I'd recommend...
Posted on 07/09/2015 7:46:17 AM PDT by xzins
Two Christian bakers who refused to bake a cake for a lesbian wedding have been ordered to pay $135,000 in damages by July 13 or else the state of Oregon could place a lien on their home.
Aaron and Melissa Klein, the owners of Sweet Cakes by Melissa, were punished by the state's Bureau of Labor and Industry (BOLI) for unlawfully discriminating against a same-sex couple.
The Kleins, who are devout evangelical Christians, argued that baking the cake would be a violation of their religious beliefs.
The BOLI ruling ordered the mom-and-pop bakers to pay $135,000 to the lesbian couple. They were also slapped with a gag order that prohibits them from speaking publicly about their refusal to participate in or bake wedding cakes for same-sex unions.
And now they have until July 13 to pay the damages or else face additional fines and a possible lien on their home.
"This is intimidation and bullying—that's exactly what it is," Klein told me in a telephone interview." They are trying to strong-arm me into handing over $135,000 to the two girls and if I win on appeal—they will never pay me back."
A BOLI spokesman confirmed they sent a standard payment letter to the Kleins' attorney.
"The letter informs them that if we do not hear from them, we may turn the matter over to the Department of Revenue, which can place a lien on real property," the spokesman told me.
BOLI said they would also be willing to accept either a full payment or payment arrangements.
"Of course, they can also ask for a stay of enforcement while they pursue their appeal," the spokesman said.
But there's a catch. The person who will determine whether or not to stay the order—is BOLI Commissioner Brad Avakian—a vocal supporter of the LGBTQIA movement.
"The judge, jury and executioner are all in one place," said Anna Harmon, the Kleins' attorney. "He is intent on using his office to root out thought and speech with which he personally disagrees."
Harmon, who is affiliated with Alliance Defending Freedom, said they were expecting the payment letter that came from BOLI.
"This letter, while it's the normal procedure, continues to show the state is not backing down," she told me. "They don't think they did anything wrong here."
Avakian's strong arm tactics against the Christian bakers have outraged Christians across the nation.
"This guy would make Mussolini proud," said Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research council. "This is a wannabe dictator."
It certainly appears that Avakian and the state of Oregon have declared war on the Klein family.
"Not only do they want to drive them out of business, but they want to make them homeless," Perkins told me.
The Kleins say they are filing a stay and do plan on appealing the state's decision.
"Brad and his cohorts at BOLI have overstepped their constitutional rights in requiring me to cease and desist from my constitutional freedom," Mr. Klein said. "I will fight them with every last breath I have."
Mrs. Klein said she would not be intimidated by Avakian's hard line tactics.
"We are so going to fight this, oh my gosh," she said. "It's making us stronger and emboldening us to stand up to this. Aaron and I are fighting for every American out there—for their freedom. We are not backing down at all."
And while the viciousness of the attacks against the Kleins might be unsettling—Harmon said it really should serve as a source of inspiration.
"What a time to be an American," she said. "It's a hard time—our freedoms are challenged—but what a time to be able to stand and have courage and say, 'I have a moment in time where I can be a voice for that.'"
And the Kleins are not ready to throw in the towel just yet.
"He definitely messed with the wrong Christians," Mrs. Klein told me.
Todd Starnes is host of Fox News & Commentary, heard on hundreds of radio stations. Sign up for his American Dispatch newsletter, be sure to join his Facebook page, and follow him on Twitter. His latest book is God Less America.
I'd recommend...
Already sent you a private message and it’s very noble of you t write this to me. Thank you.
Wanna bet!?
I shudda read ahead...
I’m still in the wrong!
You were right to chastize me.....
I was not gracious in my response to Manc!!!
I have apologized to him.
A few more vowels and it will be an actual word.
They’ve recently thrown in an “I” for “intersex”, whatever that means... and that isn’t covered by one of the previous letters.
I saw that movie, but the Ex-lax comment was way older than that movie....................
In what forum? Oregon State Court?? FEDERAL Court??? (We know what would happen in the latter, don't we?)
Cordially,
Why not just use the word that covers the entire acronym - PERVERT.
These people were not denied service. They were not kicked out of the establishment. If they asked for a birthday cake, a retirement cake, or a dozen sweet rolls to take into work for their fellow employees they would have gotten them.
If one of their heterosexual friends came in to purchase the cake for the homosexual couple, they would have been denied as well. The sexual orientation of the customer does not matter - it is only the event.
Events do not have rights, only citizens.
“sooner [hopefully] or later, the queers and their promoters will run across someone who understands that $135k is equivelent to attempted murder “
I shudder to think what I would do.
No joke.
And yet, most of the state is conservative!
Boycott Oregon and you’ll be harming the many millions of conservatives who despise the Left-wing takeover of their state...
Ed
(In rural Southwest Oregon)
“the LGBTQIA movement
Five letters isn’t enough anymore? I give up.” There is always a new perversion to be discovered, there may not be enough letters in the Alphabet to cover them all.
Why do we care?
I wore an earring, it was a hoop. I have 2 tattoos. I used to have long hair.
I am a Christian, and a Conservative.
These people are Christians under attack by a bureaucratic Napolean, tyrant.
Are we to consider less of them because they don’t look like Ward, and June Cleaver?
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