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| Bad news for the bigoted Oregon bakery | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Feb 3 2015, 09:52 PM (108 Views) | |
| Tybee | Feb 3 2015, 09:52 PM Post #1 |
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The owners of an Oregon bakery who turned away a lesbian couple who sought a wedding cake violated the state's anti-discrimination laws, state officials announced Feb. 2. The Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries ruled that Aaron and Melissa Klein, who own Sweet Cakes by Melissa in Gresham, will have to pay the lesbian couple up to $150,000, USA Today is reporting. The final amount is set to be determined at a March 10 hearing, according to the report. Bureau spokesman Charlie Burr said in a statement cited by Reuters that although Oregon law provides an exemption for religious institutions, it "does not allow private businesses to discriminate based on sexual orientation, just as they cannot legally deny service based on race, sex, age, disability or religion." He added, "The bakery is not a religious institution under the law." Attorney Paul Thompson, who is advising the lesbian couple, told OregonLive that he was happy with the ruling, noting, "The entire time, I felt the law was very much on our side because the law is black and white." Meanwhile, Anna Harmon, the Kleins' lawyer, called the ruling "wrong and dangerous," and added, "Americans should not have to choose between adhering to their faith or closing their business, but that is what this decision means." In October, the Kleins told The Daily Signal that a large fine from the state would “definitely” be enough to bankrupt the couple and their five children. Meanwhile, footage of Melissa Klein's emotional speech about the case at the Values Voter Summit in Washington, D.C. went viral in the blogosphere around the same time. The Kleins, who shuttered their bakery storefront in September 2013 but still takes orders online, offered the following image on the company's official Facebook page: At the time of the 2013 incident, Aaron Klein argued that he and Melissa were simply living in accordance with their religious beliefs by rejecting the lesbian couple's request. "I believe that marriage is a religious institution ordained by God," Klein is quoted as saying at the time. "I'd rather have my kids see their dad stand up for what he believes in than to see him bow down because one person complained." With more U.S. states implementing same-sex marriage legislation, bakeries have become an unlikely battleground for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights in recent months. In January, the owner of a Colorado-based bakery was slapped with a religious discrimination complaint after she refused to bake a cake decorated with anti-gay images and phrases. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/03/sweet-cakes-by-melissa-violation-_n_6604526.html?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000592 |
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| Guest | Feb 3 2015, 10:22 PM Post #2 |
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You say bigoted, i say business owners making choices for THEIR business. The lesbians are just cry babies because they didn't get their way. Business owners and not the government should have the say about their business. What did the lesbians have invested in the business? NOTHING. |
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| Guest | Feb 4 2015, 12:00 AM Post #3 |
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R2 misses the days of separate drinking fountains. |
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| Tybee | Feb 4 2015, 10:10 AM Post #4 |
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Duly noted #2. But as the old saying goes, if you don't like the law call your representative and tell him or her you want it changed. Until that happens everyone has to follow the same set of laws. That's something most conservatives don't understand since you only seem to get upset with laws that benefit those you don't like. When they benefit you and the other side complains, well, it's a horse of a different color. Sorry, but this is one case where you can't have your cake and eat it too. Edited by Tybee, Feb 4 2015, 10:13 AM.
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| Guest | Feb 4 2015, 12:04 PM Post #5 |
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When voters get to actually vote on laws fine. When some appointed judge makes laws no. Imbecile judges can very well have mental issues or an ax to grind. That's why voters need to vote and it should be majority rules, not minority rules. I feel empathy for these bakery owners, now if they only have to pay the lesbians one dollar I'll be a happy camper and think there may be some hope for the west coast. |
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| Tybee | Feb 4 2015, 12:26 PM Post #6 |
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I may be wrong, but I know of no state that allows judges to set law. Laws are written by the Congress of each state. If the voters don't like the laws their representatives write they can vote them out when re-election time comes around. Judges don't get involved until a lawsuit is filed contesting a law requiring them to administrate and rule as to the law's legitimacy or constitutionality. If a lower court judge makes a ruling that people don't approve of they have only to appeal to a higher court. If anyone in Oregon felt the law covering this case was unconstitutional they've had due time to contest it in court. It would seem that either no one has attempted or been successful in getting this law set aside or changed. That would indicate the majority of people in the state of Oregon approve of the law. Ergo, tough cheese for the 2 bigoted bakers. May their dough never rise until they see the light and decide to act like civilized human beings. Edited by Tybee, Feb 4 2015, 12:27 PM.
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| Guest | Feb 4 2015, 02:45 PM Post #7 |
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This case is far from over.
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2015/02/sweet_cakes_by_melissa_discrim.html Yes how were the lesbians damaged. |
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| Tybee | Feb 4 2015, 04:08 PM Post #8 |
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I have to wonder what you would do if you went into a car dealership in your home state and the salesman said "I'm not selling a car to a fag", or you wanted to join a church and were told "we don't accept queers in our church". Would you be as conciliatory toward those people as you are toward the two bigoted bakers in Oregon? That is if you are indeed gay. You've never really said you were or weren't on this board, but considering you have sought out and participate in multiple online gay forums I have always assumed you are. But let's just say for the sake of the argument, you are. If you were treated in that manner for something you have absolutely no power to change, would you still be so forgiving? |
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| Guest | Feb 4 2015, 05:02 PM Post #9 |
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People have all kinds of bias. Aged, unattractive, skin color. the way someone talks, the area one is from, discrimination comes in all forms. What I am against is gays and lesbians that take the either you're with us, if not you're against us attitude. They feel there is no middle ground. Many gays want scortched earth. We are talking small business, these lesbians knew about this bakery, just as ones that call B & B's and etc. and when are turned away sue. You know as well as I do gays are well organized and know all about these places. We have common ground on so many things but my opinions on small businesses and transexuals are well known. |
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| Tybee | Feb 4 2015, 05:44 PM Post #10 |
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Well, you stand by your word, so I guess I can't fault you for that. |
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