Rants & Raves: Readers react to Beaufort parking changes, bakery refusing to serve same-sex couple
So now if you decide to go out to lunch, you better just eat lunch and leave. With a 2 hour maximum, you better not dare stop to shop and buy something. I am perfectly OK with paying to park, but this maximum time is ridiculous. Mary Snelling-Wallace
Parking is already stressful in Beaufort. We need a garage in a convenient place. Brandon Clifton
I hope the "powers that be" read the comments. Successful Main Street business areas make it easy for locals and visitors to shop and dine. This has the potential to put some of us small business owners out of business. Bay Street has unique shops and restaurants that reflect the spirit of our town. Why not celebrate downtown by making it easy to spend the day or just an hour? Cheryl Hunter
Ridiculous. On busy days it can take almost 2 hours just to have a meal. I suppose now we will have to choose between giving our business to a restaurant or shopping ... or maybe the best solution is to spend money somewhere else altogether. Dora Whited
As part-owner of Joli Home Accents, I know we would appreciate the new guidelines in writing so that we can accurately inform our customers. We are already inundated with locals and tourists coming in just to see how the parking works. Allegra Craig
Many small towns that I am familiar with offer free parking. The businesses need this to survive. I can't imagine the revenue collected from these Bay Street meters would offset the benefits to the businesses and Beaufort economy. Keep this plan in place and those businesses will close or move elsewhere, thus harming the economic health of the town. Finkelstein Gideon
We don't need a garage, for the love of God. We need people who know how to drive, and thus park. Elizabeth Elston
On a Hilton Head convicted murderer speaking to teens to keep them on the right path:
Truly a blessing, my brother. Lamont Heyward
I heard and learned of his life experiences. This young man will touch these teenagers' souls. I encourage all parents to give their youth the opportunity to hear his story. Jeffrey GQ Wilson
... He's convicted of murder and now he's out on the streets living his life while the person he killed doesn't have that chance? Wow, now that's ridiculous. Dave Reis
On an Oregon bakery forced to pay damages for refusing service to a same-sex couple:
Maybe they should have thought about those types of situations before opening a customer-based business. We all are entitled to our own opinion, but it seems like we are slowly losing that privilege. But for the business owner to have to pay over $100,000 because they don't have the same beliefs is pure insanity! At what point do you draw the line? Natasha Gaddy
This payment wasn't just a fine for discrimination. The bakery posted the couple's address online! And the couple received all kinds of hate mail and threats. There's way more to the story. ... Amanda Valentino Ragsdale
Everyone has the right to refuse service to anyone. Just a sad example of where we are as a nation. Ann Brown Malphrus
My thing is ... why do we sue everyone? Why must everything be a cause? I've been refused entry and service for the most shallow of reasons. ... I laugh and take my money elsewhere. Craig Thompson
How can a wedding cake be gay? Kaylan Russell
If I had a business, I wouldn't want to lose a customer because of how they want to live their life. The only thing refusing them hurts would be my profit margin. Only time to refuse business is if the person is in violation of health codes or being a danger to other customers. Michelle Strickland
This story was originally published January 15, 2016 at 2:01 PM with the headline "Rants & Raves: Readers react to Beaufort parking changes, bakery refusing to serve same-sex couple."