Alan Keyes is "Loyal to Liberty?"

In an entry at his blog criticizing Michael Steele and his position on abortion, Alan Keyes offers the following interesting observations:

The problem is, of course, that matters of justice, of right and wrong, always involve individual choices. The choice to rob, lie, cheat and murder are all individual choices. The choice to rape, kidnap and enslave another is an individual choice. The choice to serve or not to serve someone in a restaurant, on account of their race, is an individual choice. Obviously the real issue is not whether individuals are free to choose between right and wrong. That's been clear since Eve made her fateful decision to eat the forbidden fruit. The issue is when and whether they have the right to choose as they do. (emphasis mine)

Here's the problem as I see it:

I agree with probably 100% of Keyes's article, minus the line which seems to equate the refusal of restaurant owners, etc., to "serve" people based on race or whatever, with theft, rape, and murder. It may be morally repugnant to do so in some cases (race based), but to equate it with murder and rape and theft is, in my opinion, more morally repugnant.

As an independent business owner, do I have the right to refuse to hire a prospective employee based on his race (or sexual orientation, for that matter) if I so choose? Most certainly! Have I murdered, raped, or otherwise stolen from he or anyone else in doing so? Most certainly not!

What the "federal" government has to do with that, I have absolutely no idea. But, as I've said numerous times before, I don't have to go along with it, and won't. Go ahead and try to collect taxes from my business, if you will, on these premises. Otherwise ... put me in jail. What purpose - and whose interests - does either serve? My appeal, at this point, is to my state legislature. ...