Complete victory for Colorado cake shop owner persecuted for his religious beliefs

American Thinker ^ | 03/06/2019 | Rick Moran

[SeekAndFind]

Jack Phillips is the Colorado cake shop owner who was sued by the state's civil rights commission  for not baking a cake for a gay wedding in 2012. The case went all the way to the Supreme Court where Phillips won his appeal against the civil rights commission by 7-2. In that decision, Justice Kennedy drew a clear line in the sand against the radical cultural left. In his decision he singled out a statement by Commissioner Diann Rice:

I would also like to reiterate what we said in the hearing or the last meeting. Freedom of religion and religion has been used to justify all kinds of discrimination throughout history, whether it be slavery, whether it be the holocaust, whether it be—I mean, we—we can list hundreds of situations where freedom of religion has been used to justify discrimination. And to me it is one of the most despicable pieces of rhetoric that people can use to—to use their religion to hurt others.

And here was Justice Kennedy’s response:

To describe a man’s faith as “one of the most despicable pieces of rhetoric that people can use” is to disparage his religion in at least two distinct ways: by describing it as despicable, and also by characterizing it as merely rhetorical — something insubstantial and even insincere. . . . This sentiment is inappropriate for a Commission charged with the solemn responsibility of fair and neutral enforcement of Colorado’s antidiscrimination law — a law that protects discrimination on the basis of religion as well as sexual orientation.

[SeekAndFind]

But the commission didn't give up. Phillips refused to bake a cake for a "gender transition" celebration and was promptly called on the carpet and sued again by the commission. But the Phillips' case has been championed for the last 6 1/2 years by the Alliance Defending Freedom and yesterday, the Colorado Civil Rights Commission dropped their complaint against Phillips after AFD dug up some blatantly anti-religious statements by several commissioners.

Here is the statement made by Alliance defending Freedom (AFD ):

“The state of Colorado is dismissing its case against Jack, stopping its six and a half years of hostility toward him for his beliefs,” said ADF Senior Vice President of U.S. Legal Division Kristen Waggoner, who argued on behalf of Phillips at the U.S. Supreme Court. “Jack’s victory is great news for everyone. Tolerance and respect for good-faith differences of opinion are essential in a diverse society like ours. They enable us to peacefully coexist with each another. But the state’s demonstrated and ongoing hostility toward Jack because of his beliefs is undeniable.”

The fact that one commissioner called Phillips a “hater” on Twitter was already publicly known. But a Colorado state legislator recently disclosed that he spoke in November 2018 to a current commissioner who expressed the belief that “there is anti-religious bias on the Commission.” And just last week, ADF attorneys uncovered statements from a 2018 public meeting in which two commissioners voiced their support for comments that a previous commissioner, Diann Rice, made in 2015. Those comments, which the U.S. Supreme Court sternly condemned in its ruling in favor of Phillips last year, called religious freedom “a despicable piece of rhetoric.”

At the June 22, 2018, public meeting, members of the commission discussed the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling. During that discussion, Commissioner Rita Lewis said, “I support Commissioner Diann Rice and her comments. I don’t think she said anything wrong.” Later, Commissioner Carol Fabrizio added, “I also very much stand behind Commissioner Rice’s statements…. I was actually proud of what she said, and I agree with her…. I’m almost glad that something the Commissioner said ended up public and used, because I think it was the right thing.”

[PGR88]

Complete victory?

How many years of this man’s life were wasted? How much did he spend in legal fees? Does he even still have a baking business? How many times was he threatened or harassed?

He has been punished by the process. This is not “justice.” This is a clogged toilet.

[MissEdie]

Can he sue the commission or its individual members to recoup some of what he lost?

[stinkerpot65]

Democrats are evil.

[Robert A Cook PE]

Good news, mingled as you properly point out by the years of persecution by Colorado’s “liberal” communist free-thinkers.

But at least that clogged toilet has stopped filling up quitr as fast. And there is a drain hole.

[Vigilanteman]

Who is old enough to remember when the homo mafia assured us that they just wanted to do their own thing and be left alone and would never, ever engage in this type of search and destroy mission if we only gave in to their “reasonable” demands of a mere decade or so back?

[infool7]

Justice delayed is, JUSTICE DENIED!

7

[gogeo]

This is not defeat, not surrender, but retreat.

[laplata]

“Democrats are evil”.

Yes. Anyone still considering himself a Democrat is a vile, indecent tool being used for, and condoning, evil.

[ealgeone]

I agree with this...make the Commission repay all the legal fees plus punitive damages.

Further, all members of the committee are fired and any benefits are forfeited.

[Gene Eric]

Yup

[Starstruck]

Slimy little bureaucrats sent back under their rock. Problem is their reproduction rate in the darkness is astounding and they and their diseased minds will reappear to wreck havoc elsewhere.

[deport]

Can he sue the commission or its individual members to recoup some of what he lost?

***************

You can sue for just about any thing. But whether it will be
a winner is the question assuming it doesn’t get thrown out.

[HamiltonJay]

While it is good he is done, the “commission” has dodge a bullet by this and will be free to continue to be used as a club against others who don’t tow the sodomite line...

This Commission is inherently biased, and nothing about this will change that or their future actions.

[Starstruck]

Freudian slip wreck=wreak

[DownInFlames]

It all depends how it’s argued. Look at R v W.

[Navy Patriot]

Who is old enough to remember when the homo mafia assured us that they just wanted to do their own thing and be left alone and would never, ever engage in this type of search and destroy mission if we only gave in to their “reasonable” demands of a mere decade or so back?

I, for one, remember that incessant "We Just Want To Be Left Alone", ...

Now, I Will Never Forget!!

[Teacher317]

I cannot recall which Freeper posted this last week, but one in MASS noted that he said to a Lefty neighbor “I just want the government to stay out of my business”, and her reply was to call him a Nazi. They are THAT crazy now.

[samtheman]

Commissioner Diann Rice:

I would also like to reiterate what we said in the hearing or the last meeting. Freedom of religion and religion has been used to justify all kinds of discrimination throughout history, whether it be slavery, whether it be the holocaust, whether it be—I mean, we—we can list hundreds of situations where freedom of religion has been used to justify discrimination. And to me it is one of the most despicable pieces of rhetoric that people can use to—to use their religion to hurt others.
—
According to Commissioner Diann Rice, asking someone to go elsewhere to buy a wedding cake equates to the holocaust (which wasn’t religious, BTW, but anti-religious) and slavery.

This is your mind on liberalism.

[Lurker]

See my tag line.

L