An Oregon court upheld a January decision forcing two Christian bakery owners to pay a $135,000 fine for refusing to bake a lesbian wedding cake.
On Thursday, the state’s Court of Appeals found Sweet Cakes by Melissa owners Melissa and Aaron Klein illegally discriminated against a same-sex couple in February 2013.
The Kleins had cited religious objections for not wanting to bake the cake, but the court ruled the refusal was in violation of an Oregon law which restricts businesses from discriminating based on sexual orientation.
The bake shop, located in Gresham, was forced to close under intense criticism, but donations allowed the couple to operate the business out of their home up until October 2016.
“We lost everything we loved and worked so hard to build,” Melissa Klein told KATU. “I loved my shop. It meant everything to me and losing it has been so hard for me and my family.”
Lawyers defending the Kleins argued in March the court was violating the bakers’ First Amendment-protected free speech rights.
“We believe that freedom of expression for ourselves means freedom of expression for others,” an attorney for the First Liberty Institute said. “And what’s unfortunate here is that a family and their business has been punished because of their religious beliefs. And that’s not America. That’s just flat out wrong.”
The lesbian couple, Rachel Bowman-Cryer and her partner Laurel, were pleased with the court’s decision.
“All of us are equal under the law and should be treated equally. Oregon will not allow a ‘Straight Couples Only’ sign to be hung in bakeries or other stores,” they said in a statement.
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I agree with GEG. Forget about reasons. Any private business owner should be free to serve or not serve any would-be customer, period. The state is out of its jurisdiction to interfere with our right to refuse to enter into any form of a contract or business transaction with another. I should simply be able to say, “No,” without any reason at all, if I wish, and that be the end of it. Get off my property! Get out of my shop!
I suppose a theory holds that when you request permission form government and are granted a permit to operate, you thereby relinquish your sovereignty and become a subject.
Here is a perfect example of Alinski teachings in action. It appears to be Communism in it’s purest form. Liberal Judges have done more harm to our nation than any group of terrorists could ever dream of doing. Political appointees are killing us !
Resettle all those who embrace and believe in Oregon values in Oregon where there is no First Amendment.