Online dating service eHarmony's recent decision to cave under pressure and create a new website "Compatible Partners" bothers me. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,454904,00.html
It is not an issue of gay rights, but an issue of the rights of the American business communty to freely choose what services and products it offers. In this case, a gay man sued eHarmony because he was not given the option to search for male partners on the site. eHarmony settled the case by agreeing to set up the new site and by paying the man, Eric McKinley, $5,000 and giving him a complimentary free one-year subscription to the new site.
The issue here is that businesses should not feel pressured to offer specific services if they choose not to. Will Chick fil A be forced to sell hamburger because a beef lover feels discriminated against? What about stores that only sell clothes for men? Will they be forced to offer women's clothing? What if I want to buy a Ford at a Chevrolet dealer?
A business owner knows that if he or she doesn't offer a service or product and the competition does, there is a risk of losing business to the competition. That's how it works.There are already several sites that offer same-sex matches. Their gain, eHarmony's loss! That's a business decision pure and simple.
If Mr. McKinley felt there was a need for another site to cater to same-sex couples, the smart business decision would be to start a new site. "See a need and fill it" has been one of the basic rules of entrepreneurialism.
The courts and the government do not belong in the free enterprise system, pure and simple.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
eHarmony's decision to buckle under pressure is a threat to America's free enterprise system
Labels:
dating,
eHarmony,
enterprise,
entrepreneur,
gay,
online,
rights
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