SCOTUS Hears Oral Arguments Regarding Masterpieces Cakeshop

Michael Medved discusses and takes some calls regarding SCOTUS hearing oral arguments today about Masterpieces Cakeshop’s case (Podcast: SCOTUS Hears Oral Arguments For Masterpiece Cakeshop Case [The Federalist] | Statement of cake artist Jack Phillips following oral arguments at US Supreme Court [ADF])

Having Your Cake and Forcing Others to Eat It Too (+ Prager)

(Originally posted December of 2013)

Diaper Cake

My wife loves to make these for baby-showers she is invited to.

Breitbart has some info on the case for the unfamiliar:

A baker who refused to make a wedding cake for a same-sex ceremony must serve gay couples despite his religious beliefs or face fines, a judge said Friday.

The order from administrative law judge Robert N. Spencer said Masterpiece Cakeshop in suburban Denver discriminated against a couple “because of their sexual orientation by refusing to sell them a wedding cake for their same-sex marriage.”

The order says the cake-maker must “cease and desist from discriminating” against gay couples. Although the judge did not impose fines in this case, the business will face penalties if it continues to turn away gay couples who want to buy cakes.

The American Civil Liberties Union filed a complaint against shop owner Jack Phillips with the Colorado Civil Rights Commission last year on behalf of Charlie Craig, 33, and David Mullins, 29. The couple was married in Massachusetts and wanted a wedding cake to celebrate in Colorado.

…read more…

A Christian baker was found guilty of refusing service to a same-sex wedding and could face a year in jail… it is now becoming legislatively against the law to hold to Judeo-Christian ethics and conscious in America. It will cause some to move to more traditional states (“Tradition means giving a vote to most obscure of all classes, our ancestors. It is the democracy of the dead” ~ G.K. Chesterton), and the solidification of very liberal states. So we will have — truly — a divided America, alla the legislative PC left.

I enjoy, and I truly do, the company (once in a while when GayPatriot does a dinner and I can make it) and the intellectual discussions that happen on his blog. These are men and women who do not put politics above tradition.

And if they challenge tradition… they pause… think… discuss… ask how this might hurt them down the road and hurt the larger society. I may not agree 100% with all their positions, but AT LEAST they realize going headlong into such a big societal change has RADICAL implications (like jail time for not agreeing with a political position versus allowing the free-market to deal with and absorb the choice made).

They also realize that the radical position is not the traditional one, but the radical position is the one who wants to change such a long, natural, religious, historical understanding of the ideal relationship to raise a family in. They take it seriously, and respect the differing views involved. Very unlike the left.

Here is a Christian, conservative, apologist — Frank Turek —  making a point:

“….Imagine a homosexual videographer being forced to video a speech that a conservative makes against homosexual behavior and same sex marriage. Should that homosexual videographer be forced to do so? Of course not! Then why Elane Photography?….”

Now, here is the libertarian, conservative, guy[s] I know who blogs — GayPatriot:

“…it’s a bad law, a law that violates natural human rights to freedom of association and to freely-chosen work. It is not good for gays; picture a gay photographer being required by law to serve the wedding of some social conservative whom he or she despises.”

Which leads me to the latest commentary on the cake issue from Gay Patriot followed by some of the comments:

Another gay couple got miffed that a baker declined to make them a wedding cake. So, instead of seeking out another baker, they whined to the Government because their precious little feelings got hurt. And the Government — recognizing that in a free Constitutional Republic, the delicate feelings of hypersensitive gays are much more important than freedom, free speech, religious liberty, property rights, and free enterprise — has found the baker guilty of hurting gay people’s feelings and is now threatening to jail him.

No one is saying it’s okay to discriminate against gay people, but in this case the cure… heavy-handed jack-booted Fascism … is far worse than the problem.

And to those people are okay with forcing businesses to serve people they don’t care to serve, would it be equally okay for Government to force consumers to use businesses they don’t want to use? The precedent is set with Obamacare. If social justice is more important than freedom, then does it not follow that Government could legitimately force people to spend, say, 50% of their consumer dollars with businesses owned by the Government’s favored minority and victim groups?

…read more…

Here is some of the comments from the above post:

Comment #9:

As a Lesbian activist said recently, and I quote loosely, “it never was about equal rights to marry, it was pushing an agenda”.

Comment #10:

So nice to see everybody figure this out. The tyrants in the GLBT community will not rest until every voice is lifted in praise of their lifestyle- at the end of a gun, if necessary.

Is their any indication that these people have psychological problems. I’ve noticed that gay people, like myself, who are not politically and culturally aggressive seem to be more put-together. It’s the activist types who seem to have the neuroses and disorders. A pathological need for validation and acceptance, which always boils down to a pat on the head to placate the persistent voice in their head calling them on their crap. And it doesn’t matter how they get the “good boy,” or how sincere it is, they’re just happy that they’re getting it. If the baker gives in, this couple will pretend he had a genuine change of heart, and wasn’t coerced into it.

Sometimes I really hate my own kind.

Comment #16:

This makes my blood absolutely boil! Look at all the special accommodations made for Muslims: Muslim Target cashiers don’t have to handle pork products, Muslim female cashier at Wegman’s had a sign at her cash register telling customers if they had alcohol, cigarettes or pork products to go to another line, Muslims getting special breaks so they can pray at work, The airport in Minneapolis getting foot washing stations in the men’s room. The list goes on and on how companies have bent over backwards to accommodate Sharia Law for a minority religion here in the U.S. Yet it’s perfectly legal and necessary to force Christian bakers, photographers and owners of B&B’s to do things that violate their faith. It would be interesting if gay couples who wished to wed, started “asking” Muslim bakers, photographers, B&B owners and mosques to “help” with their pending nuptials. Or how about suing the store because you had to wait in a longer line because the Muslim cashier refused (and with the store’s backing) to check your bacon, smokes and box o’ wine? How about the Muslim man who refused to let you go through his line unless you got rid of the box of tampons and bag of maxi pads? Unbelievable hypocrisy of the left. They ignore “the religion of peace” that actually maims and kills women and gays violently attacks Christians who are just minding their own.

Comment #17:

It would be interesting if gay couples who wished to wed, started “asking” Muslim bakers, photographers, B&B owners and mosques to “help” with their pending nuptials.

Bingo! We have a winner! Hold all calls.

The Muslim Organization for Personal Validation of Kafirs, Dhimmis and مادر جنده could not be reached for comment.

Comment #18:

It would be interesting if gay couples who wished to wed, started “asking” Muslim bakers, photographers, B&B owners and mosques to “help” with their pending nuptials.

Boy, would this ever stir up a hornet’s nest.
The blowback would be gigantic.
Heads would roll.
Literally.

Comment #22:

Less than 48 hours ago, I was refused by three (THREE) Muslim cab drivers in downtown Los Angeles because I was carrying a 12-pack of Sam Adams beer.

No, I wasn’t intoxicated. In point of fact, I haven’t had a drink in over five years.

The three men each told me their religion forbade them from transporting alcohol.

Was I miffed? Hell yes.

Did I sue? Hell no. Rather, I racially profiled and found an infidel willing to accept my fare to Studio City.