Toledo, July 1, 2023 — The Secular Humanists of Western Lake Erie are very disÂapÂpointÂed in the rulÂing on June 30 by the US Supreme Court in the 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis case. It is wrong that reliÂgious beliefs now trump all othÂer rights to full pubÂlic busiÂness accomÂmoÂdaÂtions and allow disÂcrimÂiÂnaÂtion of peoÂple in a proÂtectÂed class.
The court said that requirÂing the graphÂic designÂer to make wedÂding webÂsites for same-sex couÂples was an unconÂstiÂtuÂtionÂal vioÂlaÂtion of her first amendÂment rights because the creÂation would be seen as an endorseÂment of someÂthing her reliÂgious beliefs proÂhibÂit.
We don’t believe requirÂing busiÂness ownÂers not to disÂcrimÂiÂnate against cusÂtomers in proÂtectÂed classÂes makes the perÂson or busiÂness endorse someÂthing against their reliÂgious beliefs. At the end of the day they can still not approve of same-sex marÂriages. If a busiÂness can’t bring itself to serve cusÂtomers from the proÂtectÂed classÂes then they need not be a pubÂlic busiÂness.
We are also conÂcerned about the unpreceÂdentÂed proÂtecÂtion the court grantÂed to a reliÂgious perÂson. They ruled on a case that didÂn’t include any actuÂal harm. The plainÂtiff wasÂn’t creÂatÂing wedÂding webÂsites when she filed the lawÂsuit and there is some quesÂtion that the LGBT cusÂtomer writÂten about in her case was made up. Secular peoÂple who claim their reliÂgious freeÂdom was vioÂlatÂed, like for examÂple chalÂlengÂing 10 Commandment statÂues on court house lawns, are disÂmissed because the mere presÂence of the reliÂgious item or text isn’t an actuÂal harm accordÂing to fedÂerÂal courts.
The plainÂtiff agreed in court that she would sell her serÂvices to LGBTQ peoÂple, just not wedÂding webÂsite designs. So her reliÂgious beliefs are not absolute. How does makÂing a sign for a gay man not also seem to endorse his sexÂuÂal oriÂenÂtaÂtion?
The deciÂsion was capriÂcious and arbiÂtrary and gave speÂcial rights to reliÂgious peoÂple that are not allowed by anyÂone else. The Christian Nationalists have been bent on subÂvertÂing decades of church and state legal deciÂsions.
The US Supreme Court set back reliÂgious freeÂdom for many years.
For furÂther inforÂmaÂtion on this deciÂsion see: Supreme Court rules webÂsite designÂer can decline to creÂate same-sex wedÂding webÂsites
About Secular Humanists of Western Lake Erie
The misÂsion of the Secular Humanists of Western Lake Erie is to proÂvide a supÂportÂive local comÂmuÂniÂty for humanÂists and othÂer nonÂtheÂists, while proÂmotÂing an ethÂiÂcal, reaÂsonÂable, and secÂuÂlar approach to life through eduÂcaÂtion, comÂmuÂniÂty serÂvice, outÂreach, activism, and social events.
We enviÂsion a Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan where secÂuÂlar peoÂple are respectÂed and inteÂgratÂed in broadÂer sociÂety, live valÂues of reaÂson and comÂpasÂsion, and enjoy a friendÂly humanÂist comÂmuÂniÂty.