Sweet Cakes by Melissa, a bakery service with stores in both Gresham and Portland OR has refused to bake a lesbian couples wedding cake because they say “it’s against their beliefs” and that its “in the Constitution” has been slapped with a discrimination complaint from a lesbian couple who they refused service to but are standing strong that its their right to discriminate.
“Did Sweet Cakes owner Aaron Klein violate the law when he told the couple that he couldn’t sell them a cake because “they were abominations to the Lord?” That’s what Oregon Attorney General’s civil enforcement officers are looking into after one of the brides-to-be filed a complaint on Jan. 28. The woman who filed the complaint said she had previously bought a cake from Sweet Cakes for her mother’s wedding. It was fine. But when her partner went back for their wedding cake on Jan. 17, the owner refused.
Klein on Friday denied making the harsh statement, but admitted to a KATU reporter on camera that he did deny her service. “I apologized for wasting their time and said we don’t do same-sex marriages,” he said. I “honestly did not mean to hurt anybody, didn’t mean to make anybody upset, (it’s) just something I believe in very strongly.” But beliefs aren’t enough to cover him under state law. The Oregon Equality Act of 2007 prohibits discrimination against people based on their sexual orientation and gender identity. The statute includes public accommodations, such as businesses.”
Make no mistake about it this is not about religious freedom but it is about peoples religious beliefs onto those that do not share them. This is no different from a restaurant that refuses to serve people of color, or a hotel that refuses to give Jews a room, or a bar that will not serve women.
At the Sweet Cakes Facebook page the couple has been frantically deleting most negative comments and leaving those only from closed minded “Christian” bigots like themselves.
But hey kids. They can’t delete comments on YELP
Per Oregon law (§ 659A.403) regarding the prohibition of discrimination in a place of public accommodation, “…all persons within the jurisdiction of this state are entitled to the full and equal accommodations, advantages, facilities and privileges of any place of public accommodation, without any distinction, discrimination or restriction on account of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, marital status or age if the individual is 18 years of age or older. … It is an unlawful practice for any person to deny full and equal accommodations, advantages, facilities and privileges of any place of public accommodation in violation of this section.” See http://www.oregonlaws.org/ors/659A.403
I am organizing a demonstration outside of Sweet Cakes in Gresham this Saturday, February 9th, from 12 noon to approximately 3pm.
So far, I got at least 8 people committed to showing up, with more confirming by the hour.
I’m also looking for media contacts and would love to get some local celebrities there too to help get some exposure.
The purpose of the demonstration is not to be hateful, but to send a message to the business owners, the media, and local community in Gresham that Oregonians will not stand idly by and allow this kind of discrimination in our home!
I am especially hoping to recruit Christians, clergy, and people of all faiths to attend in order to demonstrate that many Christians and religious people support marriage equality and equal rights for LGBTQ.
If you would like to attend, have any questions, or would like to volunteer to help with organizing this demonstration, Please contact Rob at pdxroberto@yahoo.com.
Thanks!
“I would rather have my kids see their dad stand up for what he believes in, than have him bow down because one person complained.” There are thousands more than you know that complain about this. Stop hiding behind your religion and just admit that you are a bigot and a homophobe. You may be enjoying a “Chick-fillet” effect from this act of bigotry, but I can assure you, a month from now those who flocked to support you will not be bothered by your supposed martyrdom. 20 years from now, this will be just another embarrassing chapter in American civil rights history. You and your discriminatory stance will be used as an example to teach children in our country how we once were so hateful and bigoted. Is that the legacy you want to leave for your children? Meanwhile, those who stood up for civil rights and equality in this country will remember. And we will be proud of our actions to oppose you. Mark my words, this will not be forgotten.