Florida Family Policy Council joined other leading organizations across the country to file an amicus curiae, or “friend of the court”, brief in the Masterpiece Cakeshop v Colorado Civil Rights Commission case.  The Supreme Court agreed to review the case on June 26^th and oral arguments are expected to be heard this fall.   The case is one of many involving artists who have declined to use their artistic talents to participate in same-sex weddings on the basis of their religious beliefs.  While other cases involving photographers, florists, and the like have been working their way through the courts, this is the first time the Supreme Court has agreed to hear arguments in this type of case; namely, where a law creating a new protected class for sexual orientation and gender identity has been passed and an artist has declined to provide their services for a same-sex wedding. In Florida, this type of law is called the “Competitive Workforce Act” and while those in the LGBT movement have attempted to pass it for many years, they have failed thus far.

In the case of Jack Phillips, two men came into Jack’s bakery in 2012 requesting a custom-designed wedding cake for their same-sex ceremony. In an exchange lasting only a few seconds, Jack offered to make the couple any other type of baked good or sell them a pre-made cake but stated that because of his faith he couldn’t design a cake celebrating that particular event.  The two men left and shortly after filed a complaint with the Colorado Civil Rights Commission alleging sexual orientation discrimination.  The Commission ruled against Jack in December 2013, saying that designing and creating cakes is not speech protected by the First Amendment. The Commission ordered Jack and his staff to go through a “re-education” program, implement new policies to comply with the Commission’s order, and file quarterly “compliance” reports for two years to show that Jack had completely eliminated his religious beliefs from his business.

The amicus brief focuses not only on arguments surrounding the right to a free exercise of religion but freedom of speech.  Specifically, the government cannot compel speech in violation of one’s conscience. If the Supreme Court rules against Jack, “the rights of all Americans would be trampled, but it would place a special burden on those Americans trying to earn a livelihood consistent with their faith.”  The Colorado Civil Rights Commission has maintained that it is not violating Jack Phillip’s freedom of speech because cake baking/decorating is not speech. However, in cases where a bakery was asked to design a cake with a message opposing same-sex marriage, the Commission upheld the bakery’s right to refuse service on free speech grounds.

The brief also argues that cake design is clearly art. Supreme Court precedent has defined art as speech and, thus, because the government cannot compel speech, it cannot compel a cake designer (or other artists) to use their artistic talents in regards to a same-sex wedding.  “The most dangerous aspect of the lower court’s decision is the idea that public accommodation laws somehow override the promise that ‘The First Amendment protects the right of individuals to hold a point of view different from the majority and to refuse to foster . . . an idea they find morally objectionable.’”

The brief concludes that “Government coercion of speech or conduct that violates the religious conscience of the speaker or actor is not only a violation of the First Amendment, it is also patently un-American and a gross violation of personal liberty.”

Florida Family Policy Council and its sister organization, Florida Family Action, continue to fight against instituting the same type of law as the one being used to punish Jack Phillips for simply trying to live a life consistent with his faith. However, while the anti-liberty and anti-business “Competitive Workforce Act” has failed for many years, it continues to pick up ignorant supporters unaware of the chilling and dangerous effect of these laws.   If passed, the “Competitive Workforce Act” would create a weapon to punish citizens who want to live and work according to their conscience without fear of reprisal by the government for exercising their right to religious freedom and free speech.

Click to download the persuasive Amicus Brief in PDF format.

The post Florida Family Policy Council Joins Amicus Brief Filed in Landmark US Supreme Court Religious Liberty Case appeared first on Florida Family Action.

BACKGROUND:
The City Council of Jacksonville is currently moving  to pass  a so-called “Human Rights Ordinance” which will create new protected classes for the categories of sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.

These laws in other cities have been used as weapons to punish citizens for simply exercising their religious views and free speech within their own businesses and in private property ownership.

These same laws are also being used to allow fully biological men – who either cross dress or subjectively claim they feel they are women – to have complete access to women’s bathrooms, showers and locker rooms.

Another bill in the City Council proposes largely the same ordinance but would place it on the ballot to allow the peo-ple of Jacksonville to accept or reject.

One of these bills will pass out of the City Council. A similar bill was recently rejected in a referendum by the people in Houston, Texas.

As a citizen of Jacksonville, I want the City Council to allow the voters of Duval County to decide this controversial issue by a referendum and not to force this “Human Rights Ordinance” upon our community by a vote of only ten members of the City Council.

FILL OUT PETITION (PDF) HERE

Please return this petition as soon as possible to Florida Family Policy Council via: US  MAIL:  4853  South  Orange  Avenue,  Orlando,  FL  32806 Scan/Photo  &  Email:  Info@FLfamily.org FAX: 407-251-0023

For more information log onto www.DefendJaxFamilies.com

This petition has been reviewed by legal counsel and is safe for direct distribution and promotion within churches and other 501c3 non-profit organizations

The post URGENT: JAX Community Petition To Let the People of Jacksonville Decide on SOGI appeared first on Florida Family Action.

Human Rights Campaign, the DC-based LGBT attack machine, has revealed that its next target is Jacksonville.

Originally Published on DefendJaxFamilies.com

On November 3, Houston citizens repealed an unpopular LGBT law like that proposed for Jacksonville.

Despite LGBT lobbyist armies and media saturation, outraged voters struck back with an overwhelming
61-39% referendum majority.

The ordinance had created a public hazard and elevated LGBT’s to a special rights status over other citizens.

Voters, more astute than their elected masters, knew this law was a public danger – it allowed any man, claiming female gender, to enter the public dressing, bath, and locker rooms of women and children.

It was dubbed the Sex Criminal Protection Law. Predators exploit such opportunities [1] – as Jacksonville knows well. [2]

After Houston passed the 2014 law, the outgoing mayor and her city attorney conspired to prevent the referendum sought by opponents. The lesbian mayor even subpoenaed the sermons of opposing pastors.

The Texas Supreme Court, following court actions, halted the corruption, ordering the referendum.

Locals had to overcome an invading horde of immensely wealthy outside LGBT pressure groups and their professional lobbyists chosen for their local connections.

LGBT propaganda failed despite a $3.5 million, 6-fold spending advantage – $500,000 from ACLU alone.

DC-based Human Rights Campaign (HRC) spent a fortune maintaining its 34-activist army – salaries, housing, travel, expenses. That army is now relocating to Jacksonville and Charlotte to expand those stealth HRC operations which the press won’t report.

As in Jacksonville, some Houston businesses turned against the community, unjustly calling it bigoted, and collaborated in the national LGBT power grab. They were duped by HRC’s preposterous “LGBT laws are good for business” myth. And they fell for the “LGBT civil rights” hoax – in reality a ploy to make government outlaw opposition to LGBT lifestyles.

Ultimately, the public won a crushing victory over an unholy gang of treacherous lawmakers, the ACLU and the nationwide LGBT attack machine which never even proved its bogus claim of discrimination.

Nationally, the ramifications are monumental. Limitless LGBT forces utilized every weapon imaginable fueled by vast expenditures, yet suffered a colossal public rebuke which broke its dissolute grip on America, jeopardizing its scheme to chain the U.S. in LGBT favoritism laws.

Like Atlantic Beach’s ousting of lawmakers, Houston’s grassroots revolution is a clarion warning to Jacksonville officials: Enact this unnecessary law and a costly, divisive referendum may follow.

And your political careers will be over.
Jerry Steckloff, Jacksonville, Investor

Originally Published on DefendJaxFamilies.com

The post The Anti-LGBT Earthquake from Houston: Next Target–Jacksonville appeared first on Florida Family Action.