Supreme Court again rules in favor of religious freedom
A victory for freedom: The Supreme Court today ruled again that a business owner has the right to refuse service in cases where that service will violate their religious beliefs.
On Monday, the Supreme Court ruled that a Washington state court would have to reconsider its ruling against a florist who served a gay couple for over ten years but would not do their wedding flowers. The Supreme Court’s decision was catalyzed by their ruling in the Masterpiece Cakeshop case in which they ruled for Colorado baker Jack Phillips.
As noted, this decision was strengthened by Court’s earlier ruling in connection with a bakery that refused to bake a cake for a homosexual wedding. The new ruling further confirms that earlier ruling.
Both rulings also clearly imply that a constitutional approval exists should a restaurant owner decide they wish to refuse service to someone because that owner disagrees with the customer’s political beliefs, as happened this past weekend to Trump administration press secretary Sandra Sanders. I agree. Freedom says a business owner should have this freedom.
The public likewise should have the freedom to condemn the business and its refusal of service, whether it be a restaurant, bakery, or florist. If the denial of service results in lost sales, that will also be an expression of freedom. Freedom carries risk. It requires personal responsibility. Business owners must recognize that any time they deny services for political or religious reasons, they might find they have hurt their business. So be it.
In all cases however the government must not be involved, which is what made actions against the Christian bakers and florists and photographers so egregious. It wasn’t the market and freedom making a judgement, it was government officials with their own political agendas. Thank goodness the Supreme Court has acted to shut this down.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
A victory for freedom: The Supreme Court today ruled again that a business owner has the right to refuse service in cases where that service will violate their religious beliefs.
On Monday, the Supreme Court ruled that a Washington state court would have to reconsider its ruling against a florist who served a gay couple for over ten years but would not do their wedding flowers. The Supreme Court’s decision was catalyzed by their ruling in the Masterpiece Cakeshop case in which they ruled for Colorado baker Jack Phillips.
As noted, this decision was strengthened by Court’s earlier ruling in connection with a bakery that refused to bake a cake for a homosexual wedding. The new ruling further confirms that earlier ruling.
Both rulings also clearly imply that a constitutional approval exists should a restaurant owner decide they wish to refuse service to someone because that owner disagrees with the customer’s political beliefs, as happened this past weekend to Trump administration press secretary Sandra Sanders. I agree. Freedom says a business owner should have this freedom.
The public likewise should have the freedom to condemn the business and its refusal of service, whether it be a restaurant, bakery, or florist. If the denial of service results in lost sales, that will also be an expression of freedom. Freedom carries risk. It requires personal responsibility. Business owners must recognize that any time they deny services for political or religious reasons, they might find they have hurt their business. So be it.
In all cases however the government must not be involved, which is what made actions against the Christian bakers and florists and photographers so egregious. It wasn’t the market and freedom making a judgement, it was government officials with their own political agendas. Thank goodness the Supreme Court has acted to shut this down.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
Political convictions should not be placed in the same category as religious convictions. The Sarah Sanders incident is pure discrimination as much as if it was to race.
IIRC, the suit in WA was brought by the AG, however, the AG took no action against a coffee shop in Seattle that refused to serve Christians and were on video tape saying a lot of bigoted things about Christians. Since this blog doesn’t allow for profanity, I can’t say the things they wanted to do to Jesus and each other while the Christians watched.
People can have a principled disagreement over their personal beliefs about what marriage is without being hateful to each other. Having different views on marriage used to be very common without all the hatred from the left we see toward people with different beliefs today.
The flower shop case demonstrated people with differing beliefs on marriage not motivated by hate for gay people. The case about the coffee shop was all about hatred and bigotry not civil disagreement over any specific thing.
My understanding is that the Court’s reasoning was that the lawsuit was brought not by the potential customer who would be the party harmed but by state of Washington and the ACLU which had no connection with the transaction. The lawyer who commented on TV said that was why it was remanded to the Washington Court for reconsideration and that she believed the case could well be back before the court, I’m assuming with the customer as the plaintiff. >>> It was interesting that the kerfuffle started because the customer’s partner used social media to complain about this “harm”. >>> Good to know that world peace thing is under control so we can pay attention to this…
In the Obama administration, his elite officers were all hired based upon their bias against conservatives and Republicans and their willingness to stretch the laws in favor of the progressive “means to an end” that they viewed as a better society for everyone… Especially the children… and their portfolio. Obviously they do not wish that everyone play by their biased rules.
I can see how this would expedite any problems that will arise because everyone is on the same page, like hiring only foxes to control the henhouse. Roosters on the board with the foxes would only cause problems and delays, even though the roosters were looking out for the hens, they too have their own agenda.
Should this type of administrative powers exist If it hurts the country? Can trump use the same powers to install favoritism to make America great again in his own image?
The power to do great evil is the same power to do great good. The difference is in the eye of the beholders sense of morality.
Perhaps means testing of the individual to be sure they have the knowledge and patriotism for the higher purpose in government office. unfortunately, power always attracts the corruptible. The growing amount of lobbyists is more than enough proof.
Perhaps the solution is to force government to live by what it preaches. No exemptions from the law in spirit and in deed.
No one has the right to force you to work. This is slavery. Not working also means not eating, so working is in your best interest.
Speaking of government abuse, why is the IRS still punishing conservatives? So much power in the right hands too enticing? Is the criminal organization too entrenched? The cancer too large to remove without killing the patient? Who lobbies for Justice?
Living with strong personal bias has its rewards, and of course, it’s consequences. I would suggest for anyone who is getting married to be very biased in your selection and you will be well rewarded.