The U.S. Supreme Court’s narrow ruling in favor of a Colorado baker who refused to bake a wedding cake for a gay couple makes no sense and doesn't bode well for gays and other minorities when dealing with businesses.
While the decision was narrow in scope, it indicates the attitude of the majority of justices and sends a clear signal that future cases could, in effect, limit the rights of any individual who might seek business services if a business owner disagrees with them on religious grounds.
That is dangerous and it’s disappointing that these narrow-minded attitudes are being legitimized by the highest court in the land.
The ruling by Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, approved 7-2 by the court, focused on what he considered to be religious bias by Colorado Civil Rights Commission members who had ruled against the owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop, Jack Phillips.
In his decision, Kennedy said the Commission did not adequately consider the baker's religious convictions. But then, he said that gay people “cannot be treated as social outcasts or as inferior in dignity and worth.”
Yet, that is exactly what the court seems to have done. Okay, we can all agree that religious perspectives should be considered respectfully. But, what about the rights of the gay couple. These rights weren’t even considered.
Kennedy said future cases that raise those issues “must be resolved with tolerance, without undue disrespect to sincere religious beliefs, and without subjecting gay persons to indignities when they seek goods and services in an open market.”
As President Trump likes to say, we'll see what happens. But, in my opinion, it doesn't look good for those who care about fairness and equality for all people -- as guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.