Reject Project On Moral Grounds

Are we, as web designers, able to reject a project because it goes against our morals?

I am a Christian 15 year old, and have said that I would not like to do a website promoting civil partnerships because it goes against my personal morals, and now they are saying that I am discriminating against them.

A little help here would be apreciated.

I would rather give up designing websites all together then do this.

Thanks in advance!

Joel

 

Turn it around and they are discriminating against you. You believe what you believe in. So therefore they are discriminating against your beliefs! Wonderful how this works. If you don't want to do it, just don't.

Roger

 

Forgot to say........ At least Fishin' aint against your morals! Right on!!!!!!!!!!

Roger

 

Great thinking everyone!

Thank you so much.

 

Here is the email sent to me.

Can anyone help me with a reply?

 

Done that. Thanks for all your help!

Lets see where he takes this next. Or, hopefully, he will just forget it and leave me alone.

 

Why do they want you so badly?

Here is a link that would be an interesting read,

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/stand...ho+refused+to+perform+gay+weddings/article.do

I remember that in the news not so long ago, I believe it was the first case where "Religion" won over "Gay Rights".

 

Unless you are a government organization I think you should be able to discriminate in whatever way you want to.

I remember reading about a man and wife who had some rental property. They did not want to rent out to this couple because they were not married. The couple sued them and won their case! I thought that was ridiculous, a private land owner who rents out a property should be able to rent it to anyone or not rent it to anyone for whatever reason they want to.

The same goes for your question. It was said that you need only tell them that you are a minor and that was valid advice.

Personally I think you should be respected for sticking to your morals. Many others would have been more interested in what money they could have made.

 

First and foremost, that IS discrimination. You were foolish enough to tell them the reason WHY you didn't want to do the project, and that in turn resulted in you admitting that you were choosing to turn down the project because of something that is none of your business in the first place. Your Christianity, be it sacred to you, has nothing to do with anyone else. No one can change your feelings about your faith and lifestyle, right? Why? Because it's none of their business. Right?

However, having said all of that, it's absolutely your right to turn down a project and in the event that no money has changed hands, you're not bound to provide any service to anyone. (Keep in mind, the point in which you admit the reason, you've got a problem.) It seems as if now, you've gotsomeone who is now hard up (no pun intended) to get you to do their website just because now they're angry that you would dare turn them away because of their sexuality. They might not even give a care about you or your talent, now it's just "let's get him to prove a point. How dare he..."

In the future, it would do you some good to learn some discretion. Not everything you think or feel needs to be said. If you don't want to work for the gay folks, just tell them that you landed a much larger project that would take up more of your time and won't be able to continue work with them, but would be more than happy to recommend someone else for the job. Then, go on craigslist and find someone who doesn't care about that kind of stuff to get the job. In the end, your 'reputation' is in tact and you are still respecting your faith.

Signed,
Someone who's been there before.

 

I'll do that next time. Thanks for your help!

Joel

 

If you want to turn down work discretely, do what most tradesmen do and simply over-quote the job

 

You don't have to accept any job or give reasons for it, stick to your guns and carrie on. Plenty more work out there for every one.

 

There an't plenty of work out there for me. No one has requested a quote, and then turned down my offer, but most people don't ask for one.

I think it is because of my portfolio. It only has a few sites on it, but I can't add more unless I get more work. I don't really care about the price right now. I just want work!

Thanks for the tips!

Joel

 

Try registering at few freelance websites and quote the least , you will win the project 20-40% of the time.

 

You should be able to choose what work you take on as you wish, rejecting anything you don't want to do.

Although next time it's probably best not to reject it saying it's because of moral grounds, rather than that just say something like you don't want to take on the job because you have too much other work to be doing at the moment, or some other excuse that might be a white lie.

No contract had been made (verbal or written) to say that you would do the job, and so you had all the rights in the world to decline, even without giving a reason.

Plus your only 15, and so the normal law doesn't apply to you (to an extent). I can't be bothered going into details, but basicly you have exceptions until your 16, then still have some exceptions until your 18+. As your from England i'm assuming it's pretty much the same as Scottish law (it might be a bit different). So if you havn't replied to that email yet, all you need to do is point out that you are a minor as kentucky said. If they persue legal action then it's nothing to worry about, you can plea the "I don't know better" card because your a minor.

 

Can you recommend some good ones?

 

I do understand what you are saying and I agree with you for the most part. BUT what about a person who says they are selling a link on their site (Or advertising) but they go on to say "No porno, gambling, drugs, etc sites" Are they discriminating against those sites? Do any of these people say "But if you want a link for a porno site I will find someone else to sell you one"?

What if I wanted to hire a baby sitter? Would I be in the wrong to reject a person for the job because I didnt want a pedophile to take care of my child? Again, would I tell the pedophile that while they cannot babysit for my child I will find someone else who would let them babysit?

Both examples above are in fact discrimination which basically means to differentiate or choose.

Oh and if the OP made the effort to find someone else to do the job wouldnt that still violate their personal morals and beliefs? In my opinion it would as they would still be 'working' to help a website which promoted things that violated their religious or personal beliefs. They would NOT be respecting their faith.

This entire subject really bothers me. I feel very strongly that a private individual should have every right to discriminate as they see fit.

Another true case I remember from the news was when the pastor of a church who owned a rental house was sued by a gay couple because he refused to rent to them. The man was forced to let them rent his house! To me that is outrageous. I say that not because they were gay, but because a private individual was forced by the "government" to rent his property to someone he didnt want to. I am all for tolerance but this is getting crazy when a private individual is told what to do with their own personal property(Including their work and efforts which also belong to the individual).

 

If you want to debate the issue with me, trade me an apple for an apple. I don't really care one way or the other about the specifications. The fact is, the law is the law.

People make decisions about which websites to link to based on COUNTLESS reasons - they don't want to be penalized, they don't want to link to unrelated resources, they'll not benefit from the exchange, so on and so forth. That's not discrimination. That's discernment.

Again... this isn't discrimination. That's discernment. And last time I checked, pedophiles aren't allowed around children. You'd be breaking the law allowing them around a child, and might be facilitating the abuse of a minor for "finding someone else who would let them babysit."

I thought the OP said that he didn't want to build a website promoting civil unions. I gave him advice that would help him continue to build a positive reputation for his flourishing business. He doesn't have to like it and he certainly doesn't have to take it. However, I've been doing this since he was in kindergarten, and like I said.. I've been there before. A BIG part of customer service is making sure that you leave the situation a little better than when you entered it. The story I gave to him to use would not only remove him from having to do it himself, but also help him avoid having someone (who, might I add, has ALREADY proven themselves to be assholes about the situation in trying to force him to work with them) run around the internet posting on every website that they can find about how awful he and his services are.

I might need to double check on this one, but in the United States, the moment that you take money from someone in exchange for providing a service to them, you are no longer a "private individual." You are thereafter either an employee, or an independent contractor.

"Private individuals" are being told what to do because the idiots can't keep their mouths shut. The moment you make a statement saying that you are choosing to NOT do something because of someone's gender, sexual preference, race, so on and so forth.. you are breaking the law. There's a reason why that law is worded that way. If you are a professional or an aspiring professional, you need to make it your business to get acquainted with the laws and how to govern yourself and, well, most importantly, your mouth.

I'm not trying to be snarky here, because I have my own beliefs and I've worked with plenty of clients that have pushed me to the limits - even lost a thousand or so - and I've even turned down thousands of dollars all for the sake of keeping a clear head and a light heart at the end of my nights. However, I know what to say and what not to say as a means of protecting my reputation and my business. It's a cold world out there for the young professional. LOL.