Whatever you may think of Rand Paul...

[Doubting Thomas]

I can see both sides of the issue, but the bigger question is why. Why would someone want to hurt their business by not allowing someone based on a belief or color or anything else that is arbitrary. It is not logical or rational in any sense. So why would/did people do it?

Because they're idiots. Since when did people let being an idiot get in the way of doing something stupid? It may not be logical or rational, but it has happened. Just look at the history of the US back in the 1950's and 60's. If I wanted to be racist and put up a "Whites only" sign at my business (assuming it was legal to do so), I could get away with it because I live in a town with very few minorities. I do understand as a businessman why I don't want to turn people away based on skin color, but then again I'm not a rabid racist who can't stand to be in the company of someone with different skin color. Other people may think differently.

(Hypothetical) Do people in Oklahoma have a problem with Muslims coming into their store and terrorizing them? Is it because that Oklahoma guy has met hundreds of Muslims and every single one of them fucked him over some how? I doubt it.

Do Oklahomans have problems with Muslims forcing Sharia law into their courts? I doubt it, but that didn't stop them from passing a law making it illegal to do so.

The government can't dictate morality only the people can. And the people of the community can decide the shop owners fate in Oklahoma, not bureaucrats sitting in Washington trying to push a certain agenda.

I would agree with you if not for the fact that I've seen how the "good ol' boy" system works in towns like the one I live in. It's like the rev here pointed out, a black family in a town of racist whites is going to have a hard time of it if they all band together and refuse to do business with them. Do you think the other racist whites are going to stop doing business in that town because one black family isn't allowed to shop there?

And then you have to also consider not black customers, but what happens in a store with "whites only" on the front when a black man comes looking for a job? You think he's going to find gainful employment anywhere? If we get rid of all EEO laws then we'll be free to discriminate against people based on race, religion, or gender when it comes to hiring or equal pay. Do you think it'd be right for an employer to pay a black employee 1/3rd the pay of a white employee doing the same job? After all, it's his property, his business, so he should be able to do what he wants with it.