The Washington State Supreme Court unanimously ruled that a Christian florist broke the law when she refused to participate in a gay wedding ceremony.
Barronelle Stutzman, the owner of Arlene’s Flowers, violated the state’s anti-discrimination law by declining to provide floral arrangements for the 2013 same-sex wedding of Robert Ingersoll and Curt Freed.
Mrs. Stutzman, a Southern Baptist grandmother, could face the loss of her business, her life savings and her home. I feature Mrs. Stutzman in my upcoming book, “CULTURE JIHAD: HOW TO STOP THE LEFT FROM KILLING A NATION.”
“The state not only went after Barronelle’s business but also sued her in her personal capacity—putting all her personal assets, including her life savings, at risk,” said Alliance Defending Freedom’s Kristen Waggoner, who argued on Stutzman’s behalf before the Washington Supreme Court in 2016.
Alliance Defending Freedom attorney John Bursch said they plan to appeal the case to the U.S. Supreme Court — setting up a clash over gay rights and religious liberty.
Mrs. Stutzman and her attorney will be guests on the Todd Starnes Radio Show on Friday.
“Barronelle serves all customers; she simply declines to celebrate or participate in sacred events that violate her deeply held beliefs,” said Bursch. “Despite that, the state of Washington has been openly hostile toward Barronelle’s religious beliefs about marriage, and now the Washington Supreme Court has given the state a pass. We look forward to taking Barronelle’s case back to the U.S. Supreme Court.”
Mrs. Stutzman is a devout Southern Baptist who believes marriage is between one man and one woman.
When longtime customer Rob Ingersoll asked her to provide flowers for the ceremony, she politely declined — a decision that became national news.
According to court documents, the gay couple suffered an “emotional toll” after Mrs. Stutzman declined to participate in their wedding.
They said the “felt so deeply offended that apparently our business is no longer good business.”
Court documents also show the Southern Baptist grandmother gladly served gay and lesbian customers in the past for non-wedding related flower orders.
Clearly, that is not good enough for Democrats and militant LGBT activists — who are now demanding that people like Mrs. Stutzman set aside their religious beliefs for the sake of political correctness.
Do you really think it’s a coincidence that these same-sex couples always end up at Christian-owned bakeries, photography shops and flower shops?
