Refusing Service as a Business Owner on Ethical Grounds
Imagine you run a commercial photography studio. The following scenario arises:
A potential client calls; it's the 'Holy Church of God is More Colourful than a Baboon's Arse' (not a real church, just in case you were wondering). This church wants some promotional shots of the congregation. You end the call saying you will provide a quote (as normal), and then quickly google the church to get a sense of their needs. My search turns up that this church is strongly homophobic. Wetboro Baptist Church level homophobic (you can swap that out with anything comparable that you find abhorrent if gay rights ain't your thing)
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Kris Feenstra on -
Ethics surcharge. I could publicly donate a portion towards a GLTB rights organization or perhaps towards helping someone afford costly gender reassignment surgery.
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Permalink Reply by Josh Murray on -
I reserve the right to refuse service to anyone who is a jerk. Let's face it, would you really do work for people like Westboro Baptist church or other hate groups. Money and profit be damned, you've got to have some level of principles in your life and business or you're just not much of a human being.
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Permalink Reply by BryanPaul on -
I think there are several ways to see this. Morals are good and easy to follow if your a single man. They're also easy if your married with kids if you have lots of money. If your married with kids and no money then your moral high ground is ok but it wont feed or put clothes on your family. Kind of stupid for a man to say I cant take this job on moral grounds while his kids starve. The truth is morals are good but honoring your commitments or important too. Trying to be to moral only makes you a dick. Some people have the money to afford the right of uncompromising morals but look at it from another point of view. They surely think there view is moral as well. Dont be the guy with the moral superiority complex. You dont like there views? Fine but your doing a job, not making friends.
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Permalink Reply by Precambrian Lullaby on -
Maybe, maybe not. Depends on my current financial situation at the time. There are times yo can preserve you ethical integrity and there are other times when your integrity is a petty concern contrast having a roof over your head. They're paying you for a service, nothing more. If that service includes you making propaganda then I would reject the job opp. However, if they want landscape shots or a few photos of a happy couple or other generic Hallmarky type shit then why not? It's not like a basic photo will haunt you. If you were a tailor would you not make them a suit? Just jack up the price a little. If I were comfortable financially and could afford to NOT service them, I would simply tell them I was atheist... I might even tell 'em I'm gay just to see where it went from there... I honestly don't know. It would depend on my mood, I'd might fight the urge to fuck with 'em a little.
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Permalink Reply by Galen on -
Is their money green? Then I'd take it, lol.
I once was hired to design a website for a church's Pro-Life group. It was disgusting, but nobody said I had to AGREE with it. I just put the crap they gave me and cashed the check. Besides which, they have a right to express their ignorant opinion and who am I to stand in the way of that?
I'd put the money in the bank and wash my hands of it, personally :)
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Permalink Reply by BryanPaul on
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Lol, good one. Only thing is I dont see the relevance. nobody is talking about killing anyone here. Just talking about doing a job if you dont hold the same beliefs as the people hiring you.
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Permalink Reply by Precambrian Lullaby on
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If you consider that the killing people is stated as a pro then the lesser stake of taking a photo still applies. If you'd be willing of off someone you should be willing to take their photo. The sentiment is valid and applicable. 'Do it and forget about it' is relevant to the topic.
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Permalink Reply by Chuck VonDerAhe on
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Accept the job, do the shoot and on the proofs, photoshop in "Proud gay bigots". :)
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Permalink Reply by Kris Feenstra on
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I'm not really much of a fan though.
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Permalink Reply by Rick on -
I wouldn’t refuse them business. What good does that do? They can just go somewhere else. I would take their money and be happy with the fact that a church is paying a baby-eating, devil-worshiping, god-hating heathen to do something. If you really didn’t want to do it, I’d quote them an outrageous price. If that doesn’t scare them off, you can take pleasure in knowing that the money you get will go to something other than religion… perhaps you could donate the “extra” money toward a cause that the church opposes.
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Permalink Reply by Kris Feenstra on
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That doesn't necessarily answer the hypothetical, as a business itself can be modelled with a set of ethics.
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