In a widely-watched case involving free speech, a Colorado state appeals court has ruled against baker Jack Phillips who declined a request to make a cake celebrating a gender transition.
The Colorado Court of Appeals ruled that the cake Autumn Scardina requested from Phillips and his Masterpiece Cakeshop is not a form of speech.
Phillips refuses to make cakes that express messages that violate his Christian beliefs. After spending more than a decade in court fighting for those beliefs, he’s enduring yet another lawsuit from activists.
Attorneys with Alliance Defending Freedom, a nonprofit religious rights law firm, have indicated that they plan to appeal the decision to the Colorado Supreme Court.
“Free speech is for everyone. No one should be forced to express a message that violates their core beliefs,” ADF Senior Counsel Jake Warner said in a statement. “Over a decade ago, Colorado officials began targeting Jack, misusing state law to force him to say things he does not believe. Then an activist attorney continued that crusade. This cruelty must stop. One need not agree with Jack’s views to agree that all Americans should be free to say what they believe, even if the government disagrees with those beliefs.”
Colorado appeals court sides with activist who demanded that Jack Phillips, owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop, create a cake of Satan smoking marijuana and one celebrating a “gender transition.”
This cruelty must stop. Jack is appealing. @ADFLegal
— Greg Scott (@GScottSays) January 26, 2023
ADF Senior Vice President of Communications Greg Scott also tweeted, “Colorado appeals court sides with activist who demanded that Jack Phillips, owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop, create a cake of Satan smoking marijuana and one celebrating a ‘gender transition.’ This cruelty must stop. Jack is appealing. @ADFLegal.”
Reprinted with permission from cbn.com. Copyright © 2023 The Christian Broadcasting Network Inc. All rights reserved.“
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