The Supreme Court will hear arguments for Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights on December 5th. What does this mean for you?
Well, the short of it is that it deeply affects LGBT rights.
Back in 2012, David Mullins and Charlie Craig visited Masterpiece Bakeshop to order a wedding cake. The owner of the shop, Jack Phillips denied them service because it violated his religious beliefs.
I know what you are thinking, THIS?! AGAIN!? Come on folks just let them eat cake!!!
Mullins and Craig filed a suit with the Colorado Civil Rights Commission saying that Phillips violated the state’s anti-discrimination law.
Phillips, though, argued his right to free speech (via his cakes) was being infringed and appealed all the way to the high court. He’s being bankrolled by The Alliance Defending Freedom, a right-wing Christian legal group that previously defended Prop 8 in federal court. The ADF argues that Phillips’ faith “compels him to use his artistic talents to promote only messages that align with his religious beliefs.
Personally, you would think that his faith would COMPEL him to make a buck and stop using his religious views as a form of discrimination. This isn’t the first case of it’s kind, it’s just the first to make it to the Supreme Court.
In this case however, the Supreme Court’s ruling will decide if religious beliefs trump civil liberties. Hopefully, the resounding support of larger companies will persuade SCOTUS to rule in the couples’ favor.
More than 40 briefs have also been filed supporting Mullens and Craig, including ones by Ben & Jerry’s, Tammy Baldwin, and one signed by culinary stars like Anthony Bourdain And Ace Of Cakes’ Duff Goldman. “When a chef offers something to the public,” it read, “he must offer it to all.”
The ACLU will represent the couple on December 5th in Washington D.C.
Content via Pixabay and NewNowNext.
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