[erlayman]

Reasonable people can and do agree they broke the law, but fining a small business that amount is grandstanding. The Oregon law provides an exemption for religious organizations and schools, but does not allow private businesses to discriminate or deny service based on sexual orientation. I don’t agree but that doesn’t mean there shouldn’t be a minimal penalty.

[PubliusMM]

“Reasonable people can and do agree they broke the law...”

What? No. Reasonable people do NOT agree they broke the law.
Reasonable people DO agree that this ‘law’ is absurd, and anti-Constitutional.
A merchant should always be free to refuse service to anyone. The free market will decide if he or she has a viable business enterprise. It doesn’t take government to tell us what to sell, to whom it should be sold, or what to charge.

[freedomfiter2]

Of course there shouldn’t be a penalty. It’s an unjust law
.

[cuban leaf]

The Oregon law provides an exemption for religious organizations and schools, but does not allow private businesses to discriminate or deny service based on sexual orientation.

---

That is unconstitutional. Equal protection and all that. You don’t give up your first amendment rights to make a living in this country.

[BykrBayb]

No, reasonable people do not agree that they broke the law, nor that they should be punished.

[Texas Yellow Rose]

I don’t believe that ignorance of the Oregon law is an excuse for these people. ... The penalty is out of the park. They probably don’t have $135,000 invested in the business if you discount them personally. Pain and suffering in this case is a crock....

[farming pharmer]

Reasonable people can and do agree they broke the law, but fining a small business that amount is grandstanding. The Oregon law provides an exemption for religious organizations and schools, but does not allow private businesses to discriminate or deny service based on sexual orientation. I don’t agree but that doesn’t mean there shouldn’t be a minimal penalty.

Homosexulaity is a behavior, not a civil right. What other types of behavior should business owners be forced to 'tolerate'? Pedophilia? People who have sex with goats?

[bgill]

Call me unreasonable. They were intentionally set up and targeted by both the fudgers and the Commissioner. Never heard of a commissioner being judge and jury. How dare he 'rehabilitate' those whose beliefs do not conform to the state's ideas. It should never have gotten this far and wouldn't have if We the People had a Constitution that was followed.

[sten]

Reasonable people can and do agree they broke the law

sorry, no. if the company was a public company, there'd be a case. but since the company was privately held, the owner can chose when, where and for whom he is willing to apply his trade.

[Sequoyah101]

Even soldiers have the right to disobey an unlawful order... Why do we not have the right to disobey an unjust or unlawful law that conflicts with our God given convictions.

You offend me... I think you should be fined and if that does not correct your offensive ways I think you should be imprisoned and stopped.

Looney libs from Oregon... what a beautiful cesspool.

[Moltke]

You are 100% correct, but it seems some commenters refuse to recognize the fact that it is (unfortunately) a law in the state of Oregon, however stupid the law may be, and if they acted against the law they broke it. That is step one.

Step two is doing something against that stupid law.