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DonViejo

(60,536 posts)
Fri Jul 10, 2015, 09:51 AM Jul 2015

Oregon bakers weren’t fined over cake — they were punished for sharing lesbian couple’s home address

Source: RawStory

Oregon bakers weren’t fined over cake — they were punished for sharing lesbian couple’s home address

The anti-LGBT owners of an Oregon bakery were not fined for refusing to sell a wedding cake to a same-sex couple – they were ordered to pay $135,000 in damages for intentionally causing their would-be customers emotional distress.

The case has attracted widespread media attention since the couple first filed their complaint in January 2013, and that is largely through the efforts of Aaron and Melissa Klein, the owners of Sweet Cakes by Melissa.

After the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries handed down the order last week, Aaron Klein claimed the ruling was an example of the “persecution of Christians” in the U.S.

However, the ruling shows the bakery owners had made Laurel and Rachel Bowman-Cryer the victims of persecution and makes clear the payment was compensation for damages and not a fine or civil penalty, reported the blog Love, Joy and Feminism.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/2015/07/oregon-bakers-werent-fined-over-cake-they-were-punished-for-sharing-lesbian-couples-home-address/

25 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Oregon bakers weren’t fined over cake — they were punished for sharing lesbian couple’s home address (Original Post) DonViejo Jul 2015 OP
So along with other sins committed by these "Xians", bearing false witness is included. hobbit709 Jul 2015 #1
They should have had to pay even more. That is no different than the hacker who hacks someones jwirr Jul 2015 #2
They posted the complaint, which is a public document. NT Eric J in MN Jul 2015 #8
they belong in jail, assholes. I hope they go out of business and have their lives ruined geek tragedy Jul 2015 #3
So, let me get this right... Hepburn Jul 2015 #4
Wow...so the Holy and Pious... SoapBox Jul 2015 #5
Aaron and Melissa Kline are both liars and bearers of false witness, as are all the religious bigots Bluenorthwest Jul 2015 #6
I think that this headline is a bit too simplistic too. mackdaddy Jul 2015 #7
Yes. They were fined both for the cake and the publicity about being sued. NT Eric J in MN Jul 2015 #9
Not just the publicity, but the intentionally inflicted distress. yardwork Jul 2015 #23
posted their home address on his facebook page. not enough in damages imo. Sunlei Jul 2015 #10
melissa@sweetcakesweb.com, damn it, I hate it when my fingers do that.... RR2 Jul 2015 #11
Welcome to DU, RR2! calimary Jul 2015 #12
The website is so "sweet" and innocuous moose65 Jul 2015 #15
Or give out their straight customers personal info. RR2 Jul 2015 #16
Do they ask customers if they are previously divorced? yardwork Jul 2015 #24
Hmmm - those cakes described as "not for kids" LiberalElite Jul 2015 #25
Basically, the Kleins committed harassment. . . DinahMoeHum Jul 2015 #13
Thanks for the clarification! DrBulldog Jul 2015 #14
Why aren't these bastards in jail? The court should seize their home and business to pay for the ncjustice80 Jul 2015 #17
Anyone got a screenshot of the Facebook page? nxylas Jul 2015 #18
Good old Christian people, reminding us of how their Lord did NOT join people of a village Judi Lynn Jul 2015 #19
The kids' faces in the second pic I_Like_Hammers Jul 2015 #21
They don't look very happy at all, do they? Makes their parents look a little deceptive. n/t Judi Lynn Jul 2015 #22
I hope the bakers are bankrupted for the rest of their lives I_Like_Hammers Jul 2015 #20

jwirr

(39,215 posts)
2. They should have had to pay even more. That is no different than the hacker who hacks someones
Fri Jul 10, 2015, 09:57 AM
Jul 2015

personal data.

Hepburn

(21,054 posts)
4. So, let me get this right...
Fri Jul 10, 2015, 10:30 AM
Jul 2015

The "good Christian" cake bakers get others to gang up on a lesbian couple by sharing their personal info. And with the personal info, other "good Christians" join in and persecute two people who are doing them no harm. While this is going on, the "good Christian" bakers then intentionally lie about the reasons they were fined.

I don't then whether to , or just be totally . Thus, I will do all three.

