What’s at Stake at the Supreme Court: A License to Discriminate

Any day now, the Supreme Court of the United States is expected to rule in Masterpiece Cakeshop, Ltd. v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, a case involving a baker who in 2012 refused to provide a wedding cake for a same-sex couple. That means the Supreme Court could decide whether doors can be closed to some or whether they must be #OpenToAll.

In 2016, the Colorado Supreme Court upheld a ruling by the Colorado Court of Appeals that bakery owner Jack Phillips cannot cite religious beliefs or free speech in order to discriminate against same-sex couples. The case was heard by the U.S. Supreme Court on December 5.

This case may have historic repercussions for the LGBTQ community, and could affect communities of color, religious minorities, and basically anybody who is perceived as an “other” than the majority.

This case is about so much more than a cake. It’s about giving some folks in this country a license to discriminate. It’s about rolling back civil rights laws to a bygone era.

When the Supreme Court decides this case, it could decide that businesses across the country can discriminate against LGBTQ people in nearly every aspect of public life. Think we’re blowing it out of proportion?

In states around the country, there has been a concerted effort to roll back the hard-won protections LGBTQ people have gained and to create exemptions that could restrict LGBTQ folks’ access to some of the most fundamental parts of life.

This case is the culmination of that effort.

Truly, the ruling in Masterpiece Cakeshop could impede some of the most fundamental liberties LGBTQ people have: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

What’s more. The decision could open the door to businesses refusing services to people of color, religious minorities, and folks with disabilities.  

This country has been there, done that before. And we decided as a nation, that that’s not what we’re all about.

When somebody decides to open their doors to all, they really must mean ALL. Business owners have the right to choose their product, not their customers.  

Our country should be free from discrimination not only in its eateries, its bakeries, but also in its emergency shelters, doctors offices, funeral homes and workplaces.

This is about being #OpenToAll.

www.hrc.org/blog/whats-at-stake-at-the-supreme-court-a-license-to-discriminate?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

GOP Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens Resigns Amid Probes into Alleged Blackmail of Mistress, Fundraising Violations: WATCH

Missouri GOP Governor Eric Greitens, who was hit with a felony indictment in February “for allegedly taking and transmitting a non-consensual photo of his partly nude lover” and threatening to blackmail her with it shortly before the campaign that got him elected in 2016, resigned today (above) following an investigation into that and further charges that he used a donor list from his charity to do campaign fundraising.

Greitens was under investigation by a state House committee determining whether or not to impeach him.

TPM adds: ‘A Missouri House committee reported in April that Greitens held the woman down during the March 2015 encounter in a “bear hug” before pulling out his penis, among other allegations. The woman testified anonymously that she performed oral sex on him because she thought “that would allow me to leave” and feared for her “physical self.”’

Okay, Greitens refuses to resign in the face of merciless, insanely damaging sex and blackmail scandal, resigns immediately when forced to turn over records of his dark money group? Gonna go out on a limb and say there’s probably somethin bad there.

— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) May 29, 2018

The post GOP Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens Resigns Amid Probes into Alleged Blackmail of Mistress, Fundraising Violations: WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.

GOP Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens Resigns Amid Probes into Alleged Blackmail of Mistress, Fundraising Violations: WATCH

Open Photo Shoot at Nashville Pride, Hosted by Nissan
Open Photo Shoot at Nashville Pride, Hosted by Nissan

www.noh8campaign.com/event/open-photo-shoot-at-nashville-pride-hosted-by-nissan

‘Roseanne’ Is Canceled, and It’s Not Surprising It Would End This Way

ABC canceled the smash series following Roseanne Barr’s racist tweet, but it’s not at all shocking the show would go up in flames. 

www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/2018/5/29/roseanne-canceled-and-its-not-surprising-it-would-end-way

Conservative snowflakes are melting down over ‘Roseanne’ cancellation
In case you haven’t heard, Roseanne Barr really stepped in it today.

www.queerty.com/conservative-snowflakes-melting-roseanne-cancellation-20180529?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Denver Man Held in Stabbing of Gay Couple Who Were Holding Hands

Dylan Payne / Denver PD

Denver Police have identified Dylan Payne as the man who stabbed Chris Huizar and Gabriel Roman while they were holding hands and walking home from the Church nightclub. Towleroad reported on the attack earlier today.

ABC7 Denver reports: ‘A spokesperson with the Denver Police Department told Denver7 it is investigating the possibility that the attack was a biased-motivated crime. Dylan Payne, 24, faces investigation on first-degree assault charges. The alleged attack happened near the Church nightclub just before 1 a.m. Sunday, according to a probable cause statement for Payne’s arrest and court records…The page says the two were “simply holding hands” when Payne yelled at them, allegedly calling them “f—ing f—–s.” The probable cause statement says Payne was yelling “homophobic slurs” at the men and that he called them “f—–s.”’

Huizar was stabbed in the neck. Roman was stabbed in the hand and the back. The couple has launched a GoFundMe account to pay for medical costs.

The post Denver Man Held in Stabbing of Gay Couple Who Were Holding Hands appeared first on Towleroad.

Denver Man Held in Stabbing of Gay Couple Who Were Holding Hands