UPDATE::Aaron And Melissa Klein Head For Big (Money) Leagues With New Attorney - The New Civil Rights Movement

None of this will Aaron or Melissa Klein ever admit to in public, nor, likely, will their new attorneys.

The Kleins have received well over half a million dollars from concerned and supportive conservative Christians outraged that the husband and wife, "good Christians," "lost their business," or so the Kleins claim, and were themselves subjected to harassment.

The Kleins have also started a new business, of sorts: they are now stars on the religious freedom talk circuit, making the rounds to events sponsored by the likes of the Family Research Council and other anti-gay groups.

“The past three years have been devastating,” Melissa Klein says in a press release today from First Liberty, formerly the Liberty Institute. “Just because we couldn’t participate in an event that violated our religious beliefs, we lost our business. We were committed to serving everyone regardless of their circumstances at all other times.”

First Liberty in their press release describes Melissa Klein as the "former owner of Sweet Cakes by Melissa," and to show just how much compassion the young couple deserve, First Liberty proudly has placed a photo of the Kleins in front of their van, their van that says, "Sweet Cakes by Melissa," with a web address: SweetCakesWeb.com. If you click on it you might be confused, because the Kleins, as you can see, are still very much in business.
,,,

The Kleins have apparently dropped their now-former attorney and, like elected officials who want to make big money after doing their stint of public service, have signed on to a top firm. The only difference is instead of a signing with a speakers firm, they've signed with a law firm. First Liberty, headed by the infamous Kelly Shackleford, says it is the "largest legal organization in the nation dedicated exclusively to defending religious freedom."

But just like a speakers' firm, the Kleins have their own page at Fist Liberty, and you can even use it to "Book an interview" with them.

Aaron And Melissa Klein Head For Big (Money) Leagues With New Attorney - The New Civil Rights Movement

CASE WATCH::Atlanta Refusing to Bow to the Name of Jesus — Charisma News

When one reads the hyperbole surrounding the Cochrane case keep in mind, "it was not because of his religious beliefs, but for his poor judgment in distributing his self-published book that condemned homosexuality. Atlanta has sexual orientation nondiscrimination protections and Cochran was fostering an unwelcoming working environment that did not represent the city’s values. Moreover, while Cochran was suspended for a month to investigate complaints about how he distributed his book, he openly promised to continue engaging in such actions, which Reed felt seriously undermined his 'judgment.'"

Think Progress also notes, "Reed was adamant during Tuesday’s press conference that Cochran’s religious beliefs were not the reason he was fired. His book, Who Told You That You Were Naked?, was published in violation of Atlanta’s Standards of Conduct, which requires approval from the Ethics Officer and the Board of Ethics. According to Reed, Cochran’s 'actions and decision-making undermine his ability to manage our fire department' because employees need to feel that they are 'a valued member of the team and that fairness and respect guide employment decisions.'"

In the 2013 book, "Who Told You That You Were Naked?", Cochran called homosexuality "vulgar" and "the opposite of purity." He was fired early this year after employees complained to city council members about the book's content, Atlanta city attorney Robert N. Godfrey said.

"The city of Atlanta has a policy of non-discrimination," Godfrey said in court. "This book runs completely afoul of those principles."

U.S. District Court Judge Leigh May said during Wednesday's hearing that there had not yet been time for depositions in the lawsuit filed in February, suggesting she was not ready to throw it out. But she did not immediately issue a ruling.

Cochran is seeking to return to his job with back pay.
,,,
Theriot noted that most of the books that Cochran gave away at work were to employees who asked for copies.

So my question would be, if "'[t]he fire chief wasn’t passing the book around, except to people who asked for it,”' how offensive is what he wrote that someone that received said book felt the need to report it? 

Atlanta Refusing to Bow to the Name of Jesus — Charisma News

See also::  Lawsuit: Fire chief terminated because of Christian faith for more Reich hyperbole

Ted Cruz And Ben Carson Appear In Film Promoting A Radically Anti-Gay Pastor And Slavery Defender | Right Wing Watch

Pastor Douglas Wilson is a radically right-wing pastor from Idaho who defends slavery, calls for gays to be exiled and adulterers to be put to death. In 2012, he was invited to speak at Indiana University, which led to protests and confrontation and now, a right-wing documentary about the controversy called "The Free Speech Apocalypse."
Directed by Darren Doane, perhaps best known for directing Kirk Cameron's "Saving Christmas," which is literally one of the worst films ever made, the new movie presents Wilson's experience of going up against the left-wing "tolerance buzzsaw" and, amazingly, features appearances by Ted Cruz and Ben Carson:

The Free Speech Apocalypse exposes the strategies of the anti-God, anti-traditional, hyper-liberal elite and offers perspective on the cultural decay that has accelerated across the country over the three years since Wilson's visit to Indiana University.

