The Supreme Court is preparing to hear what could be a landmark case regarding free speech and religious liberty on Tuesday.
Click here for a free subscription to Todd’s newsletter: a must-read for Conservatives!
More than 5 years ago – Colorado baker Jack Phillips was thrust into the national spotlight after he declined to participate in a same-sex marriage ceremony.
Mr. Phillips owns the Masterpiece Cakeshop — a mom-and-pop style bakery located near Denver.
The devout Christian told the two grooms that making a wedding cake for a same-sex ceremony would violate his Christian faith.
Instead of just going to another bakery, the two men filed a complaint with the Colorado Civil Rights Commission.
Alliance Defending Freedom, a nationally-renowned law firm that specializes in religious liberty cases, took up Mr. Phillips’ cause.
On Tuesday, they will plead his case before the Supreme Court of the United States.
At the heart of this very intriguing case is a simple question — should business owners be forced to violate their conscience?
“The state of Colorado says it has the ability to force Jack to engage in artistic expression that violates the core of who he is,” ADF attorney Jeremy Tedesco told the Todd Starnes Show.
Tedesco said his client, who is a soft-spoken man, has been faced with a barrage of hate since the charges were filed — including from Civil Rights commissioners.
“One of the commissioners sitting in judgement…she said she thinks religious freedom is a despicable piece of rhetoric,” Tedesco said.
He said the commissioner went on to reference slavery and the Holocaust as being rooted in religion and said Phillips is an example of that.
“How are you going to get a fair shake,” Tedesco asked.
Clearly, people who follow the teachings of the Holy Bible are not welcome in the state of Colorado.
Tedesco tells the Todd Starnes Show that Phillips and his family have suffered personally and endured great hardships. They lost 40 percent of their business and had to lay off a number of employees.
He also said Phillips as faced death threats.
“There were days when the family did not want to come to the shop because they feared for their lives,” Tedesco said. “It’s taken an enormous toll on the family.
The question before the justices tomorrow is pretty straight forward. Should Jack Phillips – an artist – be compelled to violate his religious beliefs to accommodate a customer?
Beyond that — there are other questions:
Should the atheist owner of a t-shirt company be compelled to provide shirts for a church that read, “God Exists”? Should a black catering company be forced to provide meals for a gathering of white supremacists?
Should the government force business owners to violate their conscience?
And that raises another — more ominous question – if the government can force you to bake a cake against your free will — what else can they force you to do?
THE THIRD HOUR OF THE TODD STARNES SHOW
UPDATES:
2:05pm – Build That Wall! An undocumented immigrant, with a history of arrests and deportations, was sentenced to 35 years in prison Friday after his sexual assault conviction earlier this year. Mexican national Sergio Jose Martinez, 31, attacked two women in Portland, Ore., on the same day. The first was a 65-year-old whose car he stole, and a younger woman. He was arrested July 24, the report said. Prior to the attacks, Martinez had been deported 20 times, had a series of probation violations for illegal crossings into the United States and had a felony burglary conviction, KGW.com reported, citing court documents filed in March. Martinez faced charges of kidnapping, assault, robbery and sodomy, KATU News reported. He was released from Multnomah County Jail last December despite the objection of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials. ICE had asked local authorities to alert the federal agency prior to Martinez’s release, the paper reported. However, the agency says that back in July that “local authorities released Mr. Martinez back into the community the following day without providing any notification to ICE.”
2:30pm- How much would you pay for your child to sit on Santa’s lap? In New York City, there’s a photo studio dedicated to taking portraits with a silly Santa who lets subjects tie him up with lights or pull on his beard. New York Santa Photographer occupies an Upper West Side studio and for $135, one receives two high-resolution images with a print release included. A closet of holiday themed props is available for use, but minor retouching on images costs $325 and all that plus 50 holiday cards and envelopes runs $500. Does this sound crazy to you? 888-788-9910
2:50pm- Bill Bush: I Confess
THE SECOND HOUR OF THE TODD STARNES SHOW
Updates:
1:05pm- Bullying the Baker? A brief discussion about a wedding cake has grown into a U.S. Supreme Court collision of some of the nation’s most cherished values. In a dispute that pits free speech and religious rights against equality, the justices on Tuesday will consider the case of a Colorado baker who refuses to make cakes for same-sex weddings. The hour-long argument will mark the first full-scale test of gay rights since the court legalized same-sex marriage nationwide in 2015. For supporters, the case threatens to undercut the “equal dignity” the court promised same-sex couples in that decision. “This is about us being denied service at a public business because of who we are and who we love,” said David Mullins, who triggered the legal fight when he and his husband, Charlie Craig, visited Masterpiece Cakeshop in 2012. For bakery owner Jack Phillips, the case is about something very different. He says Colorado officials are trying to coerce him into creating a work of art to celebrate an event he believes is forbidden by the Bible. He is pressing free-speech and religious-rights arguments in fighting an order that requires him to either make wedding cakes for gay couples or not make them at all. Guest: ADF VP and Senior Counsel Jeremy Tedesco.
Should a gay baker be forced to make an anti-gay-themed cake? Should an atheist baker be forced to make a religious-themed cake? #SCOTUS | #ToddStarnesShow https://t.co/JgEmYFiEmt
— toddstarnes (@toddstarnes) December 4, 2017
1:20pm- Question: Religious liberty or a license to discriminate? 888-788-9910
1:50pm- Colin Kaepernick Honored At Aclu Event In Beverly Hills
THE FIRST HOUR OF THE TODD STARNES SHOW
UPDATES:
12:05pm- Life Ruined? President Trump on Monday called the criminal case against former national security adviser Michael Flynn “very unfair,” claiming he and Hillary Clinton both “lied” to the FBI but only Flynn faced consequences. The president’s comments, made to reporters as he left Washington for a policy announcement in Utah, saw Trump wading deeper into the Flynn investigation even after a weekend tweet landed the White House in hot water. On Monday, Trump said he feels “badly” for Flynn, who pleaded guilty on Friday to giving false statements to the FBI about his Russia contacts.(Audio) Plus: Listen to Joy Behar throw herself a party on air AFTER the Brian Ross report comes out.
12:20pm- Mo(o)re Support! President Trump gave his full backing Monday to Alabama Republican Senate nominee Roy Moore, telling voters “we need” him to tackle illegal immigration, tax reform and more — in his strongest statement yet in support of the embattled candidate. With just one week left before voters head to the polls next Tuesday, the president tweeted that “we need” Moore, slamming his Democratic counterpart Doug Jones as a “puppet” for congressional Democratic leaders. “Democrats refusal to give even one vote for massive Tax Cuts is why we need Republican Roy Moore to win in Alabama,” Trump tweeted. “We need his vote on stopping crime, illegal immigration, Border Wall, Military, Pro Life, V.A., Judges, 2nd Amendment and more. No to Jones, a Pelosi/ Schumer Puppet!” Question: Do you think Roy Moore will win next week? 888-788-9910
12:50pm- Kicker Topic: Belk has given Salvation Army bell-ringers and their iconic red kettles the heave-ho — just in time for the Christmas season.