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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

More from Linda Thomas

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Comments (174)


  • Add A Comment

  • po_guy wrote...
    This is not
    February 5, 2013 6:00 am
    about lawyers or the bakers right to serve those whom they choose...it is about the HOMOSEXUAL agenda to eventually FORCE everyone to kowtow to their every whim and desire. including supplying them with children they can indoctrinate into their ranks in the schools.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • bofus wrote...
    po
    February 5, 2013 8:56 am
    Thanks for posting that. I for one marvel at your intelligence and reasoning skills.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • po_guy wrote...
    You
    February 5, 2013 1:02 pm
    are welcome.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Normandy wrote...
    imbecile
    May 15, 2013 12:43 pm
    youre an idiot-and will burn for your bigotry
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • SONAR GOD wrote...
    Dicrimination
    February 5, 2013 6:45 am
    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. So if the State prosecutes the baker for his religious beliefs they are discriminating against him
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Seattle Dad wrote...
    This should be
    February 5, 2013 12:36 pm
    fun to watch.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • jstumbo wrote...
    coming to washington soon
    February 5, 2013 6:52 am
    Yoou will see this in Washington soon. If a minister refuses to marry a gay couple it will end up in court.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Rick W7PSK wrote...
    And soon after that
    February 5, 2013 6:55 am
    Only a Government approved business.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Chuck Gould wrote...
    jstumbo: Actually, no it won't
    February 5, 2013 7:14 am
    The law that established marriage equality in Washington state very specifically included provisions that exempt objecting religious organizations from performing or recognizing same sex marriages. No minister is required by law to do anything in a religious capacity. We can thank the First Amendment for that.

    Private organizations, such as country clubs, are *still* free to exclude people from membership on any basis- including race, sex, religion, national origin, you name it. Churches are even more protected than private organizations.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Rick W7PSK wrote...
    Sorry Chuck I disagree
    February 5, 2013 7:44 am
    1 lawsuit could remove the Religious protection.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Chuck Gould wrote...
    Yes, Rick...but it would go all the way to the Supreme Court
    February 5, 2013 8:06 am
    The First Amendment is very clear. The state cannot compel a religious action or practice. No lower court would successfully be able to rule that any church would be required to engage in any particular practice without an immediate stay and an appeal to a higher court.

    Reasonable people would be reluctant to press the issue. Once the Supremes start taking a look at an issue, who knows what might happen?

    If the law says that individual religious preferences and beliefs cannot prevent third parties from independently exercising equal rights (which it now does in Washington), it must also recognize that nobody has the right to dictate individual religious preferences and beliefs.

    Separation of church and state ensures that nobody's "belief system" or theology becomes, or trumps, the law.

    Strangely, a lot of people in America would have no trouble switching to a theocracy- as long as the people in charge represented *their* preferred religion.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Normandy wrote...
    funny
    May 15, 2013 12:43 pm
    nice try, chicken little-religious organizations and its sheep are protected-always have been
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • mnpat wrote...
    Another gay couple doing there best to push everyone's buttons
    February 5, 2013 7:02 am
    And a more than happy radio person to eat up the story and spit it out....again. Now that is news
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Chuck Gould wrote...
    I support marriage equality *and* the bake shop
    February 5, 2013 7:05 am
    Laws are about what's legal. We go to church to figure out what's holy, moral, or right in the sight of our personal understanding of God. From a legal standpoint, any two consenting adults should be able to form a two-person partnership for the ownership of property, establishment of a household, tax advantages, etc. They may or may not be having sex, and whether they are or are not it's legally nobody's business.

    I also support the bake shop owner. He is *not* a place of public accommodation nor is he delivering an essential service (like a pharmacist filling a prescription, a grocer, etc). He should be able to decline any order. If he kicks potential customers out too often, he will get a lousy reputation and be driven out of business- but that should be his choice.

    Shame on the militant brides to be. There's almost certainly another bakery in town. If they did successfully force this guy to prepare a cake against his will, who in their right mind would be comfortable eating it?

