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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 (180)


  • Add A Comment

  • SleeplessinPuyallup wrote...
    How Ironic..
    February 5, 2013 6:34 pm
    The last statement before the "Comments" section on this page reads: Bonneville reserves the right to remove comments which do not conform to these criteria. That is discrimination against my right to act like an azsclown when hiding behind my keyboard. If this post is deleted, then I'll hire a lawyer from lesbiancakeboss.com and submit an informal protest. People have been intolerant of my tomfoolery and occasional outbursts of blatant a5shattery for long enough. I hope these poor victims of discrimination have their cake and eat it too, or whatever it is lesbians like to do with wedding cake behind closed doors. It's none of our business.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Ron_Spins wrote...
    Would Jesus have baked that cake for them?
    February 5, 2013 6:58 pm
    My opinion Yes he would have...and he would have baked the best cake too!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • rational wrote...
    Ron_Spins
    February 5, 2013 9:22 pm
    My opinion Yes he would have...and he would have baked the best cake too!

    And likely follwed it up with the same advise He gave the adulterous woman..."go and sin no more."

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Dmjones88 wrote...
    He Stood Up for His Beliefs
    February 5, 2013 8:16 pm
    Wrong or Right, he has stood up for his belief with full understanding of the consequences of his actions. How many other people today are willing to do that? But what will they do to him? Harass, intimidate, BULLY and do everything in their power to make sure he and NO ONE else stands up for their beliefs. The state of Oregon which should have slapped him with a civil penalty and be done with it, letting the local citizens vote with their feet. But the state of Oregon is going to waste the tax dollars to investigate him, meaning they will send health inspectors, auditors and any other inspector to his business to find each and every minor infraction possible to ensure that he is made an example of. Bet they try and send social services over to check on his kids welfare as well. Also, got to wonder why no other local baker offered to make the cake for them, or did the media and politicians ignore all local offers to ensure the celebrity and media attention of using Duff?
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  • nevetssnikpoh wrote...
    Freedom of choice
    February 5, 2013 8:23 pm
    I guess freedom of choice works in one direction only. Tolerance in one direction only. Liberal hypocrites
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • rational wrote...
    Tolerance in one direction only. Liberal hypocrites
    February 5, 2013 9:23 pm
    Progressives aren't liberal. Ultimately they are facist.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Oly80 wrote...
    actually...
    February 6, 2013 7:14 am
    i kinda agree. i'm a moderate liberal and i feel like this has gone too far.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • tlmbrt wrote...
    The owner
    February 5, 2013 10:55 pm
    is being cast as the equivalent of a racist who won't serve African-Americans or Asians. Of course, the media and pro-gay groups are all up in arms and want this man punished for daring to have different beliefs than they do. This is no different than a pharmacist refusing, on religious grounds, to sell the morning after pill. The "tolerant" left recognizes no thoughts but their own, and has no reservation about branding and crushing dissenters. There is a simple solution here. If you are unsatisfied, go to another bakery! No demonstrating, no boycotts. The FREE MARKET will fix the issue. If enough people are turned off and don't patronize his bakery, he will feel the economic pinch. The thing is, the strident "activists" don't want to leave it to chance. They would rather bully and intimidate....
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Mavila wrote...
    The gay couple is not being denied a cake because...
    February 5, 2013 11:40 pm
    they can go elsewhere to get their cake (and eat it too). But the gay couple does seek to deny the bakery owners the right of their freedom of religious expression, which is to say the bakery owners object to being forced to cater to what they find to be an immoral act according to their religious faith. Disagree with the bakery owners all you like (it's your right, after all), but the bakery owner's decision to decline this contract is unquestionably an expression of their religious faith and is guaranteed under the first amendment of the Constitution, Oregon State law notwithstanding.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    cake bakin..
    February 6, 2013 5:48 am
    I am not Homosexual if that put you at ease!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • releggneh wrote...
    it's the baker's choice!
    February 6, 2013 3:09 pm
    It's his business, his right to refuse anything he don't wish to make. Get over it already. Go to another baker then. Who the he11 cares.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Normandy wrote...
    Religious bigotry OK?
    May 15, 2013 12:37 pm
    Just to be clear-all of you religious folks are OK with a business refusing sale to a black couple because they believe blacks have no souls and bear the mark of Cain? Or how about refusing to sell to Jews because they killed Christ? That's where this leads...religious kookery is rampant in the country-they use any excuse to hate if given the chance. Non-Discrimination laws protect EVERYONE
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