But let’s just say I’ve heard a lot of apologetics from those on the right who wouldn’t personally discriminate against gays, but think that others ought to have the right to; and that, if you did choose to discriminate, “the market” would punish you because some competitor would now get the gay business.

That’s fine in theory, but as if often the case when we’re talking about “the market,” there are lots and lots of holes. Specifically: What if we’re talking a small town, and your bakery, or flower shop, is the only one for miles around?

If you are the only choice and you “choose” not to serve a certain type of citizen – that citizen is screwed.

Moreover, the logic I hear coming from this corner of the right would, in fact, justify segregated lunch counters. Hey, the lunch counter owner should have the right to serve or not serve who he wants and the (insert targeted minority group here) can just go somewhere else because certainly there will be “somewhere else” that wants their money!

Is this the society we want to live in now? Should we do this with heart surgeons as well as bakers and florists? Should the law permit – and by permitting, encourage – broad discrimination on any basis whatsoever? You discriminate against the gay couple, I discriminate against you because you discriminated against the gay couple, one business owner discriminates against blacks, a black business owner discriminates against whites…

Again, the response would be – that wouldn’t happen; people wouldn’t do this, and if they did do it they’d be shooting themselves in the foot.

But guess what: There are a whole bunch of people in Arizona now pissed off that they can’t shoot themselves in the foot. They were itching to do so.

Let’s not underestimate the eagerness of the human animal to discriminate against the hated “other,” whomever it may be.