In Oregon, a couple is being fined over $100,000 and being given a gag order not to comment on their case of refusing to bake a cake for a gay wedding.
There is also a lien on their house, so they might literally lose their home.
Do I agree with their beliefs? No. But they have every fucking right to choose who they bake a cake for, what they will put on that cake, and to refuse to bake a cake for anyone for any reason. I don’t give a fuck who you are, you don’t deserve special treatment
FUN FACT: You know why they’re paying that 135k fine? Not because they denied someone a cake. It’s not just that. They gave out the couples personal contact information. Their home address, phone numbers, and emails. This couple received death threats and nearly lost their foster children.
You know what that bakery got? A little bit of bad publicity (I use that lightly because their bakery has been blasted up and down the news pages and then some), and some protesters outside. This isn’t to say however that they didn’t have the full support of their own community who are constantly counter protesting and – if I remember correctly – raising funds for the Kleins.
In Oregon it is illegal (per The Oregon Equality Act of 2007) to refuse services & goods based on sexual orientation, race, sex, disability, age or religion). There are exceptions if you are religious school or organization. But Sweet Cakes by Melissa is a privately owned business and are not a registered / legitimate religious organization.
This isn’t a newly passed law. It’s been around since 2007. That’s eight years. It wasn’t even a change made after they had opened. Sweet Cakes is a business that opened in 2013. How you open a business and not know how the law works is beyond me. But people do amazing and incredulous things every day.
Also there was no “gag-order”. The owners – Melissa and Aaron – are free to discuss and publicize their case as much as they please. However they have been told that they cannot continue to broadcast that they plan to continue to deny services to same sex couples. Which, once again, is illegal in the state of Oregon. It would probably do them many favors not to discuss their plans to break the law.
There’s so much false information floating around out there regarding this case. It’s really important to have all the facts.
THIIIIIIIS. The couple received DEATH THREATS and people threatened their CHILDREN. I would be asking for way more than 135k, tbh.
OP is religious but ok with outright lying about this case? Ok.
