It’s no surprise to us that religious freedom continues to face significant attacks nationwide. In case you’ve missed this news, following are updates on several cases making recent headlines.
Colorado: A local baker lost his appeal at the Colorado Court of Appeals and is now forced to bake cakes for same-sex weddings, should those requests arise. The courts wrongly say that the baker is discriminating. What the baker is really doing is deciding at what event he would like to use his artistic talents – a right that every American should enjoy. The baker was on The Kelly File a couple weeks ago.
Colorado: The Denver City Council has delayed consideration of a lease for Chick-fil-A to operate inside of Denver International Airport because of the company’s opposition to same-sex marriage. Yes, you read that correctly. The Denver City Council is not looking at the economic benefits of welcoming Chick-fil-A to the airport, but at the company’s beliefs on the issue of marriage.
Kentucky: A volunteer chaplain in the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice had his credentials revoked because he could not sign a state-mandated document promising that he would never tell inmates that homosexuality is sinful. Also, federal courts have refused to accommodate the religious beliefs of Kentucky county clerks who declined to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Thousands of people rallied in support of the clerks last week.
Ohio: The Ohio State Supreme Court’s Board of Professional Conduct decreed that judges cannot cite their religious beliefs when deciding which marriages to perform. According to the order, a judge who performs opposite-sex marriages must also perform same-sex marriages.
These cases offer more proof that religious freedom is being undermined across the country, with many more examples expected in the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on same-sex marriage.
[ Please visit http://www.azpolicy.org/ for more information and ways to voice your feelings. ]
issued by Cathi Herrod, Center for Arizona Policy President – August 28, 2015