Worst yet, The Free Speech Apocalypse demonstrates clearly the erosion of free speech and religious liberty in America. The right to hold your own opinions if they differ from leftist agendas is vanishing at an alarming rate, and it's time for ordinary Americans to wake up and speak out.

This documentary features (among others) Sweet Cakes owners Aaron and Melissa Klein, as well as presidential candidates Ted Cruz and Dr. Ben Carson outlining the concerns they have that unelected judges are ruling against the common citizen's Constitutional right to free speech.

A trailer posted on the film's website prominently features both Cruz and Carson.
,,,
Earlier this year, Rand Paul, Mike Huckabee and various Republican members of Congress appeared in another right-wing anti-gay documentary alongside a Religious Right activist who openly calls for gays and all those how refuse to submit to Christianity to be put to death.

Are GOP presidential hopefuls utterly incapable of doing any research or vetting before agreeing to appear in these sorts of films?

Ted Cruz And Ben Carson Appear In Film Promoting A Radically Anti-Gay Pastor And Slavery Defender | Right Wing Watch

ADDENDUM::Bakers Who Were Fined $135,000 for Refusing to Make Gay Wedding Cake Explain Why They’re Continuing to Defy the Order | TheBlaze.com

Melissa Klein, owner of the embattled Sweetcakes by Melissa bakery, explained on Monday why she and her husband, Aaron, continue to ignore a $135,000 judgement imposed over their refusal to make a lesbian wedding cake, saying that they don’t want to set a bad precedent.

“We feel like we shouldn’t have to pay when we haven’t even gotten due process,” Klein told TheBlaze. “We also feel like we’re taking a stand for the next person … that this could happen to. We don’t want to set a precedent.”
She continued, “We want to fight this, and we want to fight this all the way.”

Her comments were in response to Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries spokesman Charlie Burr, who recently told the Daily Signal that the agency is “exploring collection options,” which could set the stage for the government to go after the Kleins’ home and assets.

Bakers Who Were Fined $135,000 for Refusing to Make Gay Wedding Cake Explain Why They’re Continuing to Defy the Order | TheBlaze.com

See also:  Officials Move to Take Christian Bakers’ Home After Couple Refuses to Pay $135,000 to Lesbians

UPDATE:: State Takes Legal Action to Seize $135K From Oregon Bakers

The agency that ordered Aaron and Melissa Klein to pay $135,000 in damages for refusing to bake a cake for a same-sex couple began the legal process last week to seize the money the Oregon bakers are refusing to pay.

“Our agency has docketed the judgment and is exploring collection options,” Charlie Burr, communications director for the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries, told The Daily Signal. “They are entitled to a full and fair review of the case, but do not have the right to disregard a legally binding order.”

Docketing the judgment is a preliminary step the agency must take in order to seize the Kleins’ house, property, or other assets in lieu of payment.
,,,
“There’s legal reasons and there’s also kind of personal reasons,” Aaron Klein told The Daily Signal in a phone interview. “If a civil court or a circuit court judge had made this order, I would consider it legally binding. But when a bureaucracy does it and I didn’t get due process, I don’t call it legally binding.”

State Takes Legal Action to Seize $135K From Oregon Bakers

High School Marching Band Benched over Christian Hymn | Todd Starnes

The only losers are are the children,,,

According to Todd "I never distort the truth" Starnes,

There was no halftime show under the Friday night lights at Mississippi’s Brandon High School — the marching band had been benched.

The band was ordered off the field because the Christian hymn “How Great Thou Art” was a part of their halftime show — in violation of a federal court order.

Starnes does mention the prior court proceedings that led to the decision.  What he fails to mention,

In a statement Friday evening, the Rankin County School District said, "A Federal Court Order was recently issued to the Rankin County School District.

