On Friday, the Supreme Court released their ruling on 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis, a case involving the completely hypothetical situation of a straight homophobic bigot/web designer who didn’t want to design a website for a gay couple’s wedding. SCOTUS decided, in a 6-3 decision, that it’s every business’s right and every person’s right to discriminate against LGBTQIA+ people under the banner of “religion.” As in, if a business owner is a “Christian,” they have the right to not do work for gay folks. I would assume the next case will be: Christians shouldn’t have to work alongside Muslims, Hindus, Jewish people or atheists either. That it’s perfectly acceptable for Christians (and only Christians) to discriminate against anyone, at any time. This isn’t just about religion and gay rights though – I can already see where this will go effectively immediately – “Christian” doctors and pharmacists refusing treatment to women seeking birth control, Plan B and abortions.
As I said, the case was hypothetical – or to put it another way, it was an outright lie. The Colorado web designer who took her case to the Supreme Court claimed that a gay man wanted her to design a site for his gay wedding. Except the “gay man” who allegedly approached this woman isn’t gay and he never tried to hire her for anything. This homophobic bigot, Lorie Smith, completely fabricated the whole case and got the whackjob Supreme Court to side in her favor. It wasn’t even like they waited for a perfect “test case” – the hyper-conservative movement just blatantly lied to get SCOTUS to dramatically alter the anti-discrimination laws and equal protection.
Michael Imperioli responded to the news of the case by writing this on Instagram:
i’ve decided to forbid bigots and homophobes from watching The Sopranos, The White Lotus, Goodfellas or any movie or tv show I’ve been in. Thank you Supreme Court for allowing me to discriminate and exclude those who I don’t agree with and am opposed to. USA ! USA!
Good for him.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Instagram.
-
- HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA – OCTOBER 20: American actor Michael Imperioli arrives at the Los Angeles Premiere Of HBO’s Original Series ‘The White Lotus’ Season 2 held at Goya Studios on October 20, 2022 in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States.,Image: 732296510, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Michael Imperioli, Credit line: David Acosta / Image Press Agency / Avalon
Thank you, Michael!!
As the MAGA snakes crawl out of the woodwork, so do some of the really good ones. I hope to hear more like this.
Also, fuck this shit. So called “Christians” cannot pick and choose what mumbo-jumbo they want legally protected under the guide of freedom.
If this Lorie bigot at the heart of the case lied about the initial circumstances, is she facing any legal repercussions?
In order for this case to make it to SCOTUS in the first place, she must have lied under oath.
And I second everyone saying f$&@ this discriminatory BS. I’m so angry about this and the anti affirmative action decisions. And the fact that the court isn’t even pretending to be impartial anymore.
Don’t know about Lorie but I will be filing ethics complaints against the lawyers involved in this sham in the states where they are licensed and by “lawyers,” I mean those who represented Lorie, which includes the wife of Josh Hawley, and those who ruled in her favor in their jobs as judges. The Supremes had no constitutional authority to hear this case and should face discipline in their professional capacity as members of any state bar and as judges. As chief Justice, Roberts is responsible for judicial discipline but he himself was the worst offender here. The appropriate discipline for him, other than whatever sanctions the bar can impose on him, is impeachment and removal. I am writing my senators and congressional representative to ask them to do just that. I encourage others to do the same. Don’t just call – they have to keep a log of all letters
ETA and Michael Imperoli rocks!
Thank you! This is helpful and I will absolutely follow your suggestion and write my senators and representative.
This sounds like a great —and brilliant— strategy! @ Lightpurplek, I’m heartened to know that there actually are practical — and even potentially impactful— things that citizens can do to push back against clear ethical violations and egregious misuses of power.
I had forgotten that every SC Justice is almost certainly a member of at least one state bar — with ethical and professional standards — open to being disciplined by the bar.
@DK, Lorie must have lied under oath — and many lawyers and possibly judges — must have either known this too, didn’t care, or were incompetent in that they didn’t bother to verify even the most basic information that was a foundation of the case.
@Lightpurplek — and others — would it also make sense for interested citizens to contact the relevant bar associations directly with concerns and complaints and requests for interventions?
Answering the questions, anyone can file a complaint with state bar overseers. Please note that a state bar and a state bar association are not the same thing. The state bar is the agency, usually answering to whoever the state’s chief Justice is, that licenses attorneys while a state bar association is something they join. Some states (Rhode Island!) contract with the bar association to process the state bar dues and handle disciplinary investigations. Judges do not have to be attorneys but every single one of these justices is. Their licenses are likely on inactive status but they can still be disciplined for unethical acts. They violated Article III of the Constitution by going beyond their authority described therein.
Roberts is actually responsible for disciplining his justices but, as we have recently learned, he has allowed them to engage in unethical behavior unchecked. He answers to Congress. If he isn’t going to resign, he needs to be removed
What do you suggest those of us “represented” by hideous Ted Cruz, loathsome Dan Crenshaw, and terrible John Cornyn do? My “representation” will just send me back a patronizing reply about “ensuring religious freedom” for Texans that will just further raise my blood pressure and induce rage. Ask me how I know.
@Lightpurplek —Thank you VERY much for your informative response and comments. I particularly appreciate the distinction you’ve made between a state bar and a state bar association— something that I did not clearly understand.
