I have not. I am interested in hearing from those you actually have.

Just a few thoughts. You are helping a friend. Not everyone has the of turning down work.

An event this size incorporates high-tier to low- tier workers. Do you think all of these workers share the same mindset as the client? I doubt it. They are just trying to do a job to make ends meet. And, are grateful to be working.

Since you did agree to help I am interested in what swayed YOU?

Controversy is not always bad. There are raging controversies about what color to paint houses, for instance.

Even political controversy is part of life up to a point. It is when the controversy involves hurting people that there may be enough of an ethical issue that you would think twice about participating.

But, you've already agreed, so you must have already weighed whatever it is that made the venue owner controversial.

What influenced me to do this is that back in about 2018 or 2019 waitstaff refused to serve a group of nationally known people and I felt that was wrong. About that same time I did numerous jobs for the venue where next week’s wedding will be. My priority was to produce income for my staff. The local employees of the venue were always nice to work with.

But still, it can be troubling.

My post isnt showing lol ... let me go back and edit and see if I can remove the offending words (very likely plural)

Is it visible now?

It's there

There are things and people I would categorically turn down, but in this case you are helping a friend of yours, there is a layer between you and the client.

I also think it is harder to turn down service work. I was lucky that my boss indulged me ... I will be honest even though the client requested me, I should have been disciplined for my behavior. I don't regret it and it makes for a good story in the right crowd ... but it could have gone very differently for me and my then company.

If I refused to provide service to someone, for any reason not related to health or safety, I would have been fired. (Well, maybe not fired for one incident, but it surely would have been a discussion...)

I had to provide professional services to people I loathed. It builds character. 😆

This is interesting to think about. I am getting caught up in various shades of grey. (It is my way.) I would have supported Funky's situation, but I keep thinking of the people who wouldn't bake a cake, or marry people otherwise eligible to get married, or provide health services. There is a lot wrapped up in this question for me, and I am probably overthinking it.

I completely agree with you Ally, particularly regarding the wedding cake.

I don't know if this holds up ... but my thinking for my situation was, they came in with an idea and wanted ME to implement it. It is more than applying a formula or following a recipe or printing a design. They were asking me to use my creative and design skills to craft software to perform actions I found offensive. It was far beyond tracking who lives where and when theyve voted and what events they attend and whether they have donated money, time or in-kind. They knew what they wanted in their hands but were dependent on me to figure out how to accomplish it and bring it to life.

I am really not sure it is 100% different but I am ok with that. And again. I was very lucky I had a boss/owner who let me get away with it. (I should really call and thank him again now)

Yes I have had to decide between doing business with someone who has personal beliefs that I cannot abide or refusing the work. When their beliefs infringe upon the rights of others I have to decline the work. (Person belongs to the KKK) When their beliefs are personal and have no impact on the rights of others I would not decline the work (Person is a Wiccan).

In your case, the venue owner may be controversial, but the couple who rented this venue are the ones who are doing business with the vendor. Not you.

You are there exclusively to support your florist friend and create something beautiful for the couple. Your labor, talent, and time are not an endorsement or a donation to the venue owner.

Lisa, I’m assuming your friend paid you for your services, from her income from the event. Look at it this way: from the event host, you received more than pay, you gained experience with this type of event, ideas for future events, contacts through other providers to the event, and some stories to tell.

I agree with Jennifer. You are not renting the venue. The couple getting married is. You are providing a service to the couple, not the venue or the venue's owner.

I think if you're doing this type of work in this type of venue, it seems to go with the territory that you will need to contract/service people you don't personally like or agree with. If you are in business this might not be an option.

On several occasions, both being employer and employee, I have refused to go along with something or someone who compromises my sense of right and wrong.

I would not hesitate to turn down the opportunity to work a venue that goes against what I believe in.

Even political controversy is part of life up to a point. It is when the controversy involves hurting people that there may be enough of an ethical issue that you would think twice about participating.

Just an aside. Political controversies do involve hurting people ... very much so.

The client herself is very close to the source of actions that I consider destuctive and bad. But I will guard my mouth, not roll my eyes, and do as I am told.

Personally I would not do it. I have been in a somewhat comparable situation and discharged the client.

However, I respect your right to do the work or not as you see fit.

What I am saying is that I think essentially political controversies --- all political decisions --- involve hurting people. We should not delude ourselves about that. Who gets food, health care, education, housing, and who pays for it. What countries we help and which ones we bomb.

PS I have not commented on the OP's question. Like many people, I like the idea of economic protests. However it is not clear to me where to draw the line.