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Normandy wrote...
    wrong
    May 15, 2013 12:44 pm
    he can decline on order-just not on the basis of sex, religion, race or orientation
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Oly80 wrote...
    yeah...
    February 5, 2013 7:11 am
    on this one. i'm sorry, but i'll side with the business owner. he shouldn't be forced to do something that he has no will to do.

    i'm totally pro gay marriage and all, but you can't expect everyone to be cool with it. AND you can't FORCE acceptance. people tolerate gay people, but you can't MAKE them be cool/accept the lifestyle.

    i just don't think business owners should be punished for that. OR, if they are punished, it's by just losing out on that market of customers. if they're cool with losing money from that group, then leave them be.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Normandy wrote...
    wrong
    May 15, 2013 12:45 pm
    then he should go out of business-and he will pay for this crime
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    i'm totally pro gay marriage and all, but you can't expect everyone to be cool with it. AND you can't FORCE acceptance. people tolerate gay people, but you can't MAKE them be cool/accept the lifestyle
    February 5, 2013 7:37 am
    You see a totally Pro gay Obama regime attempting to force Americans to accept the militant Homosexual agenda at all levels?

    This was predicted years ago. And now it is beginning to get here in mindless ultra Liberal Western Washington!

    And you people voted for this! The next Sodom and Gomorrah?

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • The Dude Abides wrote...
    It's me, you're an Rtard
    February 5, 2013 8:36 am
    This is not federal, this is Oregon state law. A law, btw, that was enacted while your boy Dubya was in office. Obama had nothing to do with this, and while I don't think the White House had anything at all to do with this, good ole pretzel choker would be the figurehead to direct your homophobic rage at.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Oly80 wrote...
    again...
    February 5, 2013 9:33 am
    TOLERATE, not accept.

    no law has been made to force everyone to accept the lifestyle. just tolerate it.

    Obama has NOTHING to do with this. Bush was gonna be forced to deal with it too, he just ignored it.

    Obama isn't forcing an "agenda" on anyone. if you believe that, please sign off and tune back in to your masters at fox news. they'll tell you what you want to hear.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Normandy wrote...
    silly
    May 15, 2013 12:45 pm
    no one asked for acceptance, dumdum-they just want a cake
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Stevebo wrote...
    I have to agree with Chuck and Oly80 on this one...
    February 5, 2013 7:37 am
    I'm a staunch gay rights supporter - and I firmly believe in equality for EVERYONE (including gays/lesbians/transgender (etc.) ).

    However, I also believe that a private business should have a right to religious freedom as well.

    It's a shame that this couple feels the need to take this to the next level. I think that there are times to "take a stand" so to speak - but I don't think that this is an appropriate one.

    If anything, this court action is probably going to call into question the overall constitutional legality of Oregon's law.

    Should a Christian bookstore now be forced to stock copies of gay/lesbian literature?

    I think it's high time that people stop trying to force other people to adhere to their thoughts and beliefs.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Seattle Dad wrote...
    Not the gay rights agenda
    February 5, 2013 12:39 pm
    Good luck with that. In the meantime the gay couple will use the money of the gay lobby to force this small bakery to the supreme court and wipe out their livlihood. Just bullies wanting to force people to their way of thinking.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Normandy wrote...
    no
    May 15, 2013 12:46 pm
    SC? dont be dumb-this ends at Oregonian law-anti-discrimination laws were ruled lawful decades ago-remember when racists were forced to serve blacks? same thing
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • WAmovesRight wrote...
    ... the start of persecution...
    February 5, 2013 7:43 am
    I'm not being melodramatic either.

    If this man is forced to serve these two women, or if he is punished for not serving them... It is a form of persecution... for he is being punished for his religious beliefs.

    Currently, churches & ministers are exempt from performing wedings and/or recognizing them. However, a Holyghost filled saint of God has as much right to stand for godly principles as a minister.

    It occurs to me that, since they were so open about their beliefs on the webpage, I wonder if this was not intentional on the part of the woomen? Most people I know that are getting married research EVERYTHING about their plans including the bakeries. It's possible and even likely they knew in advance it'd be a problem and chose this establishment to draw attention to it.

    You gays & lesbians ought to remember that you have your new "rights" because a majority of straight voters have a misguided sense of social justice. You keep pushing and pushing forcing your lifestyle on the rest of the world, you may find your support base gets ripped out from under you. the 3.5% of you that identify with that lifestyle cannot do it alone... my advice... learn to live peaceably with those around you.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Normandy wrote...
    no
    May 15, 2013 12:46 pm
    boo hoo-and wrong
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • adiru wrote...
    Sue the city of Portland
    February 5, 2013 7:53 am
    for only having one baker in the whole area that can make a wedding cake. And I used to like Duff but after his comment of calling the baker "wrong", he's off my list.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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