Trump admin sides AGAINST Same-Sex couple & pushes FOR discrimination

[manicholic 3,694]

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.

While it remains legal in many parts of the US to turn gay couples away from businesses, 21 states ban discrimination in places of public accommodation on the basis of sexual orientation, including in Colorado.

“I’ll make you birthday cakes, shower cakes, sell you cookies and brownies, I just don’t make cakes for same-sex weddings,” court records say Phillips told the men.

Represented by the ACLU, the couple filed a complaint with the Colorado Civil Rights Commission, which found in 2014 that the baker ran afoul of a state law banning discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. A Colorado appeals court upheld that decision, saying that if the baker “wishes to operate as a public accommodation and conduct business within the State of Colorado, [the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act] prohibits it from picking and choosing customers based on their sexual orientation.”

The court added that the law “does not impose burdens on religious conduct not imposed on secular conduct.”

The Colorado’s supreme court declined to take the case, but the US Supreme Court announced in June it would hear the case.

ACLU deputy director Louise Melling said in a statement on Thursday evening, “this brief was shocking, even for this administration. What the Trump Administration is advocating for is nothing short of a constitutional right to discriminate.”

A Justice Department official told BuzzFeed News the agency chose to file in the case "because the First Amendment protects the right of free expression for all Americans."

“Although public-accommodations laws serve important purposes, they — like other laws — must yield to the individual freedoms that the First Amendment guarantees,” the official continued in a statement. “That includes the freedom not to create expression for ceremonies that violate one’s religious beliefs.”

[That J 12,166]

There's no way this will last four years.  

[tthen 4,621]

Why should anyone be surprised? That whole Trump for LGBT ploy was obvious BS to anyone who wasn't far up his ass. Also at this point, the First Amendment is being abused to the point that it's virtually unrecognizable.

[PaperIz 7,354]

I'm so shocked 

[LUO YI 6,089]

#GaysForTrump I guess

[Qualle1 1,385]

[sipthistea 21,099]

Hypocrites 

[aaron l 11,999]

2 minutes ago, Qualle1 said:

[REALITY 80,298]

It's sad that I don't find this shocking. It's ****ing sad and pathetic that we live in a world where it's okay to discriminate and shame others for being who they are. Like, at a fundamental level, it's just so stupid. Why are we turning away people, especially when you're a business and your goal is to make money. It just doesn't make any sense. People are just people, there's no need to hate and discriminate against other people. 

I also agree with @tthen, the First Amendment is being used to justify almost anything and it's just too much, hate speech and discrimination being the biggest ones. 

[GypsyBabe 22,836]

Of course he does, he's a steaming pile of scheiße.

[tthen 4,621]

5 minutes ago, sipthistea said:

Hypocrites 

As much as I wish that pic were real (if I were gay I'd def fall for fake Pence), it's apparently of some **** star

[Tom Nook 37,820]

This year has been a fvcking sh!t storm and it's only been 9 months since the administration took place 

[Yuuri 21,636]

Can you believe it. First THEY want to have their own pride, then they want to descriminate us? They need to listen to the Holy Bible.

[HANZ 4,380]

11 minutes ago, sipthistea said:

Hypocrites 

what is this?

[aaron l 11,999]

5 minutes ago, tthen said:

As much as I wish that pic were real (if I were gay I'd def fall for fake Pence), it's apparently of some **** star

It's a retired star named Brad Patton. Mess