Lexington, Ky., May 16, 2017 / 12:02 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Backers of a print shop owner who declined to print gay pride T-shirts because of his religious beliefs praised a Kentucky court’s decision that his free speech rights protect him from a discrimination complaint.
“Americans should always have the freedom to believe, the freedom to express those beliefs, and the freedom to not express ideas that would violate their conscience,” said Jim Campbell, senior counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom. “Today’s decision is a victory for printers and other creative professionals who serve all people but cannot promote all messages.”
The case concerned Blaine Adamson, owner of Hands On Originals, a small print shop in Lexington, Ky.
“I want God to find joy in what we do and how we work, how we treat our employees, and the messages we print,” said Adamson. “So if someone walks in and says, ‘Hey, I want you to help promote something,’ I can’t promote something that I know goes against what pleases Him.”
Adamson has declined to create T-shirts that promote strip clubs, violence, and sexually explicit videos. He has served other clients regardless of sexual orientation.
In 2012 the Gay and Lesbian Services Organization asked him to print shirts for the local gay pride festival. He said he could not support the event and referred the organization to other printers.
The group filed a complaint with the Lexington-Fayette Urban Country Human Rights Commission. The commission ruled that Blaine had violated a local anti-discrimination ordinance and ordered him to attend diversity training.
Blaine’s legal challenge to the commission won a favorable decision in Fayette Circuit Court, a ruling which was upheld by the Kentucky Court of Appeals in a 2-1 decision May 12.
“The right of free speech does not guarantee to any person the right to use someone else’s property,” said appellate court’s Chief Judge Joy Kramer, UPI reports.
The judge said the shop offers the service of promoting messages but its decision not to promote certain conduct was “pure speech.”
Judge Jeff Taylor, writing in a dissent, said the ruling would make the anti-discrimination ordinance meaningless.
Other backers of Blaine included the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which filed an amicus brief in the case.
“It doesn’t matter what the speech is – pro-gay, anti-gay, pro-immigration, anti-immigration – the government can’t force you to print it,” Luke Goodrich, deputy general counsel at the Becket Fund, said May 12.
“Free speech is most important on the most divisive issues,” he said. “That is the last place the government should ever be allowed to demand conformity.”
Some anti-discrimination laws have placed heavy fines on some businesses involved in weddings, including florists and cake bakers, if they declined to aid in same-sex ceremonies.
Such laws have also shut down Catholic adoption agencies.
Article Archive
Free speech protects printer from promoting gay pride fest, Ky. court rules
Related Articles • More Articles
Pro-life supporters march in this year's March for Life in Ottawa, Canada, May 9, 2024. / Credit: Peter StocklandOttawa, Canada, May 10, 2024 / 16:00 pm (CNA).Thousands of pro-lifers packed onto Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Canada, and spilled out onto Wellington Street on May 9 for the 27th annual National March for Life.The diverse crowd gathered on the Hill at noon with its members bearing both homemade and professionally crafted signs pledging them to stand fast for the unborn and vulnerable.The march's theme, "I Will Never Forget You" was taken from the prophet Isaiah's poignant question: "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast?"Participants in the Ottawa, Canada, March for Life on May 9, 2024, sing the national anthem. Credit: Peter StocklandThe rally and march were broadcast live by the U.S. cable network EWTN. (Editor's note: EWTN is the parent company of Catholic News Agency.)This year's speakers included pro-life speaker and author Abby Johnson, President of 40...
Virgin Mary by Sassoferrato. / Credit: Public domainACI Prensa Staff, May 10, 2024 / 16:45 pm (CNA).Along with other saints, every May 10 the Church honors St. John of Avila, the patron saint of the Spanish clergy. This renowned founder of schools and centers of formation and study recorded in one of his writings what he considered to be the best gift we can give to our heavenly mother, the Virgin Mary.St. John of Avila's recommendation appears today in a section of the website of the Spanish Bishops' Conference. In the text, St. John of Avila asks himself: "What shall I do for the virgin? God has given me many good things through her."The answer to the question, the saint says, is found in the Gospel account of the wedding feast at Cana. There, the Virgin pointed out to her Son that the wine had run out. When Jesus responds, "What concern is that to you and me? My hour is not yet come," it seems that nothing is going to happen. Nonetheless, the Mother of God immediately p...
Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield, Illinois. / Credit: Diocese of Springfield in IllinoisWashington, D.C. Newsroom, May 10, 2024 / 17:30 pm (CNA).Bishop Thomas Paprocki of the Diocese of Springfield, Illinois, is accusing President Joe Biden of "making a mockery of our Catholic faith" after he made the sign of the cross while promoting abortion.Biden, who is the country's second Catholic president, made the sign of the cross at an abortion rally in Tampa, Florida, more than two weeks ago. In his speech, the president criticized Catholic Gov. Ron DeSantis for signing a bill that restricts abortion after six weeks of pregnancy. The governor had previously helped enact legislation limiting abortion to 15 weeks of pregnancy.During the rally, Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Nikki Fried said that when DeSantis decided to run for president, "15 weeks wasn't good enough; we had to go to six weeks," at which point Biden made the sign of the cross in apparent ...