Court hears case over gay wedding cake

[aGameOfThrones]

DENVER (AP) -- A Colorado baker who refused to make a wedding cake for a same-sex ceremony should not be forced to violate his religious beliefs, his attorney told a judge deciding whether the cake-maker should be made to accommodate gay couples. But an attorney representing a gay couple countered Wednesday that the baker's faith doesn't give him a right to discriminate.

At issue in the complaint from David Mullins and Charlie Craig against Masterpiece Cakeshop in suburban Denver is whether religious freedom can protect a business from discrimination allegations from gay couples.

Mullins and Craig wanted to buy a cake last year, but when one of the shop owners, Jack Phillips, found out the cake was to celebrate a gay wedding, he turned the couple of away and cited his religious faith.

"(His) faith, whatever it may have to say about marriage for same-sex couples or the expressive power of a wedding cake, does not give the respondents a license to discriminate," Amanda Goad, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union, told an administrative judge in Colorado's Civil Rights Commission.

Phillips' attorney, Nicolle Martin, said her client shouldn't be forced to ignore his Christian faith while running the business he's had for nearly 40 years. She said Phillips feels "privileged to design and create the cakes that celebrate the joyous events of people's lives."

"He believes this is a vocation chosen for him by God, and as a man of God, Jack Phillips lives by certain biblical principles," Martin said.

She said Phillips faces fines if the court rules against him and he continues to refuse to make wedding cakes for gay couples.

Judge Robert N. Spencer said he would issue a ruling later this week.

The ACLU in Colorado filed the discrimination complaint on behalf of Mullins, 29, and Craig, 33, who were married in Massachusetts and planned to celebrate their wedding in Colorado.

A similar case is pending in Washington state, where a florist is accused of refusing service for a same-sex wedding. In New Mexico, the state Supreme Court ruled in August that an Albuquerque business was wrong to decline to photograph a same-sex couple's commitment ceremony.

Colorado has a constitutional ban against gay marriage, but allows civil unions. The civil union law, which passed earlier this year, does not provide religious protections for businesses — a provision Republicans wanted. Democrats argued that such a provision would give businesses cover to discriminate in violation of state law.

"Here, the discrimination was based on who the customers were, and that's what Colorado clearly prohibits," Goad said.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/court-hears-discrimination-case-over-120808014.html

 

[Christian Liberty]

American Civil Liberties Union

More respect for them lost.

 

[James Madison]

There's only one wedding cake designer in Denver?

Just go to someone else.

 

[Christian Liberty]

Its not about the wedding cake though, Madison. Its about slavery. I wouldn't be surprised if the government paid them "under the table" to do this.

 

[Brett85]

More respect for them lost.

I've never had any respect for them. They're just an arm of the Democratic Party, not a civil liberties organization.

 

[EBounding]

There's only one wedding cake designer in Denver?

Just go to someone else.

That's the rational response. Why would you want to give money to someone who is a discriminatory bigot?

But that's not the goal of gay marriage activists. The goal is to use the State's monopoly on force to punish people who don't agree with their lifestyle. Some day though they're also going to be on the receiving end of that force too.

 

[James Madison]

Its not about the wedding cake though, Madison. Its about slavery. I wouldn't be surprised if the government paid them "under the table" to do this.

Oh, I know. Just pointing out the absurdity of the LGBTXYZ movement. I used to not care about who was gay, but anymore I find the movement more and more insufferable.

This is the equivalent of atheists trying to remove 'God' from the Pledge of Allegiance.

 

[phill4paul]

This is the equivalent of atheists trying to remove 'God' from the Pledge of Allegiance.

As opposed to the christians that added it?

 

[James Madison]

As opposed to the christians that added it?

Having 'God' in the Pledge is stupid. Actually the whole Pledge is stupid.

Don't miss the point here -- learn to pick your battles.

 

[phill4paul]

Having 'God' in the Pledge is stupid. Actually the whole Pledge is stupid.

Don't miss the point here -- learn to pick your battles.

You're the one that brought it up.

 

[Schifference]

Wedding cake costs are as follows:
$129 Heterosexual wedding
$1290 Gay wedding

 

[angelatc]

Oh, I know. Just pointing out the absurdity of the LGBTXYZ movement. I used to not care about who was gay, but anymore I find the movement more and more insufferable.

This is the equivalent of atheists trying to remove 'God' from the Pledge of Allegiance.

Exactly.

 

[James Madison]

You're the one that brought it up.

Yeah, because it comes off as vindictive and spiteful. Like how the government only 'shutdown' services that people enjoyed.

 

[phill4paul]

Yeah, because it comes off as vindictive and spiteful. Like how the government only 'shutdown' services that people enjoyed.

Vindictive and spiteful. Like "marriage is only between one man and one woman" laws which shuts down governmental services that only some people enjoy? As opposed to ending the government in marriage. Or ending the Pledge in government institutions altogether.
As I said, you were the one that brought it up. I think we both agree that government should stay out of private business and that it should be left up to the property/business owner to serve who they choose.

 

[Suzanimal]

Supreme Court to hear case of baker's refusal to make wedding cake for gay couple

The U.S. Supreme Court announced Monday it will hear the case of a suburban Denver baker who refused to bake a wedding cake for a gay couple on faith-based grounds, in the latest religious freedom case to be considered before the nation's highest court.

Jack Phillips, owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop, had refused to sell a customized cake for a gay couple's union, claiming a religious exemption to the state's anti-discrimination law.

State courts had ruled against the businessman.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/201...usal-to-make-wedding-cake-for-gay-couple.html

 

[CaptUSA]

Is it expecting too much for them to finally assert that a business can refuse service to anyone for any reason? That it takes two parties to exchange something? That one part doesn't automatically give up their rights because they're exchanging their product or service for FRN's?

Yeah - probably too much to ask.

 

[goldenequity]

Jack Phillips, owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop

Any more questions?

 

[Swordsmyth]

More respect for them lost.

As a Christian you never should have had any, they have been anti-Christ since their founding by communists.

 

[Dr.No.]

One way to see it is that Colorado already has laws that force public accomodations to serve people regardless of that persons's status. I'm not sure why the Colorado baker thinks he is above the law. Plus, equal protection and all that.

 

[shakey1]

Is it expecting too much for them to finally assert that a business can refuse service to anyone for any reason? That it takes two parties to exchange something? That one part doesn't automatically give up their rights because they're exchanging their product or service for FRN's?

Yeah - probably too much to ask.

^^^THIS^^^