Posted on 09/07/2017 3:05:10 PM PDT by reaganaut1
In a surprise move, the Trump administration on Thursday sided with a Colorado bakery whose owner is arguing to the Supreme Court that he should not need to bake a cake for a same-sex couple when their ceremony violates his religious beliefs.
Colorado's public accommodation law bans discrimination based on sexual orientation, and its courts have ruled that means businesses catering to the public cannot discriminate against same-sex couples seeking services for weddings or other commitment ceremonies.
Masterpiece Cakeshop, however, is run by Jack Phillips, a man who incorporates his Christian faith into the way he runs his business. Baking a cake, which he maintains is a form of creative expression, for a same-sex couple would violate his religious beliefs and, as such, he has refused to do so.
The Colorado Civil Rights Commission ruled against Phillips, as did Colorado courts, but the Supreme Court agreed this June to hear his case this fall.
On Thursday, in a filing at the high court, the Justice Department announced that it agrees with Masterpiece Cakeshop, arguing that it would create an "intrusion" on the First Amendment "where a public accommodations law compels someone to create expression for a particular person or entity and to participate, literally or figuratively, in a ceremony or other expressive event."
"Forcing Phillips to create expression for and participate in a ceremony that violates his sincerely held religious beliefs invades his First Amendment rights," the Justice Department lawyers wrote.
In July 2012, Charlie Craig and David Mullins attempted to order a wedding cake from Masterpiece Cakeshop in Lakewood, Colorado, but owner Jack Phillips declined, saying that it would violate his religious beliefs.
(Excerpt) Read more at buzzfeed.com ...
This isn’t a surprise move.
Well... it shouldn’t have been...
Freedom of conscience Trumps the dubious “right” of sexual deviants to impose their values on others. Pardon the pun.
I agree.
And to hear them tell it, they do everything 10 times as good as any White Christian guy ever could.
Question is, why would they want such an inferior cake, by their own accounting.
Trump is not Obama.
People who criticize him for not being an ideological conservative forget he’s on our side on the culture wars, on tax cuts and on America being a country.
All of which the Left opposes. I don’t regret my vote for Trump.
Actually, it is a bit of a surprise ... the Trump campaign was soft and squishy on the faggotry front. It's very good to see him side with Liberty, Limited Government, and the Constitution.
‘This isn’t a surprise move.’
Well it is because...Jvanka.
Jk. Agree with you; it’s not surprising.
I’m sure any Muslim bakery would be happy to bake a cake for them.
I have tolerance for LBQT people.
I have zero tolerance for their attempts to force their beliefs on others.
Libs seem to have a lot of trouble with that second part.
This is DOJ—read “Sessions”.
BTW, try asking a muslim baker to bake this cake and see what happens.
The Supreme Court cases that upheld Affirmative Action for private entities are abominations.
They effectively destroy freedom of association, a key natural right.
This case may be part of moving back toward enforcing freedom of association.
If the state can force you to live with and interact with people you do not wish to, you are not free.
If the State can force you to buy a product that you do not want, you are not free.
It only comes as a surprise to liberals.
Trump may not be a buttoned-down evangelical but he respects people of faith.
The problem is people on the other side don’t respect the sincerely held beliefs of religious people.
Refusing to bake a wedding cake for gays isn’t bigotry.
Wow...surprise move??? Buzzfeed has not been paying attention have they?
I agree
That was a good summation. Gorsuch + one more should tip the scale.
I'm also very heartened by Trump's courage to stand up against the "transgender"-ization of the military. No doubt that stance "surprised" some who thought Trump would be a liberal squish on the so-called social issues.
See guys? We are winning on so many issues.
Gonna have to give DACA through Congress and get the wall which, will make tax reform easier as well.
Then we get another swing at SCOTUS and half the Federal Judges.
It’s politics.
Make a deal.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.