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Cake.jpg
Aaron and Melissa Klein, who run a small family bakery in Oregon, say they've gotten "overwhelming" support after refusing to make a wedding cake for a lesbian couple because of their Christian faith. A Food Network cake star has offered to make the couple's cake for free. (Sweet Cakes by Melissa Facebook photo)

Support, criticism for Oregon baker who won't make a wedding cake for lesbian couple

February 4, 2013 @ 6:11 pm (Updated: 3:59 pm - 2/5/13 )

The owner of an Oregon bakery who didn't want to make a wedding cake for a same sex couple says he's being vilified because of his personal views about marriage.

The dispute involves a Portland woman, her fiancee and fiancee's mother. The mom and one of the brides-to-be went to Sweet Cakes by Melissa in Gresham to order a cake.

Parties involved have now retained lawyers and won't talk about the incident, but one of the women told The Oregonian newspaper the baker refused to take their cake order.

Aaron Klein, who runs the bakery with his wife, reportedly called the lesbian couple "abominations unto the lord."

Klein denies calling the couple "abominations" and says same-sex marriage goes against his Christian faith, so he does not want to make a wedding cake for the couple.

The bakery owners' beliefs are not hidden. The Sweet Cakes website has a Bible verse on the homepage.

They also state: "We here at Sweet Cakes strongly believe that when a man and woman come together to be joined as one, it is truly one of the most special days of their lives."

The bakery was closed Monday, but supporters plan to show up at the shop Tuesday when it opens. In an email, the owner says the response to his decision has been "overwhelming."

"I am in full support," says Debby Tiner through Facebook. The bakery owner is "standing up for his God given rights to believe in the word of God. Amen to him."

"What ever happened to 'We have the right to refuse service to anyone?' Read the Bible and see what God has to say about this issue," says Harriet Perigo.

"If he doesn't want to accept their order then why should he have to? Go somewhere else to get your cake made, says Ruth Townsend. "It's a no-brainer."

Meanwhile, Duff Goldman, of the Food Network show, "Ace of Cakes," says he will make a cake for the Portland couple for free. Goldman, who owns Charm City Cakes, also says he'll personally drive it up from Los Angeles and deliver it for their wedding.

In a video on the Huffington Post, Goldman says he wanted to "right a wrong."

The Oregon attorney general's office is investigating a complaint against the bakery because of a state law that declares it is a violation for a business to deny full and equal accommodations for customers based on race, religion, gender, sexual orientation and other factors.

By LINDA THOMAS

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Comments (174)


