DENVER – Reaction to the U.S. Supreme Court’s 7-2 ruling in favor of Jack Phillips, the Masterpiece Cakeshop baker in Colorado who had refused to make a wedding cake for a gay couple:
“Today’s decision is a victory for all Americans regardless of religious affiliation as the Supreme Court reaffirmed the importance of religious freedom and freedom of conscience from government interference.” – Jeff Hunt, director of the Centennial Institute at Colorado Christian University.
“The court reversed the Masterpiece Cakeshop decision based on concerns unique to the case but reaffirmed its longstanding rule that states can prevent the harms of discrimination in the marketplace, including against LGBT people.” – Louise Melling, deputy legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union.
“This ruling stands as a clear and humbling rebuke to all those, inside and outside the Statehouse, who took the position this last session that the Colorado Civil Rights Commission can do no wrong, and that it always acts within appropriate legal and constitutional boundaries. It clearly does not.” – Senate President Kevin Grantham, R-Canon City.
“While I’m disappointed that we didn’t see a clear decision in support of civil rights today, it’s important to recognize that this is a narrow holding, and our statewide protections against discrimination are still the law of the land. Colorado has a long history of defending civil rights, and now more than ever we must stand firm and continue providing protections against discrimination.” – Colorado House Speaker Crisanta Duran, D-Denver.
“Jack Phillips was wrongly persecuted by the Colorado Civil Rights Commission. I will work next session to insert additional guardrails into law so that CCRC doesn’t harm people of faith again.” – state Rep. Dave Williams, R-Colorado Springs, on Twitter.
“The court found that the very body charged with protecting the rights of our citizens acted with hostility toward those rights in the Masterpiece Cakeshop case.” – state Sen. Bob Gardner, R-Colorado Springs.
“While I realize the court was balancing religious liberty with the rights of gay people to be free from discrimination in the public sphere, the court got this one wrong. Of course, I believe there should be no animosity toward religion in the public sphere. I don’t think there was any here.” – state Rep. Leslie Herod, D-Denver, on Twitter.
“Religion has not been legitimized as a license to discriminate. Don’t read too much into the outcome of this case.” – former state Sen. Pat Steadman, D-Denver, on Twitter.
