“It does not have to be a legal constitutional matter. But the effect on the man is the same. He is silenced and afraid.”
That is my point, it’s not a constitutional issue. And yes, the man was silenced. It’s wrong, but it’s a societal issue, not a legal issue. The current American society is ok with persecuting people who don’t celebrate gays. It’s revolting, disgusting, and wrong, but it isn’t a first amendment issue.
Agreed. This is an issue which will not be resolved via the machinations of constitutional rubrics: the legislative process, the courts, etc. Which does beg the question are we at the point where society, having divorced the societal from the constitutional, we are to seek resolution via extra-constitutional means? I think so. The constitution was not meant for such people which means the only other avenue is to devolve into a kind of tribal factionalism and take this issue to the streets.