievance against a country that enslaved them. When those laws were enacted they were impoverished and often had no alternatives for services. By all measures gays are one of the most wealthy minorities in the country and have plenty of access to alternatives.

Second, no group is excluded. They are not saying you cannot use it because of "who you are." They are saying, we only offer a service that matches opposite genders. Any gay person can use the services.They may not like the services, but they can use them provided they want an opposite sex match.

The case was settled because the company caved in rather than face a powerful oppressive government.

Finally, I'm used to these laws, but I am sick of the left side of the aisle claiming they don't reach into people's lives and tell them how to live. They are constantly telling people how they have to think and how they have to run their business. They just don't see it.