"The order states: 'Defendants are permanently enjoined from including prayer, religious sermons or activities in any school sponsored event including but not limited to assemblies, graduations, award ceremonies, athletic events and any other school event. That means administrators, teachers and staff of the Rankin County School District may not participate in any religious activity, or solicit or encourage religious activities at school or while performing duties as a RCSD employee.'"

And, as Hemant Mehta noted, the appearance of state sanctioned religious expression has been an ongoing issue for this school district.

This is a District where a school held a religious assembly during the school day, only to be exposed by one of the students, then held another one a year later. This is a place where another school in the District held a Gideon Bible giveaway. And this is a place where the Superintendent blocked the formation of a Gay-Straight Alliance. Because of all this, a judge ruled that any future violations of church/state separation would result in an automatic $10,000 fine.

Now whether this possible violation was intentional, remains to be seen.  There obviously was miscommunication,

Harrell said that he met with RCSD officials and all of the school principals near the end of July so they understood the order and the restrictions the district is operating under. But he didn’t find out about concerns regarding the band performance until the Friday before the game after a school employee brought it to his attention.

But to have to scrap an entire half-time show because of one piece does make one wonder how central a theme it was.  [I was never in marching band, so my notion may be off with the reality of what it is like.]  And I do question the musical piece chosen for logistical reasons.  How the hell do you march to "How Great Thou Art"?  I see it more of a stage band or orchestral piece.

In the end it really is the kids that suffer.  Learning any piece of music is difficult and takes time and practice.  Learning the marching routine adds another level of dedication.  Whether the administration over reacted, I'm not sure.  As one comment notes, and it does raise an interesting question,

The principal cannot say a prayer over the intercom during school hours. This is a situation where no one is given a choice to participate. However, a school can have an organized elective class that studies religion. Or, teaching the bible as literature is permissible. If you take sacred music out of history's repertoire, there would not be much left.

It is the position of The National Association for Music Education that the study and performance of religious music within an educational context is a vital and appropriate part of a comprehensive music education. The omission of sacred music from the school curriculum would result in an incomplete educational experience.

but again the performance venue and presentation is questionable. 

Don't get me wrong, I am all for kids learning these iconic pieces of sacred music and how they influence our current music.  I am all for learning music history and theory,  BUT ",,,being careful to avoid another lawsuit,,,, is what I want government officials to do with my tax dollars.”
 

High School Marching Band Benched over Christian Hymn | Todd Starnes

ADDENDUM::Sweet Cakes bakers send cakes to LGBTQ groups as 'expression of love' | OregonLive.com

A perfect demonstrate that money and intolerance are what the Christo-fascist really believe in,,,

The Oregon bakers who cited their Christian beliefs in refusing to make a cake for a same-sex wedding sent custom-designed cakes this week to 10 LGBTQ organizations as an expression of love, the bakery's namesake said Thursday.

Melissa Klein said she and her husband Aaron, owners of the Sweet Cakes by Melissa bakery, sent the cakes Wednesday to the groups, along with a copy of the movie "Audacity" and a gift card provided by Ray Comfort, the film's executive producer.
,,,
Melissa Klein said in her email Thursday that she hadn't received responses yet from any of the 10 LGBTQ groups.
"Our purpose is to express our love for them as a Christian," she wrote. "We don't hate them. We also included in the package the movie Audacity. I feel it is a well done movie that shows what being a Christian is about. My hope is that they will watch it and maybe just understand our heart.  We want to show them that it's not about not serving them it's about not being able to partake in an event."
,,,
Jeana Frazzini, co-director of the Oregon group, dismissed the bakers' gesture.

"You can't one day send out a batch of cakes that say 'We really do love you' and the next day stand at a podium and advocate for discrimination against LGBTQ people," she said. "This gesture is not about those cakes. It's about standing for the Oregon values of fairness and inclusion and that's what BRO stands for."

As noted by the Friendly Atheist, Hemant Mehta, "The Kleins don’t care. They got the publicity they wanted. And, their fundraiser is still open, which is totally coincidental, I’m sure,,,."

