"The government exists to protect and respect our freedoms, not attack them," Tedesco added. "The city cannot erase these fundamental freedoms and replace them with government coercion and intolerance.That sounds nice, but this battle between religion and government is scheduled to be fought on the government's turf, and the only freedoms the government will protect and respect are those that the judge decides are worth protecting and respecting.
Some Mormon by the name of Reynolds argued a religious freedom to polygamous marriage. SCOTUS essentially said that in a contest between religion and government, decided on the government's turf (the courts), the government MUST prevail. Naturally, there has to be a difference of opinion whether or not the practice should be respected and protected, otherwise the contest doesn't occur.
The government has pretty clearly said it opposes those who act in a way that exposes intolerance of homosexual marriage.
At any rate, the government bloody well can erase fundamental freedoms and replace them with government coercion. That is a contest of wills and brute force.
I suggest Title 18 USC §§241-242 apply and would like to see these cases tried as such... and start seeing these judges going to JAIL:
18 U.S. Code § 241 - Conspiracy against rights
If two or more persons conspire to injure, oppress, threaten, or intimidate any person in any State, Territory, Commonwealth, Possession, or District in the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to him by the Constitution or laws of the United States, or because of his having so exercised the same; orIf two or more persons go in disguise on the highway, or on the premises of another, with intent to prevent or hinder his free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege so secured—
They shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and if death results from the acts committed in violation of this section or if such acts include kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill, they shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for any term of years or for life, or both, or may be sentenced to death.
18 U.S. Code § 242 - Deprivation of rights under color of law
Whoever, under color of any law, statute, ordinance, regulation, or custom, willfully subjects any person in any State, Territory, Commonwealth, Possession, or District to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States, or to different punishments, pains, or penalties, on account of such person being an alien, or by reason of his color, or race, than are prescribed for the punishment of citizens, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both; and if bodily injury results from the acts committed in violation of this section or if such acts include the use, attempted use, or threatened use of a dangerous weapon, explosives, or fire, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and if death results from the acts committed in violation of this section or if such acts include kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill, shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned for any term of years or for life, or both, or may be sentenced to death.
Sounds pretty scary until you remember that WE ARE THE GOVERNMENT. And there are a lot more of "us" than there are of "them."
They cannot hope to prevail without our cooperation.