My question is who were the other side’s attorneys representing all along the way to the Supreme Court??
“Christian” doctors and pharmacists refusing treatment to women seeking birth control, Plan B and abortions.”
Or worse, refusing to treat dying patients and literally letting LGBTQIA+ folks die. Imagine a hospital turning you away when you’re having a stroke or heart attack because of your sexual orientation.
Yeah, horrifyingly enough Christian docs/hospitals can (and many are) already refusing women abortions and birth control.
But you’re right, what this ruling opens up is the right to refuse 2SLGBTQIA+ any medical care for any medical need.
And remember, most hospitals in the US are Catholic-owned. For instance, Dignity Health has bought nearly all the hospitals -and medical practices – in my region. And their growth in other parts of at least CA has exploded in the last decade – they are buying out so many hospitals, clinics and practices.
It will soon be very difficult to find non-Christian healthcare.
And yet here we are, enshrining their right to discriminate on any “my religion says so!” BS.
Sadly, “Christian” physicians & pharmacists are already doing those things. Utah (and I’m pretty sure other red states) already have ironically named “conscience” laws in place for HCPs/therapists/pharmacists to refuse to treat LGTBQ for non-emergency care (basically, unless you’re dying imminently from what ails you, they can refuse to treat)
It’s not at all difficult to imagine. People are turned away and refused adequate medical treatment because of factors such as race, insurance / employment status, housing status, family resources and supports, and ability to pay. Women have been refused effective treatment while the legal departments in hospitals debate about whether their situations are life-threatening enough to meet the guidelines set by politicians.
People get triaged or refused admittance from hospitals all the time, for all kinds of reasons— even when those reasons aren’t explicitly stated.
I don’t have to imagine. We’re already here.
This is all so disturbing. Christian hospitals would absolutely reject them and not give a damn if they suffer and die. Fanaticism at it’s worst.
Are we back to being declined from seeing your love as they die in hospital?
A doctor cannot refuse to treat a patient be abuse they are gay. That’s BS. They would be disciplined and fired.
terrible precedent. This is some dark ages shit.
In addition to all of the comments above, this.ruling has opened up a huge can of worms. Establishments are already posting signs, no magats, no nazis, no gun lovers etc etc. This is going to get violent (more violent??).
Edit: I love me some Michael Imperioli.💕
This makes me want to forgive him for having Adrianna killed.
LOL!
I do not understand how the Supreme Court even took this case. It is not based on actual fact, as evidence came out after the decision that this “couple” Smith claimed solicited her business never did, and the man was actually married, a web designer himself, and heterosexual. To file a lawsuit some injury or harm must have occurred. WHERE is her injury? The Supreme Court cannot make decisions on hypothetical cases; this bullshit case should have been thrown out and dismissed!!
Looks like the anti-LGBTQ group (Alliance Defending Freedom) was behind the plaintiff in the ORIGINAL lawsuit in 2016. It seems that the lawyers for Colorado urged the justices not to take the case because Smith had not received a request to make a website for a gay couple. Why didn’t any of these lawyers corroborate her claim about this gay couple, or simply pick up the phone????
If she testified in court or in a deposition, or in sworn statements submitted about this “person” who she claims came to her for business, that is perjury. I just don’t understand!
I don’t understand either. I am gobsmacked by this. I hadn’t realized the whole thing was based on a lie. I think I’ll take Lightpurple’s suggestion above to lodge a complaint with my Congressional reps & Senators.
Thanks @BeanieBean. Just saw her comment. I am going to do the same. This is beyond infuriating and disgusting!!
In America we enjoy certain freedoms that people in a dictatorship do not, namely freedom of choice when it comes to whom we choose to do business with. If it were me and I was getting married and I approached a website designer or bakery who didnt want to work with me I would simply move forward and find someone who wants my business. In the end, how pleasurable is it to eat something that you know someone was forced to cook for you or to have a website which was forcibly made by an unwilling individual? That would take the fun out of the entire experience for me. In a perfect world everyone would be willing to do anything for anyone but if we are being honest with ourselves that simply doesnt exist. Think about how willing you’d be if a MAGA person came to your place of business and wanted you to bake a MAGA cake or make a MAGA website. Im sure those of you who dont like MAGA would not take the business. And there is nothing wrong with that. This world is divisive enough, its better to all get along and celebrate our differences rather than try to force them down each others throats. Just saying.
How is asking a business to perform the services that the business purports to perform — for the public — trying “to force … our differences … down each other’s throats” simply because someone wishes to avail themselves of the services that they supposedly offer? Just curious.
As someone who grew up surrounded by the vestiges of state supported, legal, racial segregation, I really have heard this argument made before — often by people who were “sure” that “everyone” shared their happy-to-discriminate-against-people with fewer options and less power than they themselves might have.
tldr: I think we have very different understandings of what “celebrate our differences” might mean.
Actually, no, we don’t have complete freedom in doing business, including whom we choose to do business with. Business, which is licensed and sanctioned by the State, is also regulated by the State. And, in the United States, a business cannot discriminate freely.
I see signs in restaurants that they have the right to refuse service to whoever they want and no shirt/ shoes no service. Just go to another restaurant.
Fabiola, I totally agree that simply going to another restaurant is the solution.