First off, if you want a job that pays at least minimum wage, you get a job that pays minimum wage. If you work a job that is paying less than minimum wage, odds are it's because the tips are putting you at or over (aka there's some incentive and chance that you'll make decently more than minimum - see also, commission based sales). That's the risk you take working that job (same as commission based jobs)

If you're going to treat me differently because you EXPECT me to pay your salary, when I'm not your boss, you'll be sorely disappointed when I leave $0 on that tip line. Do you know why I worked for 8 years in retail during high school and college? Because it paid minimum wage and I could have a paycheck that was fairly reliable and not dependent on other people paying me other than my boss.

Second, for your comment: Have you written letters to your city, state, federal reps asking for changes to the laws?

No, I haven't. Why? Because frankly I don't care. Why don't I care? See point 1. If you want to willingly go work in a place that's paying you less than minimum wage, that's your battle to fight. Also, there's no law that says I have to pay a server's salary. I pay for the meal I purchased. Now, if a server goes above and beyond or is just in general very accommodating, I will tip.

Third, to this point: Until you've actively worked to change the way tipping works in the US, outside of whining about it on the internet, don't use it as an excuse. I wasn't whining, more just venting about how it's frustrating when a server feels entitled to tip money. I worked retail, I get that people are shitty. I am never shitty to the people who help me in retail, food, or anywhere because I know what it's like. But I also wasn't an entitled fucking dick to the customers I was helping, and do you know why I wasn't? (hint: it's not because of a tip, because retail workers don't get tips) Because it's the right thing to do.