I would also like to reiterate what we said in the hearing or the last meeting. Freedom of religion and religion has been used to justify all kinds of discrimination throughout history, whether it be slavery, whether it be the holocaust, whether it be—I mean, we—we can list hundreds of situations where freedom of religion has been used to justify discrimination. And to me it is one of the most despicable pieces of rhetoric that people can use to—to use their religion to hurt others.

Jack Phillips is the Colorado cake shop owner who was sued by the state's civil rights commission for not baking a cake for a gay wedding in 2012. The case went all the way to the Supreme Court where Phillips won his appeal against the civil rights commission by 7-2. In that decision, Justice Kennedy drew a clear line in the sand against the radical cultural left. In his decision he singled out a statement by Commissioner Diann Rice:

And here was Justice Kennedy’s response:

To describe a man’s faith as “one of the most despicable pieces of rhetoric that people can use” is to disparage his religion in at least two distinct ways: by describing it as despicable, and also by characterizing it as merely rhetorical — something insubstantial and even insincere. . . . This sentiment is inappropriate for a Commission charged with the solemn responsibility of fair and neutral enforcement of Colorado’s antidiscrimination law — a law that protects discrimination on the basis of religion as well as sexual orientation.

But the commission didn't give up. Phillips refused to bake a cake for a "gender transition" celebration and was promptly called on the carpet and sued again by the commission. But the Phillips' case has been championed for the last 6 1/2 years by the Alliance Defending Freedom and yesterday, the Colorado Civil Rights Commission dropped their complaint against Phillips after AFD dug up some blatantly anti-religious statements by several commissioners.

AFD:

“The state of Colorado is dismissing its case against Jack, stopping its six and a half years of hostility toward him for his beliefs,” said ADF Senior Vice President of U.S. Legal Division Kristen Waggoner, who argued on behalf of Phillips at the U.S. Supreme Court. “Jack’s victory is great news for everyone. Tolerance and respect for good-faith differences of opinion are essential in a diverse society like ours. They enable us to peacefully coexist with each another. But the state’s demonstrated and ongoing hostility toward Jack because of his beliefs is undeniable.”



The fact that one commissioner called Phillips a “hater” on Twitter was already publicly known. But a Colorado state legislator recently disclosed that he spoke in November 2018 to a current commissioner who expressed the belief that “there is anti-religious bias on the Commission.” And just last week, ADF attorneys uncovered statements from a 2018 public meeting in which two commissioners voiced their support for comments that a previous commissioner, Diann Rice, made in 2015. Those comments, which the U.S. Supreme Court sternly condemned in its ruling in favor of Phillips last year, called religious freedom “a despicable piece of rhetoric.”



At the June 22, 2018, public meeting, members of the commission discussed the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling. During that discussion, Commissioner Rita Lewis said, “I support Commissioner Diann Rice and her comments. I don’t think she said anything wrong.” Later, Commissioner Carol Fabrizio added, “I also very much stand behind Commissioner Rice’s statements…. I was actually proud of what she said, and I agree with her…. I’m almost glad that something the Commissioner said ended up public and used, because I think it was the right thing.”

Phillips' prosecution was not a random happenstance. He was targeted by radical activists:

The prosecution of Phillips that the commission has decided to drop began after an attorney who targeted Phillips complained to the state about the cake artist’s decision not to create a cake designed pink on the inside and blue on the outside to reflect and celebrate a gender transition. The attorney who requested that cake later asked Phillips to design a cake with satanic themes and images.



“We’re pleased that the state will be dismissing its case against Jack,” said Waggoner. “This is the second time the state has launched a failed effort to prosecute him. While it finally appears to be getting the message that its anti-religious hostility has no place in our country, the state’s decision to target Jack has cost him more than six-and-a-half years of his life, forcing him to spend that time tied up in legal proceedings.”



“We hope that the state is done going along with obvious efforts to harass Jack,” added ADF Senior Counsel Jim Campbell. “He shouldn’t be driven out of business just because some people disagree with his religious beliefs and his desire to live consistently with them. We look forward to the day when Jack doesn’t have to fear government punishment for his faith or harassment from people who oppose his beliefs.”

Opposition to gay marriage and gender transition on religious grounds are not "just like slavery" as we've been told time and again. Jack Phillips will go down in history for his principled stand. It cost him much:

“When I set out to build my dream of opening my own cake shop, combining my love for art and baking in a family business, I never imagined this chapter would be part of the Masterpiece Cakeshop story,” said Phillips. “I have and will always serve everyone who comes into my shop; I simply can’t celebrate events or express messages that conflict with my religious beliefs. The Supreme Court affirmed that government hostility against people of faith is unconstitutional, and that Colorado was hostile to my faith. That hostility cost me 40 percent of my business and the wedding work that I love to do.”

Will the Colorado Civil Rights Commission now leave Phillips alone? You'd like to think so, but that second prosecution of Phillips does not bode well for him. They may continue to harass Phillips because that's what these leftist culture warriors do. You will be made to care regardless of your most cherished personal beliefs, or you will be punished.