Posted on 06/04/2014 7:23:55 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
An order handed down by Colorado's Civil Rights Commission on a local Christian baker forcing him to undergo sensitivity training after he refused to bake a cake for a gay wedding citing his faith is "vague," "lousy" and pointless, says his lawyer.
Last Friday, the commission ruled that Jack Phillips, owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop in Colorado, could not refuse to bake cakes for gay weddings citing his Christian faith and ordered him to undergo sensitivity training.
In an interview with The Christian Post Wednesday, his lawyer, Nicolle Martin, said the sensitivity training was pointless, because her client does not discriminate against gays, and the order for sensitivity training, which became effective on June 2, cannot be seriously implemented because it is "vague" and "lousy."
"The [sensitivity] training is really for the entire staff and it's for him to conduct training for his staff. It's kind of vague. He just has to report that he's done it. It's very vague," said Martin, who lamented that the haphazard order was as a result of unqualified people sitting on the commission.
"This is the problem where a bunch of lay people are making decisions about someone's livelihood and other people's jobs where the state has decided, has told Mr. Phillips, you don't have any First Amendment rights," explained Martin.
"You must express our message, we are the investigator; we are the prosecutor; we are the judge; we are the jury. And this is what you end up with. A lousy order that is vague and lacking specificity," she added.
When asked why she did not seek clarification from the commission, Martin said she and her client were not allowed to speak.
According to Martin, Phillips is also required to keep a log of every person he refuses service and document the reason why and present that log to the commission on a quarterly basis.
"The order says he must report on any orders whether it be a cake or a brownie or cookies turned away and the reason for doing so," said Martin, who explained that the commissioners had, at one point, suggested that Phillips provide a log of every single transaction highlighting the sexual orientation of the customer.
"Even though the commission [had] suggested that he report on every single transaction and whether the customer was gay, the Attorney General reminded the commission that that would be illegal for Jack to ascertain a customer's sexual orientation," said Martin. "Thankfully, the order was clarified to say report quarterly on any celebrations or orders turned away and the basis for doing so."
CP reached out to the commission for comment Wednesday but did not receive a reply at the time of publication.
According to the commission's website, the bipartisan seven-member group of commissioners are citizens of Colorado appointed by Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper and confirmed by the state's Senate to serve voluntary four-year terms.
"They are selected from across the state to represent both political parties. Two represent business (one of whom represents small business), two represent government, and three represent the community at-large. At least four of the members are members of groups of people who have been or who might be discriminated against because of disability, race, creed, color, sex, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, marital status, religion or age," the website noted.
The commissioners are Katina Banks (D), chair; Raju Jairam (Un), vice chair; Diann Rice (Un); Marvin Adams (R); Heidi J. Hess (D); Dulce Saenz (Un) and A. Susie Velasquez (D).
CLICK ABOVE LINK FOR THE VIDEO...
Leave the state. Go somewhere without re-education camps
What’s next, concentration camps?
That means you have to close down or sell your business... sell your house, uproot your life...
Not as easy as it sounds but it can be done. It really depends on whether this baker values freedom of religion like the Pilgrims of old.
But here’s a question — what if this case becomes a precedent and Obama packs his courts that will one day FEDERALIZE what happened in Colorado?
What next?
If I were him, I would agree to bake the cake and include 2 cups of ground black pepper to the ingredients...see if the judge forces making a “good” cake.
I would complete my morning business paperwork with it and send it back to sender.
Have the Khmer Rouge taken over Colorado?
RE: Have the Khmer Rouge taken over Colorado?
Something like that. And New Mexico as well. And then, coming soon to your state and then the entire country.
These Human Rights Commissions are just the Progressive’s Inquisition. The Civil Rights Movement really harmed liberty when they forced people to like other people no matter what. What’s happened to freedom of thought?
Orwell’s 1984
Then some enforcers of this ‘re-education’ get up close and personal with the 2nd Amendment
He ought to leave the state, after selling the business to a baker who just “happens” to be Muslim! ;)
I’m sorry, I refuse to perform any of these actions under the rights given to me by the constitution. I refuse to perform actions without compensation, I refuse to surrender my freedom of association, I refuse to surrender my right of religious belief and expression. I refuse to follow any gag order as it restricts my freedom of speech. I make marriage cakes for weddings. A marriage is the union of a man and a woman, and my artistry is not subject to the public accommodations act.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but doesn’t the Constitution guarantee freedom of association?
No one should have to explain themselves for refusing to associate with anyone.
Many stores post signs saying something along the lines of, “We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone.”
I hope this baker continues to fight this; it is a dangerous infringement of free speech rights.
RE: Correct me if Im wrong, but doesnt the Constitution guarantee freedom of association?
Well here’s the problem... the courts have made a comparison between not wanting to serve a gay couple because of religious and moral beliefs to not wanting to serve a black man.
You will begin to notice a pattern... when a Christian businessman refuses to help celebrate a lifestyle he considers sinful, it becomes akin to racism.
THAT is the reasoning put forth by the liberal courts.
What would happen if the baker had ignored the commission’s requests ?
What law enforcement powers does the commission have?
What other cases have this commission been involved in?
And what was the outcome?
Did any other people (than this baker) enjoined by the commission ignore the commission?
What happened with those other cases ?
RE: Many stores post signs saying something along the lines of, We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone.
What if anyone includes black people? Should the law step in?
RE: What would happen if the baker had ignored the commissions requests ?
What law enforcement powers does the commission have?
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I would think a fine, and if they refuse to pay it, jail time.
EDIT TO ADD.... a courageous Christian would probably go to jail the same way Peter and Paul did for preaching the gospel.
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