ICC Note: In 2012, baker Jack Phillips of Masterpiece Cakeshop declined to make two men a cake for their same-sex wedding. After receiving a storm of hate mail and legal attacks, Phillips decided to take wedding cakes off of his menu altogether. Ironically, since this incident, business for Masterpiece Cakeshop has greatly increased. While the legal matters are still being processed, it clear that this case has the potential to set a precedent that will dictate the role of the government in business operations across the nation.
By Warren Cole Smith
07/15/2014 United States (Christian Headlines) – Jack Phillips’ bakeshop in Lakewood, Colo., has become a frontline in the battle for religious liberty. Phillips, the owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop, recently refused to bake a wedding cake for a same-sex wedding. The couple filed a complaint against the bakery, which has been in business for more than two decades. I spoke with Phillips and his attorney, Nicolle Martin of the Alliance Defending Freedom, in the dining area of Masterpiece Cakeshop in the Denver suburbs.
A couple of years ago in 2012, a situation happened here in your bakeshop. Would you describe what has happened since then? I had two guys come in that wanted me to make them a wedding cake. I declined to make a cake for a same-sex wedding. I informed them that I’d make all their other products, birthday cakes, shower cakes, cookies, and brownies, but that was a product that I didn’t do. They left and sent out a message to all their Facebook friends or whatever, and soon phone calls started coming and emails and a lot of hate mail. Pretty vile phone calls … and then it just got pretty crazy after.
Talk to me about that very first interaction. I had two girls working for me, and it would have been their job to do that first. But they were both tied up, so I’m third in line. They indicated that they were both busy, and could I take care of that. I went over to the desk. The two guys introduced themselves. I introduced myself. They said what they were here for. I declined to make that, and they said, “What?” and I said, “I’ll make your other stuff,” and then they stomped out.
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