Sweet Cakes bakers send cakes to LGBTQ groups as 'expression of love' | OregonLive.com

Cruz: 'Liberal Fascism' Seeks 'To Persecute, To Punish, To Fine' Any Christian Who Opposes Gay Marriage | Right Wing Watch

Same four or five “victims” of so-called persecuted, Christianists that have been at every anti-gay event in the last couple of years: former Atlanta fire chief Kelvin Cochran, florist Baronnelle Stutzman, bakers Aaron and Melissa Klein, Mennonite couple Dick and Betty Odgaard, and former Air Force Sgt. Phillip Monk.

Cruz is desperate to up his polling numbers enough to make the cut for the next GOP debate.  It's a crowded field  dominated by Donald Trump, contenders like Cruz have to up his rhetoric just to register on the news radar.   According to the Washington Post: 

Cruz has said that 2016 will be a “religious liberty election,” and is working to woo the religious right, which has a strong constituency here, in the early voting state of South Carolina and in the rest of the South, which is set to play a major role in the Republican nominating contest.
,,,
While Cruz will be competing for the evangelical vote with candidates including former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, former senator Rick Santorum and neurosurgeon Ben Carson, few have been as vociferous about the notion that religious liberty is under attack than Cruz. He brought up the issue repeatedly during a bus tour of the South last week, repeatedly promising that on his first day in office he would direct federal agencies not to meddle with people who believe they have stayed firm to their religious beliefs in the face of social change.

And so it seems that was the point of the "Rally for Religious Liberty" in Iowa, pander to the base.  Although it appears his "scripted" day did not start very well,

"What about the question about LGBT people being fired for being gay-trans?" Page asked.

"Well, what we're seeing right now, we’re seeing Bible-believing Christians being persecuted for living according to their faith," Cruz said.

"You're discriminating against LGBT people," Page said. "Well, would you use that argument in segregation?"
 ,,,
Cruz cited the Gortz Haus case where the Iowa business denied letting a same-sex couple use their wedding chapel due to their religious beliefs. The courts ruled against the couple. The couple decided to stop offering wedding rentals to all couples and then recently closed this summer.

"Now I’m happy to answer your question, but not to have a back-and-forth debate," said Cruz. "No one has the right to force someone else to abandon their faith and their conscience."

According to RRW, Cruz made his rounds:

Mickelson asked Cruz to discuss his fight against the “brazenness of the atheist Taliban” and the fact that “anytime they furrow their brow at anyone [people] fold up and go home and give them what they want.”

Cruz, who has previously railed against what he called a gay “jihad" against Christians, apparently liked Mickelson’s phrase, and took it up while describing his work fighting against church-state separation efforts.

“There is an assault on faith and an assault on religious liberty that we see across this country and it has never been as bad as it is right now,” he said, claiming that “radical atheists and liberals” are “driving any acknowledgment of God out of the public square.”

He also spoke with Ed Berliner on Newsmax to discuss what Cruz calls "liberal fascism" which has a "hatred and intolerance for Christians."

Berliner asked Cruz how he planned to bring both sides together when the Republican Party has a reputation that it "does not like homosexuals, that you are anti-gay" and that it supports anti-gay discrimination. Cruz, predictably, refused to address that issue, insisting simply that "I'm a Christian and Scripture commands Christians to love everybody" before declaring that the real issue is the supposed government persecution of people of faith.
,,,
"What we're seeing now," he said, "is this liberal fascism and intolerance where their object is to persecute, to punish, to fine any Bible-following Christian or believer that believes in the biblical definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman. And that is profoundly inconsistent with who we are as Americans."
,,,
"There are some activists who, frankly, manifest a hatred and intolerance for Christians, who are persecuting Christians," Cruz said. "That is unfortunate. As I said, I think we should love everybody."

Cruz: 'Liberal Fascism' Seeks 'To Persecute, To Punish, To Fine' Any Christian Who Opposes Gay Marriage | Right Wing Watch

See also:

Ted Cruz Called God’s Candidate At Anti-Gay Rally In Iowa: VIDEO

Scott Lively Warns Christians To Prepare For Relentless Persecution In Wake Of Gay Marriage Ruling | Right Wing Watch

More Scott Lively,,,

"As Christians, our world changed on the day the Obergefell case came down," he said, "and there's going to be persecution unfolding for all of us in this country because this movement of people is implacable, they can't be placated. They're relentless and their goal is supremacy. It's not tolerance, it's not acceptance, it isn't even celebration, it isn't even being able to force everyone to participate in their culture, it's to punish anyone who disagrees with them as severely as they can and that is what's coming for every person."