  • Add A Comment

  • rational wrote...
    What should happen...
    February 4, 2013 7:23 pm
    The police should round up this guy and his family and hold his children's hand on a counter and threaten to break the child's fingers if he doesn't bake a cake and to hell with his religious convictions...the state and homosexual agenda take precidence of his religious rights. At least if the facist left gets their way.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Mavila wrote...
    Is there only...
    February 4, 2013 7:51 pm
    one cake maker in Oregon? Good grief. Life's too short but not for the lawyers it seems. How many LGBT and anti-2nd amendment stories can MNW publish in a day? Apparently not enough.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • cigarfan wrote...
    Incase some of you (RWNJ)'s haven't been paying attention......
    February 5, 2013 1:17 am
    It's ILLEGAL for a STATE LICENSED BUSINESS to discriminate in OR based on sexual orientation.....this is a Bakery... not a church.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Mavila wrote...
    If Oregon has such a law...
    February 5, 2013 7:22 am
    one could make the case that the Oregon State law is unconstitutional with respect to the freedom of religious expression. So, rather than respect the baker's religious faith and find another source for their cake, these two decide to lawyer up and try to oppress the baker by forcing him/her to submit to their will.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Normandy wrote...
    nope
    May 15, 2013 12:37 pm
    wont happen-baking a cake isnt religious
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • brerrabbert wrote...
    Discrimination
    February 5, 2013 9:24 am
    I'm not a lawyer in Oregon, so I don't know how their law is written. That said, it is perfectly reasonable to forbid discrimination based on a person's biology or ethnic or cultural (and therefore religious) status. This is discriminating against persons as persons, denying their humanity. That is always wrong. On the other hand, it is also perfectly reasonable to discriminate what services a person will provide based on behaviors. For example, a restaurant can refuse service to those who do not meet their dress code. The question is whether refusing a service for a same-sex wedding falls under discrimination against a person/class of people (those attracted to their own sex), or discrimination based on behavior (celebrating a same-sex wedding) which the baker deems contrary to his business practice and to his personal rights. Let's not jump to conclusions. Let's give them all their day in court.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ToldYa wrote...
    really?
    February 5, 2013 11:22 am
    how about just finding a different baker... But then again, U sound like an attorney steeped in money making litigation.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Normandy wrote...
    nope
    May 15, 2013 12:38 pm
    so if it was the only gas station for 60 miles, youd be ok with a black going elsewhere? try thinking-PLEASE!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Seattle Dad wrote...
    So which discrimination do we uphold
    February 5, 2013 12:32 pm
    Discrimination against the gay couple or the Christian baker? So your point is that your first amendment rights are thrown out when you enter the market place. The baker obviously doesn't want to support gay marriage. It's a Christian belief. I don't want my kids taught that gay marriage is a marriage because it's not. If gays want the civil protections that married couples have, that's fine, but don't change the definition of marriage. Call it something else.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Normandy wrote...
    wrong
    May 15, 2013 12:39 pm
    so ok to refuse jews? how far does your anti-gay bigotry go? see-feel a fool now huh?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ToldYa wrote...
    find
    February 5, 2013 11:23 am
    another baker... move on.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Seattle Dad wrote...
    That's not what they want
    February 5, 2013 12:34 pm
    Gay rights advocates want to snuff out all opposition, create fear and crush other people's rights. There is no hate off gay couples here, the baker just doesn't believe in their point of view. They didn't say they wouldn't make them cookies or cupcakes, they disagreed with a wedding cake.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Normandy wrote...
    wrong
    May 15, 2013 12:39 pm
    no-they just want equality under the law-and that includes the right to shop anywhere that conducts public business-you bigots cannot win this-you tried it with blacks 50 years ago and failed
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Seattle Dad wrote...
    Sounds like
    February 5, 2013 12:29 pm
    an unconstitutional law then. What state law is that?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Normandy wrote...
    ignorant
    May 15, 2013 12:40 pm
    haha-nice try
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • po_guy wrote...
    Who cares?
    February 5, 2013 3:54 pm
    Homosexuals ought not to push folks to meet their agenda just because they think they can.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Normandy wrote...
    wrong
    May 15, 2013 12:40 pm
    they KNOW they can-thats why gays have won every court battle
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • M3 wrote...
    Reminds me of this state
    February 5, 2013 1:18 am
    trying to force every pharmacy to sell the morning after pill. The state didn't care about the owners religious convictions, whether their customers bought it (eg, pharmacies in senior living areas) or that 99% of the rest of the pharmacies and 100% of hospitals carried it. Luckily the state supreme court overruled Christine.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Ron_Spins wrote...
    Charge the baker with a "cake crime".
    February 5, 2013 2:37 am
    .
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • marinerslvr wrote...
    @cake crime
    February 5, 2013 8:21 am
    sorry but that was too funny... thanks for the comic relief! this issue IS a joke - why would you WANT your wedding cake baked, for what one would consider the most important day of your life done by someone who doesn't believe in what you are doing? Sheesh! Go to another bakery and quit with the lawyer threats.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Fuego wrote...
    So does one's
    February 5, 2013 5:02 am
    sexual orientation trump anothers religious beliefs? This should be fun to watch.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • cigarfan wrote...
    @Fuego
    February 5, 2013 1:35 pm
    IF this was a church, it would.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Normandy wrote...
    funny
    May 15, 2013 12:41 pm
    yes-orientation and other innate qualities always trump religious kookery-this aint the middle east honey
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Rick W7PSK wrote...
    So the Sign "We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone"
    February 5, 2013 5:06 am
    is no longer legal?

    So it now has to read "We reserved the right to refuse service to only White Anglo Saxon Protestant men"

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Edwardjb wrote...
    Wedding cake for lesbian couple?
    February 5, 2013 5:16 am
    This is INSANE. With 2 women in the same family, let them bake their own darn cake!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • TwoTrees wrote...
    @ Edwardjb
    February 5, 2013 5:56 am
    LOL!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Theodorethegreat wrote...
    That's
    February 5, 2013 8:16 am
    funny. ha ha ha
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • kpmccdog wrote...
    Let them bake their own
    February 5, 2013 1:01 pm
    Really Funny, careful though you'll get dinged for stereotyping women as belonging in the kitchen.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • SickofSeattleite wrote...
    the business owner has the RIGHT
    February 5, 2013 5:25 am
    to refuse service to ANYONE! End of conversation...no lawyers need to be involved....go find a different cake shop.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ToldYa wrote...
    exactly!
    February 5, 2013 11:20 am
    what's the fuss... find a different baker. No harm no foul.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Normandy wrote...
    wrong of course
    May 15, 2013 12:42 pm
    haha-your ignorance of the law is painful-a public business cannot refuse service on the basis of sex, race, religion or orientation in Oregon
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • po_guy wrote...
    Go ahead and make the cake
    February 5, 2013 5:55 am
    BUT---fill it with something untasty that will put an end to their suffering...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }