Posted on 07/06/2015 8:41:41 PM PDT by Faith Presses On
On Thursday, The Daily Signal published an article about Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) Commissioner Brad Avakian ordering Aaron and Melissa Klein, Christian bakers who had refused to make a wedding cake for a lesbian couple, to pay the couple $135,000 for “emotional” damages and issuing a gag order against the Kleins.
On Monday, Slate published an article criticizing The Daily Signal’s coverage headlined “No, Oregon Did Not ‘Gag’ That Anti-Gay Bakery.” While that’s a great, provocative headline, Slate’s headline is simply not true.
(snip)
Slate’s Mark Joseph Stern writes:
Rather than fine the Kleins further, [Oregon Labor Commissioner Brad] Avakian wrote that the couple must ’cease and desist’ stating that Sweet Cakes would continue to turn away gay couples. As individuals, the Kleins may declare that Oregon’s anti-discrimination law should not protect gay couples. But when speaking publicly about the future of their own business, they must not opine that they will maintain a policy of anti-gay discrimination.
But here’s what Stern overlooks: Commissioner Avakian recites in detail the statements the Kleins made that he is upset about and that his agency claims violate Oregon law. What led to his “cease and desist” order is the key to understanding why it’s accurately called a gag order that prevents the Kleins from speaking about their faith and their intent to “stay strong” and fight this harassment by the Oregon state government.
For example, on page 23 and 24 of Avakian’s Order, his agency claims that the following statements in an interview on the Christian Broadcasting Network on Sept. 2, 2013 violate Oregon law:
A. Klein: “I didn’t want to be a part of her marriage, which I think is wrong.” M. Klein: “I am who I am and I want to live my life the way I want to live my life and, you know, I choose to serve God.” A. Klein: “It’s one of those things where you never want to see something you’ve put so much work into go belly up, but on the other hand, I have faith in the Lord and he’s taken care of us up to this point and I’m sure he will in the future.”
(snip)
this guy is not a judge when did politicians get the power to levy fines and gag orders...
“this guy is not a judge when did politicians get the power to levy fines and gag orders...’
That’s my question. As an agency head he can likely impose the fine but not the gag order.
[[As individuals, the Kleins may declare that Oregon’s anti-discrimination law should not protect gay couples. But when speaking publicly about the future of their own business, they must not opine that they will maintain a policy of anti-gay discrimination.]]
Hmmm, when is avakian’s ‘Rules and regulations related to acceptable public speech’ coming out so that we’ll all know what to say and what not to when speaking publicly?
I surely ohpe the bakery is IGNORING this blatant assault on their first amendment rights?
Thank you...was wondering that same thing myself.
It seems like this order says they can openly oppose same-sex marriage, as long as they aren’t discussing their business in any way.
“they must not opine that they will maintain a policy of anti-gay discrimination.”
Thought crime. Coming to a city near you.
This whole situation reeks like week-old halibut. The owners got hosed by the courts (so much for the 8th Amendment and “excessive fines”), a rival baker sabotaged the GoFundMe started to keep this family of seven from financial ruin, and now the state is trying to silence these two souls from proclaiming their faith and their views on the matter.
No fair-minded person should feel anything but disgust and fear at the iron-fisted manner at which the state has attempted to destroy the owners of this bakery. Every citizen, regardless of their views, ought to be chilled to the core by this naked exercise of power against two people whose only “crime” is to hold firm to their conscience.
THEY ARE ignoring it...
Brad Avakian, is an outspoken supporter of same sex marriage and said previously that his goal is to “rehabilitate” businesses that do not comply.
http://www.oregonlive.com/gresham/index.ssf/2013/08/lesbian_couple_refused_wedding.html
bill o really criticizing trump tonight on his show- claiming trump was essentially painting every Mexican as bad, and claiming that ‘many hispanics’ coming across the border are ‘good people’ (But leaving out the FACT that these ‘good people’ are escaping economic hardships in mexico and IMMEDIATELY causing severe economic hardships here I nthe states
Nearly 75% of immigrants, both legal and illegal, are on government assistance- some to the tune of nearly $45,000 a year.
Illegals ARE costing our country over $200 BILLION dollars a year (When all the devastation and welfare and assistances they receive, plus the loss of money from them not paying taxes, and sending OUR money back over boarder into mexico, are taken into consideration.
It’s amazing that politicians in the government can’t seem to find anym oney to keep OUR most vulnerable and needy citizens, elderly, disabled, and veterans supplied with a livable income, but we can find all kinds of money for ILLEGALS and to pay the for the damage they do here- murdering, rapes, thefts, etc etc, not to mention drugs- Some estimate that the costs could be as much as $400 BILLION dollars PER YEAR
IF anything, Trump isn’t hitting the GOP and Dmocrats nearly hard enough on the issue- ILLEGALS are bankrupting this country- And it’s high time that a fearless politician start slamming home this FACT UNAPOLOGETICALLY
I am no fan of trumps- but on this issue at least he is spot on
I hope so, and I hope businesses in Oregon are coming to their aid and standing with them too-
Doh- wrong thread about trump- please ignore- brain fart I guesss
The undesirables must be identified and removed. They stink and are a blot on our progressive society. But, let’s do it legally. Then in the name of law, we can mark them, shut down their businesses, force them out of work, pack them up and ship them off to the camps so we don’t have to see them, and where work will set them free.
They don’t exist. What happens to them in the camps is irrelevant; as long as our progressive brave new world does not have to see them or acknowledge their existence or non-existence.
Yes re-education.
I am not sure why “anti-gay” has becomes some sort of slur. Is it a slur to be anti-terrorist or anti-rape or anti-crime or anti-anything else that is wrong? The right has stupidly allowed the left to write the cultural dictionary definitions.
I almost stepped in a pile of Avakian the other day.
Such inconsiderate leftists, don’t they have the decency to clean up after themselves?
Avakian needs to be ignored. I wonder if. these folks get a bunch of supporters with them when Avakian Hitler tries to have them arrested. This could be very interesting.
Actually no problem. It’s not really off-topic at all in many ways. I’m not pleased to be in agreement with Donald Trump either and find it troubling that he’s leading on the matter, but believe our government is knowingly and deliberately participating in, encouraging and fostering all sorts of crime with this, from tempting poor people to break laws while winking at them, to promoting organized crime in smuggling operations (which often involve other criminal enterprises), (and how do the poorest of people pay thousands to get smuggled in?), to fraud and false document production, the stealing of social security numbers, and then also tempting/pressuring business people to also break the law and hire illegal immigrants, or else face economic consequences.The media won’t honestly report on anything related to illegal immigration either.
Maybe some domestic Islamist cold be told that Avakian drew a cartoon of Mohammed. Could make life interesting for a totalitarian thug like him
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