"It's not discrimination to treat different things differently" says the bigot

I just think things like:
'Oh okay then, according to her logic, we can isolate her in a cell somewhere for no reason but it wouldnt be discrimintation just because we are treating her differently.'

 

When it comes to queer marriage, as in many cases, it's absolutely irrelevant whether it's different or not. The only legitimate position to take is that people are free to behave as they want, so long as they don't hurt or infringe upon the rights of others. Marriage is the business of the individuals involved, not of an opinionated stranger.

 

That would be like me saying, "It's not a crime for me to deny service to heterosexuals because they are different than me and need to be treated differently than those I know."

 

Everything has its differences. Everyone is different in some way. So basically, lets just treat each other like shit, that's what she is saying. We are already doing this... no thanks to people like her.

 

Not that I agree with the ends to the means, but the quote in itself, 'it's not discrimination to treat different things differently' is mostly correct. Discrimination relies on prejudice and if the differentiating of things is based on a reasonable idea, such as separating different skill groups into sections in a company and then give them different funding based on what they need, then it's not discrimination.

That being said, the way the argument is being used is discriminatory manner, and is so a terrible argument.
It doesn't prove anything either, ergo making it a terrible argument.

 

I don't agree with that statement purely because discrimination is seen as a soley negative thing, when there is also something as positive discrimination. Treating people different from one another weather positive or negative is discrimination.

 

This is where I think people get it wrong: They think that equality means 'everyone gets the same.'

What equality actually means is 'everyone gets what they need in accordance with what differences they have.'

It would be ridiculous to live without any sort of discrimination at all. If everyone was to be treated the same, it would be like saying that disabled people shouldn't have disabled access to certain places because they're 'the same' as non-disabled people. So you would be imagining a world with no ramps, lifts, etc for people in wheelchairs. In that sense, discrimination is entirely necessary to ensure that people are getting what they need.

Where discrimination is not acceptable is if people try to discriminate on a difference where there is no real positive impact to come from treating them differently. So, on the subject of marriage, I believe that two people who love each other should be allowed to marry, no matter what. Although there are many 'different' sorts of marriages - interracial, LGBT, etc - these bear no impact on the fact that the two people want to get married. Discriminating on these factors could only have a negative impact; therefore, the term 'discrimination' becomes relevant.

 

That if this person/these people were actually subjected to the sort of behavior they are advocating for, they would scream bloody murder.

By this logic, it would be perfectly acceptable to subject Ms. Gallagher to:

a) Having her right to vote taken away.

b) Having her reproductive rights taken away.

c) Being forbidden a whole host of things such as is done to women in the Middle East (no driving, can't leave house if not dressed a certain way, can't make decisions without a man giving permission, can be killed for being raped, can be killed for engaging in pre-marital sex, etc. etc.)

d) Female 'circumcision', as is practiced in various African countries.

By this logic it would also be perfectly acceptable to also subject Ms. Gallagher and her ilk to various types of discrimination based on their religious beliefs.

What this person and those like her really mean when they make statements like this is that they want the right to discriminate against others while in no way being discriminated against themselves. So basically they are hypocrites, liars, and either cynical monsters or utter fools.

Todd

 

Yeah, um, what *is* discrimination if not the classification and treatment of different things in different ways?

But discrimination is not evil.

I eat oranges. I do not eat lawnmowers. I treat them differently because they are different kinds of things. That's discrimination at its best.

Some people do not beat the shit out of adults, but *do* beat the shit out of their kids. That too is discrimination. And that discrimination is not evil either: it makes perfect sense to treat children differently from adults...they too are different kinds of things. Nonetheless, beating your children is an evil act.

Similarly, discriminating between straight couples and queer couples makes perfect sense...we are different kinds of things, and there are lots of ways that could make sense to treat us differently. But denying rights is evil. Not acknowledging validity of certain kinds of love is evil. Anything that promotes less love in the world is evil.

To summarize:
(1) It *is* discrimination to treat different things differently...this is exactly what discrimination is.
(2) Discrimination isn't evil.
(3) Bigotry is evil.

 

I was trying to think of a way to sum up my thoughts but behold, you have done it for me. Awesome.

Something occurred to me a while ago. Everyone technically has the right to get married...to someone of the opposite sex. The denial of rights here is through treating everyone the same, by assuming that everyone wants a heterosexual marriage. Allowing gay marriage is allowing different people to take different actions based on who they are.

 

I'm confused, isn't the exact definition of discrimination to treat people differently because they are different?

 

"All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."

-The Equal Protection Clause.
Fourteenth Amendment To the a United States Constitution

If you live in the States, the argument of "treating couples differently" pretty much goes down the drain right there.

Plus, it's just not cool to be an asshole.

 

Sounds eerily similar to "Separate But Equal."

 

If two people are in love, they are in love. Gender is irrelevant.

The reason for my username is clear, it's 2014 and things are acceptable now.

 

Sadly, the bigots have used this argument already as well: we're not discriminating...everyone has the right to get married! [Just not to someone they love or would enjoy having sex with.]

 

Sadly, the bigots have used this argument already as well: we're not discriminating...everyone has the right to get married! [Just not to someone they love or would enjoy having sex with.]

 

Sadly, the bigots have used this argument already as well: we're not discriminating...everyone has the right to get married! [Just not to someone they love or would enjoy having sex with.]

 

Sadly, the bigots have used this argument already as well: we're not discriminating...everyone has the right to get married! [Just not to someone they love or would enjoy having sex with.]