Scott Lively Warns Christians To Prepare For Relentless Persecution In Wake Of Gay Marriage Ruling | Right Wing Watch

Atheist Activist Group Demands Texas School District to Remove Christian Quotes from Walls | Christian News Network

So here is the Reich's initial faux persecution complaint,

Last week, Madison, Wisc.-based Freedom from Religion Foundation (FFRF) sent a letter to officials with the school district to assert that the quotes are both unconstitutional and “dubious.”

“The numerous biblical quotes currently displayed on MVISD property unconstitutionally promote Christianity, creating the appearance that it is favored by the district,” the letter reads. “These quotes must be removed.”
,,,
The correspondence also contends that the historical quotes were either misquoted or manipulated, and were not true quotes.

Here is what the FFRF has to say and why:

Courts have continually held that public school districts may not endorse religious messages, including text taken from the bible,,,. [The] MVISD is a public school district and its schools should not be in the business of advancing Christianity by displaying bible quotes on district property.” (pp 1-2)

In their explanation to this point, FFRF notes in their letter to the Mount Vernon Independent School District (MVISD) the improper attribution of the golden rule to Jesus (citing Matt 7:12).  Standard scholarship shows this idea existed long before Christianity or Judaism.

Another example notes a quote atrributed to Ronald Reagan,"Within the covers of the Bible are the answers for all the problems men face." As Grover states, this selection is "dubious, and, incidentally, intellectually lazy since that is not a direct quotation." (p 2, footnote 4) 

[There are more examples given, but I think you get my drift.  Read the letter (PDF) cited above for more.]


Why this is problematic regardless of their accuracy:

Displaying statements by prominent individuals that broadly endorse Christianity is also a constitutional violation.  A public school district cannot endorse the religious preferences of prominent historical figures anymore that it can promote the personal religious preferences of its administrators. (p 2)

These "quotes" came from a master list created by school district employees, acting in their official capacities.  Therefore, "the quotes on the walls of MVISD are school district speech subject to the Establishment Clause, not private speech posted as part of a public forum." (p 3)

Furthermore, Grover asks a pertinent question concerning the purpose of these quotes, especially when one considers,

When MVISD manipulates historical quotes by removing context and isolating lines that promote Christianity or religion in general, it violates the right of conscience of its students,,,.  The district cannot even fall back on the argument that these quotes have educational merit, given the many examples of misquotes, misattributions, and entirely fraudulent quotes displayed on its walls,,,.  The district sets a poor example for its students if it cannot be bothered to fact check the messages it chooses to endorse. (pp 3-4)

Sadly, revisionist history isn't just plaguing the MVISD. 

Across the country, efforts are being made to manipulate and suppress curriculum in order to conform to right-wing ideology. Recently, College Board, the “non-profit” company that designs curriculum for advanced placement (AP) US History courses, revised its standards to reflect “American Exceptionalism” and minimize negative aspects of the nation’s historical narrative, such as racism, slavery and the government’s treatment of indigenous peoples. GOP lawmakers across the country are attempting to ban AP US History courses completely on the grounds that they are “too biased.” Last year, the Texas State Board of Education voted to approve US history textbooks in which Moses is depicted as the nation’s “Founding Father,” shoving the right-wing Christianist worldview down school children’s collective throats. Two years ago, a federal circuit court judge upheld an Arizona ban on teaching social studies courses focusing on ethnic minorities.

Atheist Activist Group Demands Texas School District to Remove Christian Quotes from Walls | Christian News Network

Candace Cameron Bure: Allowing business to discriminate is part of what makes America ‘wonderful’ | Gay Star News

Writer, The View co-host and Full House actor Candace Cameron Bure has reiterated her convinction that business owners with deeply held religious views should be allowed to turn away customers if they believe that providing service to them conflicts with their faith.

Cameron Bure – the sister of homophobic, evangelical Christian Kirk Cameron – made the comments in an interview with HuffPost Live.

Last month, Cameron Bure clashed with The View co-host Raven Symoné over the issue of bakeries that refuse to make wedding cakes for same-sex couples. Raven Symoné was critical of a bakery in Oregon that had refused to make a wedding cake for a lesbian couple, but Cameron Bure leapt to its defense.

