Posted on 05/17/2016 12:22:40 PM PDT by massmike
A lawsuit filed in Arizona claims a city ordinance forces local artists to use their talents to promote same-sex weddings and does not allow them to express freely their belief that marriage is between one man and one woman.
Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative, Christian legal organization, filed a pre-enforcement challenge to Phoenix's city code May 12 for Breanna Koski and Joanna Duka, owners of Brush & Nib Studio based in Phoenix, Arizona.
Koski and Duka, who want to honor God through their art and business, specialize in hand painting, hand lettering and calligraphy for events, like weddings.
Phoenix law "strips artists of their freedom to choose what to create and what to say in the marriage context," the complaint against the city says. If Koski and Duke were to turn down creating art to celebrate a same-sex marriage, the city could fine them up to $2,500 for each day they violate the law and make them spend six months in jail since their studio creates art for opposite-sex wedding ceremonies, according to the complaint.
"Artists shouldn't be threatened with jail for disagreeing with the government," Jeremy Tedesco, senior counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom, said in a statement. He added:
The government must allow artists the freedom to make personal decisions about what art they will create and what art they won't create. Just because an artist creates expression that communicates one viewpoint doesn't mean she is required to express all viewpoints. It's unjust, unnecessary and unlawful to force an artist to create against her will and intimidate her into silence.
Alliance Defending Freedom also filed May 12, in the Maricopa County Superior Court, a motion of preliminary injunction on behalf of the artists. The accompanying motion says Phoenix city code forbids public accommodations from discriminating against a person based on sexual orientation and gender identity, among other factors. The preliminary injunction brief says:
These rules should not affect Brush & Nib since Brush & Nib decides what art it will create based on the art's message, not the requester's personal characteristics.
But Phoenix's interpretation of [the city code] puts Brush & Nib in the crosshairs. Phoenix construes [the city code's] ban on sexual orientation discrimination to require public accommodations to provide any service to same-sex couples that they would also provide to opposite-sex couples, regardless whether those services are expressive in nature or not.
A spokesperson for the city of Phoenix told The Daily Signal that the city had not yet been served as of Monday morning, so she cannot comment until they are.
"Artists don't surrender their freedom of speech and freedom from coercion when they choose to make a living with their art," Jonathan Scruggs, legal counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom, said in a statement. "Government can't censor artists or demand that they create art that violates their deepest convictions."
Faggies now own the other 98% of us. Thanks, Bammie!
Are we living in North Korea?
Oh, I’d be “artistic” alright.
It’s a big world.. Go find somebody else to do the ‘art’ thingy for ya.
And the wedding cake I'm forced to bake would have a distinctive taste and smell.
How much did they fine that “artist” for the jar of piss with a crucifix inside???..........Oh, wait....
Chilling.
It's a toss-up.
They’ve moved from lawsuits, to jail now. The time is getting closer.
Commies demand obedience.
A person would think that the BUNGHOLE BRIGADE could find some fag artists, bakers, designers, to do the perverted things they want for their so called weddings; instead of infringing on other peoples rights.
I always thought that fags and lesbos were supposed to be the avant guard of of all things artistic.
They could if they tried, but they don’t want to....They want to go to a Christian bakery and when turned down, they can cry and cry and get all kinds of air time and press...That’s their whole purpose....
I’d draw a picture of Mohammed marrying a young boy.
I’d be very happy to SERVE a gay wedding and the funeral a shot time later....better not eat what I serve you but you’ll get what you deserved at a very fair price....
“Homofascism”.
Start using it.
They purposely seek out Christians that don’t want to do their bidding just so they can ruin their lives. It has nothing to do with their wedding but everything to do with hate, power and control.
Note they don’t pick on Muslim bakeries.
Jail the next s.o.b. who doesn't allow their songs to be played by the republican campaign party......
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