Yeah, but that's where it gets all grey. And frankly, I don't know that anyone has the right answer. In a personal, face to face relationship, I don't think anyone can argue that it's totally your choice if you even want to speak to someone. But if you are offering services, it gets difficult to find the line. So one person refuses a service to a particular group of individuals. That's their choice, right? But what happens when everyone suddenly starts refusing service to a group of people. Where does it go from "exercising my right to refuse service" to flat out discrimination. Each person feels it's their right to choose who they offer a service to. But collectively, an entire group of people is left out, and essentially discriminated against. So who is right? Both, probably. On it's face, it seems quite simple. I don't like you, I won't deal with you. But unchecked it could eventually become "you are from that group, you do not get the same overall treatment".
The law shouldn't really have a grey area. So the two options are nothing or you cannot refuse service to anyone based on these "criteria". And there you have it, a protected class is born.
Exactly. Taken to it's logical conclusion, one of the parties will be forced to deal with the other. That, my friend, ain't freedom.