‘I don’t think this is discrimination at all. This is about freedom of association. It’s about constitutional rights. It’s about First Amendment rights. It’s about having the right to still choose who we associate with,’ she said at the time.

‘[They] didn’t refuse to bake the cake because of [the couple’s] sexual orientation. In fact, they baked cakes for them previously. They had a problem with the actual ceremony because that – the ceremony – is what conflicted with their religious beliefs.’

Candace Cameron Bure: Allowing business to discriminate is part of what makes America ‘wonderful’ | Gay Star News

Anti-gay football analyst sues Fox Sports for religious discrimination | Gay Star News

A former college football commentator Monday (3 August) filed a religious discrimination lawsuit against Fox Sports who he claims fired him over his anti-gay views.

Craig James by was hired by Fox Sports Southwest in August 2013, only to be fired days later. He is seeking at least $100,000 in damages and a jury trial to hear his claims of breach of contract and discrimination.

‘Fox Sports fired Craig James because of his religious beliefs about marriage and his expression of those beliefs during a debate when James ran in the Texas Republican primary for United States Senator,’ the suit reads.

During that debate, the former New England Patriots running back said LGBTI people chose to be gay and would ‘have to answer to the Lord for their actions.’

‘We should not give benefits to those civil unions,’ he added.

Anti-gay football analyst sues Fox Sports for religious discrimination | Gay Star News

Show Notes:: Oregon silences bakers,,,Not (Pt 1)

There has been a lot of stink of late surrounding the recent BOLI ruling concerning Sweet Cakes by Melissa.  The Oregon bakery  that refused service to a lesbian couple.  My introduction to said hyperbolic rantings by the Reich concerning the aftermath of the ruling came via Todd Starnes:

Shut up! Don’t say another word.

That’s what the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industry (BOLI) is telling the owners of Sweet Cakes By Melissa, a bakery owned by Christians who refused to bake a cake for a lesbian wedding.

On Friday the state ordered owners Aaron and Melissa Klein to pay $135,000 in damages to a lesbian couple they turned away in 2013.

The state also slapped a gag order on the evangelical Christian bakers – banning them from speaking publicly about their refusal to participate in or bake wedding cakes for same-sex unions.

“This effectively strips us of all our First Amendment rights,” Mrs. Klein wrote on Facebook. “According to the state of Oregon, we neither have freedom of religion or freedom of speech.”

So three points are at issue

• Yes, the Kleins were ordered to pay 135K in damages.  Damages being the key word.
• No, the Kleins were not "slapped with a gag order"
• And, no the Kleins First Amendment rights have not been infringed upon.

I am only going to hit one issue for now for the sake of brevity:  In order to understand the damages awarded, one must look at the timeline of events as a whole.

According to the BOLI ruling, or final order as it is termed, the timeline of events is laid out starting on pp 3-21, The initial complaint was filed in 2013. In 2014, BOLI commenced an investigation and found that the Kleins did indeed discriminate based on sexual orientation. At that time BOLI began a conciliation process between the two parties to see if a settlement could be reached. It was not successful and charges were pursued by the state before an administrative law judge.

During this time period, Aaron Klein inadvertently revealed the (now) Bowman-Cryer's names and address.  As explained by BOLI beginning on page 9, Laurel Bowman was unaware of the disclaimer on the BOLI form for submitting a complaint (explained in the ruling). On page 12 it continues with BOLI notifying the Kleins of said complaint with the names and address of the Bowman-Cryers included.

The next day Klein published the first page of said complaint to F/B, it was removed later in the day. By the next day it hit the news. It devolved from there.  Keep in mind the Bowman-Cryers only released 1 media comment via their attorney, all subsequent media comments concerning said case came via the Kleins, their mouthpieces or BOLI.

According to BOLI's ruling Aaron Klein was not the initiator of the media interviews mentioned above (p 19) nor did BOLI feel he released the names of the Bowman-Cyers other than on F/B.  As BOLI notes when Aaron Klein posted to F/B he only had "17 friends". BUT then again the Kleins continued with their media frenzy though according to BOLI contact was not initiated by the Kleins.

That is where I think Lars Larson's influence comes into play as well as Alliance Defending Freedom (and you all know my feelings toward ADF).  It was not the Kleins per se that where doxxing the Bowman-Cryers but those on their side of the case pushing the media driven agenda for sympathy and money for the coffers; from Franklin Graham to the American Family Association.  But ultimate responsibility falls on the Kleins.