 

Bluenorthwest

(45,319 posts)
6. Aaron and Melissa Kline are both liars and bearers of false witness, as are all the religious bigots
Fri Jul 10, 2015, 10:56 AM
Jul 2015

in the world. Hypocrites sure, but that's small time stuff compared to openly lying and accusing others of persecution you yourself are in fact carrying out against those others. Morally reprehensible people.

mackdaddy

(1,527 posts)
7. I think that this headline is a bit too simplistic too.
Fri Jul 10, 2015, 11:08 AM
Jul 2015

They were punished for having a public business discriminate, but the main thing they were fined for I think was the result of taking all of this public, and the damage and injury this did the the lesbian couple. This baker did start quoting Leviticus and abomination stuff to the people

This link to the original state agency finding is easy to read, and has the exact testimony of everyone involved.
http://www.oregon.gov/boli/SiteAssets/pages/press/Sweet%20Cakes%20FO.pdf

yardwork

(61,622 posts)
23. Not just the publicity, but the intentionally inflicted distress.
Sun Jul 12, 2015, 10:10 AM
Jul 2015

A woman and her mother walked into the store for a pre-arranged appointment to sample the cake, and suddenly the owner went from being gracious and professional to rude and hostile, refusing to serve them because the engaged couple is gay.

That kind of discrimination by a business is illegal.

Sunlei

(22,651 posts)
10. posted their home address on his facebook page. not enough in damages imo.
Fri Jul 10, 2015, 11:36 AM
Jul 2015
the bakery owners shared the couple’s personal contact information – which led to death threats that nearly caused them to lose custody of their foster children.

RR2

(87 posts)
11. melissa@sweetcakesweb.com, damn it, I hate it when my fingers do that....
Fri Jul 10, 2015, 11:40 AM
Jul 2015

Anyone want to place an order?

Check out their Christian based Bakery website contact info, what a couple of hypocrites....

http://www.sweetcakesweb.com/8.html

calimary

(81,281 posts)
12. Welcome to DU, RR2!
Fri Jul 10, 2015, 12:00 PM
Jul 2015

Glad you're here! People like these give a bad name to those who claim to follow Christ. Or - rather - those who DO follow Christ.

And don't shove your Leviticus in our faces, okay? THAT doesn't do much toward following Christ's teachings, either. (Besides, as I understand it, Leviticus was originally written as a guide for the Levites - who were the priestly class. It was supposed to be a guideline for the conduct of the PRIESTS - which was as I understand it, a closed and insular class, and not for civilians. Although that's my own understanding, and could certainly be faulty or incomplete.)

moose65

(3,167 posts)
15. The website is so "sweet" and innocuous
Fri Jul 10, 2015, 01:06 PM
Jul 2015

They claim to do cakes for all sorts of occasions....wonder if they'd do a cake for the birthday party of the kids of two gay men? How bout for a party for an all-lesbian softball team?? I'm sure they don't give their customers the third degree about their personal lives when they come to taste cakes. That's why the hypocrisy stands out... They don't ask straight people about their sins, I'm sure!

yardwork

(61,622 posts)
24. Do they ask customers if they are previously divorced?
Sun Jul 12, 2015, 10:11 AM
Jul 2015

If not, why not? Jesus said that is adultery.

LiberalElite

(14,691 posts)
25. Hmmm - those cakes described as "not for kids"
Sun Jul 12, 2015, 10:17 AM
Jul 2015

- because they contain alcohol. Are "good Christians" supposed to be baking boozy cakes???

 

DrBulldog

(841 posts)
14. Thanks for the clarification!
Fri Jul 10, 2015, 12:52 PM
Jul 2015

Even the Portland Oregonian never bothered to explain in detail the emotional injury suffered by the same-sex couple.

ncjustice80

(948 posts)
17. Why aren't these bastards in jail? The court should seize their home and business to pay for the
Sat Jul 11, 2015, 02:09 AM
Jul 2015

damages. Turn their sorry asses out on the street!

nxylas

(6,440 posts)
18. Anyone got a screenshot of the Facebook page?
Sat Jul 11, 2015, 02:10 AM
Jul 2015

With the addresses redacted, of course. The right, predictably, is now claiming that this is just another liberal lie, and it'd be nice to have some proof.

Ah, who am I trying to kid? They'll just say it was Photoshopped, like they did with Obama's birth certificate.

Judi Lynn

(160,542 posts)
19. Good old Christian people, reminding us of how their Lord did NOT join people of a village
Sat Jul 11, 2015, 06:38 AM
Jul 2015

when they rallied to stone a woman who had allegedly slept with some of the men.

Had he done it their way, he would have chucked some stones at her, then made sure everyone knew where she would try to hide when she tried to drag herself home after being thoroughly battered and broken.

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I_Like_Hammers

(30 posts)
20. I hope the bakers are bankrupted for the rest of their lives
Sat Jul 11, 2015, 01:02 PM
Jul 2015

I could not care less about their childish whining.

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