AAAARRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHH! Please answer me a question.

As Democrats we're generally in agreement about the whole "Rebel" thing and the Confederate flag.

You run a business. Someone asks you if you could get them a rebel knife (a knife with a rebel flag on it). You do have it available to you. The question is: Do you order this knife for your customer or do you just say you can't get it?

Just me, but I'd do it. Not a big deal, really. I learned managing a business in the south that you have to swallow a lot of political stuff to run a profit.

I would provide the asshole with a knife, charge him an "arm and a leg" and donate the profit to the ACLU or the Animal Shelter of your choice.

They have a right to purchase that knife. You do not have the right to deny it to them.

Engage them in conversation though. Ask them why they want a symbol of something that was hateful and grotesquely out of date 150 years ago.

I figured I'd come to the 'family' and ask opinions first.

I don't really want to engage this guy in a political discussion because I try not to let politics/religion/sex into my business.

Oh, why do customers have to be so needy. <grin>

As the business owner, you "reserve the right to refuse service."

You aren't discriminating against them as you would deny that service to any other customer as well.

I don't want to lose a customer. This guy has been a good customer and I know that some people have contacted me just because of this guy.

It's a quandary, I know.

(BTW, HI QUINN!)

I had a great customer, but he wanted some weapon's stuff that I found morally reprehensible yet still legal. I knew where to find it. Talking with him I found out his need for it was plausible, and we had decent conversation on a pretty hot button issue.

Talk to him. His reasons may be within your standards. You can politely explain your reservations and still feel good about the sale, I'd say.

for causes that'd make that bozo's head explode.

And then think about that every time you make such a sale.

You'll feel better.

You serve the public. The Knife is a legal product. You have access to it. To deny service to this person because you find his choice of expression revolting is to pit yourself against free expression.

It's his free expression to refuse to handle this merchandise if he sees fit.

Just because you have the right to do something doesn't make it the right thing to do.

I ran into people with opposite political opinions very often.

I kept reminding myself that:

business is business is business is business....tried not to proselytize.

and, in a strange way, not refusing to do business with them was my own personal acknowledgment of the customer's first amendment right....wierd, but that's the way I saw it.

Yea it is a despicable symbol. But as democrats we know it takes all kinds to make the world go round

DDQM

Political beliefs are one thing, but business is business and honestly, this seems like a pretty minor issue. If he's as good a customer as you've mentioned in other posts in this thread, just do it.

While you certainly have the right to deny service based on this issue, it sets a bad precedent. And then, where do you draw the line?

For example, I live in Nebraska and I own a service business. If I denied service to every customer who didn't share my political beliefs, I wouldn't have any customers!

Edit: by "minor issue", I do not mean the Confederate Flag issue. I mean that a knife seems like a pretty minor thing to potentially lose a customer over.

I sell books, and I'm happy to sell Rush's books, Hannity's books, any wingnut's books... but I mark 'em up.

I was the ship's librarian. Occassionally (rarely), people would request books that I found offensive, like Limbaugh's crap. I would put it on order; maybe the reader would realize that he was reading crap; maybe not, but to censor his (and the rest of the commands) reading material is wrong.

When someone in a position of authority says "this you may not read, this you may not see, this you are forbidden to know" the end result is tyranny, no matter how holy the motives. - RAH

So, put the knife on order and sell it to him. I would not have it on display, but if someone asks, let him buy it.

Drunken rednecks and sharp objects don't mix.

It is business. But when he comes in for it say (light-heartedly) "This would look better with the American flag on it".

Refusing to fill a script/make a sale for "Plan B"...

If you want to donate the "tainted" money from the sale to charity, that's between you and your bookeeper...

I don't think you're compromising your principles by filling a customer's order. I assume it's for a collection or hunting or fishing. I don't see a problem unless he plans on terrorizing the neighborhood with it.

Suppose it was a hitler youth knife? Suppose it had nazi regalia on the blade?

I'm not equating nazis with confederates (really, I'm not). But just as the swastika represents hatred to almost all jews, there are many blacks and minorities who feel the confederate flag represents similar hatred.

The confederate flag means different things to different people. I had one up in my dorm room and then voted for Dukakis. I wouldn't have a confederate flag up now, however, 'cause I realize how offensive it can be, but maybe this guy just hasn't come to that realization yet.

If he's a regular, make the sale with him and tell him that you're not going to keep this kind of branded stuff in stock, but that you'd do it just for him, etc. I bet you'll get a bit more business from him with that bit of buttering up.