DEVELOPING STORY: The Supreme Court delivered a huge victory for Christian business owners who have been under fierce assault by radical Alphabet Activists.
“How ironic that on the last day of Pride Month the Supreme Court handed down a landmark ruling that will protect Christian business owners from the Alphabet Activists. Now, that’s news that we can all be proud of,” best-selling author and radio host Todd Starnes said.
The Supreme Court held that a Colorado graphic designer who wants to make wedding websites does not have to create them for same-sex marriages. It is a landmark decision that pit the interests of LGBTQ non-discrimination against First Amendment freedom.
“The U.S. Supreme Court rightly reaffirmed that the government can’t force Americans to say things they don’t believe,” Alliance Defending Freedom president Kristen Waggoner said. “The court reiterated that it’s unconstitutional for the state to eliminate from the public square ideas it dislikes, including the belief that marriage is the union of husband and wife.”
The 6-3 decision ruled in favor of Lorie Smith, an artist who sued the state of Colorado over its anti-discrimination law that prohibited businesses providing sales or other accommodations to the public from denying service based on a customer’s sexual orientation.
“Disagreement isn’t discrimination, and the government can’t mislabel speech as discrimination to censor it,” Waggoner said.
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On this – the last day of Pride month – the Supreme Court delivers a landmark ruling that will protect Christian business owners from Alphabet Activist predators.
— toddstarnes (@toddstarnes) June 30, 2023
Smith said the law infringed on her First Amendment rights by forcing her to promote messages that violate her deeply held faith.
“Lorie works with everyone, including clients who identify as LGBT. As the court highlighted, her decisions to create speech always turn on what message is requested, never on who requests it,” she added.
Waggoner said the ruling makes clear that nondiscrimination laws remain firmly in place, and that the government has never needed to compel speech to ensure access to goods and services.
“This is a win for all Americans. The government should no more censor Lorie for speaking consistent with her beliefs about marriage than it should punish an LGBT graphic designer for declining to criticize same-sex marriage,” she added.If we desire freedom for ourselves, we must defend it for others.”
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