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Lesbian Printers Support Anti-Homosexual Printer

With new homosexual rights cases being adjudicated, business owners with convictions – religious or otherwise – are being discriminated against by some states.

You’ve read about the $135,000 fine levied against a bakery in Oregon where the owners would not make a cake for a same-sex wedding. Sweet Cakes by Melissa did not refuse to bake a cake; the bakery only refused to bake a cake with a message that they disagreed with.

Then there’s the case of Blaine Adamson, owner of a Lexington, Kentucky, print shop called Hands on Originals. Adamson had refused to print T-shirts for a Lexington’s 2012 gay pride festival. As a result of his refusal, he was found to be guilty of discrimination by the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Human Rights Commission. “Additionally, the print shop was ordered to serve future requests from LGBT activists.”

Read more:Gay Bullies Target Apparel Company Because It Won’t Print Shirts for ‘Gay Pride’ Festival.”

The legal advocacy group Alliance Defending Freedom stepped in to defend Adamson’s personal and religious beliefs and filed an appeal.

Hands on originals

The Christian Post reports:

“Fayette Circuit Court Judge James D. Ishmael Jr. reversed the Human Rights Commission’s decision in April and stated the commission went above its statutory authority in siding with the LGBT legal group, the Gay and Lesbian Services Organization of Lexington.”

Unfortunately, this was not the final legal word. Unlike many so-called conservatives, liberals never give up or give in:

“The commission, which ordered Adamson to print shirts and attend government-mandated ‘diversity training,’ has now appealed to the Kentucky Court of Appeals.”

In a turn of events, a n unlikely group of printers has come to Adamson’s defense:

“LGBT-owned businesses, including BMP T-Shirts, on Thursday expressed support for a Kentucky-based Christian print shop owner who refused to print pro-LGBT T-shirts, even as the local Human Rights Commission has appealed a court ruling that said the printer cannot be forced to violate his religious beliefs or to attend government-mandated “diversity training.”

“‘No one should be forced to do something against what they believe in,’ said Diane DiGeloromo, one owner of BMP T-shirts, a lesbian-owned business, according to a statement issued by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which, along with scholars and businesses, came to the defense of Blaine Adamson, the owner of a Lexington print shop called Hands on Originals.

“‘If we were approached by an organization such as the [controversial] Westboro Baptist Church, I highly doubt we would be doing business with them, and we would be very angry if we were forced to print anti-gay T-shirts,’ DiGeloromo said. ‘This isn’t a gay or straight issue. This is a human issue.’

“Her business partner, Kathy Trautvertter, added, ‘You put your blood and your sweat and your tears into [your business]’ and ‘it’s very personal. … When I put myself in [Mr. Adamson’s] shoes, I could see it from his side.’

“BMP T-Shirts is one of the several LGBT-owned businesses that are backing the printer, according to the Becket Fund.”

Exactly! This point has been made numerous times. No one – religious or not – should be forced to do business with someone whose message is contrary to one’s own.

  • Should a Jewish printer be forced to print signs for a neo-Nazi parade?
  • Should a black-owned print shop be forced to print signs for a KKK parade?
  • Should a print shop owned by socialist Bernie Sanders be forced to print signs that say “Socialism is Slavery”?
  • Should a print shop owned by pro-abortionists and Planned Parenthood supporters be forced to print brochures denouncing abortion and Planned Parenthood?

Douglas Laycock, professor of law at the University of Virginia, stated, “The American solution to this conflict is to protect the freedom of both sides — not punish the side that dissents.”

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