The Alliance Defending Freedom wants to take America back to the 3rd century. Literally. On the website for its legal fellowship program, the organization explains that it “seeks to recover the robust Christendomic theology of the 3rd, 4th, and 5th centuries.”

“This is catholic, universal orthodoxy and it is desperately crucial for cultural renewal,” the explanation goes on. “Christians must strive to build glorious cultural cathedrals, rather than shanty tin sheds.”

While the Arizona-based organization has not made much progress in its mission of restoring the religious sentiments of the Byzantine Era, it has built a massive “legal ministry,” relying on 21st century attorneys and an eight-figure annual budget to reshape American law and society.

So all of this factored into the awarding of damages, and it is important to keep in mind, the Bowman-Cryers, during all of this, where trying to adopt their foster children and told by state officials that if they couldn’t protect the foster children in their home from the harassment that resulted from the Klein’s public posting of their home address, etc., they would lose the children (pp. 13-14).

As to why the damages awarded may seem so high:

The BOLI Final Order awards $60,000 in damages to Laurel Bowman-Cryer and $75,000 in damages to Rachel Bowman-Cryer for emotional suffering stemming directly from unlawful discrimination. The amounts are damages related to the harm suffered by the Complainants, not fines or civil penalties which are punitive in nature.

The Final Order notes that the non-economic damages are consistent with the agency’s previous orders, such as an earlier ruling against a Bend dentist In the Matter of Andrew W. Engle. In that case, BOLI awarded a Christian employee $325,000 in damages for physical, mental and emotion suffering due to religious discrimination and harassment

Since the Kleins brought the case to the media’s attention (Aaron's F/B posting and subsequent aftermath) and kept it there by repeatedly appearing in public (numerous interviews) to make statements it would be foreseeable that this attention would negatively impact the Bowman-Cryers, which makes the Kleins liable for any resultant emotional suffering experienced by Complainants.

In all honesty, I am surprised that the damages awarded were not higher.  Although the mark the award is set at, I believe, is explained quite well within the BOLI ruling.

Remember what I said in regards to "those on their side of the case pushing the media driven agenda for sympathy and money for the coffers; from Franklin Graham to the American Family Association."

This came across my news feed late last night:

As it stands now the Kleins have yet to pay damages although they have raked in $405,000+ in fundraising all because they chose to break the law. In the process they humiliated 2 individuals and put their children in harms way.

NCRM has reported before on the fundraising efforts promoted by religious extremists, from Franklin Graham to the American Family Association. A week ago donations to various fundraising campaigns came to about as much as the Kleins' $135,000 fine – which reportedly has yet to be paid. Now, those efforts have turned into a cash cow for the Kleins. Whenever they ultimately decide to cash out, they'll be rolling in the dough.

As we noted last week, Franklin Graham has been hosting a fundraising campaign for them via his Samaritan's Purse charity, and a GoFundMe campaign delivered reportedly about $60,000 after taxes before it was shut down, although some state that number was closer to $80,000.

Another fundraising campaign via Continue To Give last week had taken in over $55,000. Today, eight days later, that figure is about $345,000. Most of those donations appear to be anonymous, but Continue To Give lists 7,537 separate donations, an average of about $45 each.

The anti-gay hate group American Family Association has been promoting the fundraising campaign as a way to grow their own donor base, asking supporters to sign a petition linking to the Continue To Give campaign, while handing over their email addresses so AFA can later spam them. The petition also falsely claims a "gag order" is in place, generating even more sympathy for the Kleins.

The American Family Association is far from the only right wing group promoting the Kleins as religious celebrities. The Heritage Foundation, headed by the virulently anti-gay former U.S. Republican Senator Jim DeMint,,,

So please tell me again what this case is all about?

Hopefully, if your interest wasn't already piqued by these "religious liberty" type cases, I may gently shove you into paying attention.  In the end these cases (and other like then) have nothing to do with baking a cake.  To borrow from something I have stated before,

It is just this issue that Barry Lynne of Americans United for Separation of Church and State was concerned about in regards to the Hobby Lobby case. Lynn stated that the primary concern is contraceptive coverage under the ACA; but the agenda of the Religious Right is the right to opt out of ANY federal or state law(s) they do not like because of actual or alleged violation of THEIR religious principles.

