Friday, January 23, 2015

Colorado baker faces complaint for refusing anti-gay message on cake


A dispute over a cake in Colorado raises a new question about gay rights and religious freedom: If bakers can be fined for refusing to serve married gay couples, can they also be punished for declining to make a cake with anti-gay statements? 

A baker in suburban Denver who refused to make a cake for a same-sex wedding is fighting a legal order requiring him to serve gay couples even though he argued that would violate his religious beliefs.

But now a separate case puts a twist in the debate over discrimination in public businesses, and it underscores the tensions that can arise when religious freedom intersects with a growing acceptance of gay couples.

Marjorie Silva, owner of Denver's Azucar Bakery, is facing a complaint from a customer alleging she discriminated against his religious beliefs.

According to Silva, the man who visited last year wanted a Bible-shaped cake, which she agreed to make. Just as they were getting ready to complete the order, Silva said the man showed her a piece of paper with hateful words about gays that he wanted written on the cake. He also wanted the cake to have two men holding hands and an X on top of them, Silva said.
She said she would make the cake, but declined to write his suggested messages on the cake, telling him she would give him icing and a pastry bag so he could write the words himself. Silva said the customer didn't want that. [...]

3 comments:

  1. There was an issue a f few years ago with a shoprite bakery. Employee refusing to write happy birthday hitler on a cake. Turned out his son was named hitler. He complained and dyfs (nj child protection services) eventually took away his children from hin. And shoprite was considered proper in its actions, but i don't think that part of the case was fully litigated.

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  2. The_Original_Bored_LawyerJanuary 25, 2015 at 8:20 PM

    Goose meet gander.

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  3. Actually, if a website edits content, it loses its immunity from various lawsuits including libel / slander. Is this proper government interference?

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