All the legal mumbo jumbo aside, the Kleins and the ADF are still blatantly asking to be allowed to break a law because they are special. They are asking for a special privilege because they are religionists. Even if one where to take religion out of it, they are still wanting to break the law.

And guess what?  We get to have this conversation all over again in a few weeks/months, as ADF has another fundraising case on the dockets as I type, although this is an appeal. 

There will be more to come!!

Tom Tancredo: Marriage Equality Will Criminalize Support For The Confederate Flag, Criticism Of Islam | Right Wing Watch

Serious derp alert!! 

When Newsmax’s Steve Malzberg asked Tancredo to discuss a Facebook post he recently wrote comparing the Confederate flag to the Koran, Tancredo responded that efforts to “erase” the flag are misguided.

“However,” he continued, “there is something else out there, our president really happens to enjoy it, we teach about it in the public schools, we tell people, kids in the public schools to respect it. It’s called the Koran and it’s responsible for far more, far more murders, enslavement, the most horrible things, and it’s still going on. It’s not history, it’s still happening. And that, we don’t ban it, heavens no, we even tell kids we gotta read it in our schools and respect it.”

Malzberg then changed the subject, asking Tancredo about the Supreme Court’s marriage decision, which Tancredo said was connected. Not only will the decision eventually lead to the criminal prosecution of pastors, he claimed, but soon “everything I just said” about the Confederate flag and the Koran will be “outlawed” due to the institution of unconstitutional hate speech prohibitions.

Tom Tancredo: Marriage Equality Will Criminalize Support For The Confederate Flag, Criticism Of Islam | Right Wing Watch

Pastor Responds to Maher over Christian Persecution: Nazis Didn’t Burn the Jews Right Away | Mediaite

Last week Bill Maher went off on conservative cries of Christian persecution, demanding to know exactly where the persecution is coming from. Sean Hannity responded tonight by insisting that, yes, “Christians are often attacked” for their beliefs.

Pastor Robert Jeffress agreed and said, “It doesn’t rise to the level of having their head chopped off by ISIS in the Middle East, but it’s all the same attitude that allows for those attacks.”

And then Jeffress said this:

“I want to remind people that, you know, the Nazis weren’t able to take the Jews to the crematoriums immediately. The German people wouldn’t have allowed for it. Instead, the Nazis had to change public opinion. They marginalized the Jewish people, disparaged them, and make them objects of contempt.”

Pastor Responds to Maher over Christian Persecution: Nazis Didn’t Burn the Jews Right Away | Mediaite

Schlafly: Goal Of Gay Marriage Is 'To Wipe Out the Christian Religion' | Right Wing Watch

Maybe, just maybe - ya ole windbag - these "other faiths" could give a rat-ass about what their customers do in the privacy of their own home.  Although that might be too simple of an idea for your feeble mind to grasp.

“Have you noticed that only Christian small-businesspeople have been harassed and sued for refusing to participate in same-sex marriages even though our fast-growing immigrant populations, you know of Muslims, Hindus and other faiths are also opposed to that concept?” Wilder asked. “The use of same-sex marriage to attack Christian businesses but not businesses run by members of other religions demonstrates what is really driving the demand for the new constitutional right to same-sex marriage.”

“Well, that is right,” Schlafly responded. “They want to wipe out the Christian religion. And most of these other religions do not recognize same-sex marriage. I assume there are some Muslim bakers and photographers and other people who have been harassed, but they’re not being attacked and they’re not being criticized.”

Schlafly: Goal Of Gay Marriage Is 'To Wipe Out the Christian Religion' | Right Wing Watch

Allen West’s Exposé on Religious Discrimination at Walmart Fails Even the Simplest Fact-Checking

So it is safe to assume then, that because Allen West is a man of color, that he is a product of affirmative action? 

There was a young man doing the checkout and another Walmart employee came over and put up a sign, “No alcohol products in this lane.” So being the inquisitive fella I am, I used my additional set of eyes — glasses — to see the young checkout man’s name. Let me just say it was NOT “Steve.”

Apparently based solely on the young man’s name, the intrepid West ascertained this employee’s religious beliefs. And, obviously, the only reason that alcoholic products couldn’t go through Not-Steve’s lane was that Walmart was pandering to Islam, Sharia law has been declared, and Christians are under threat:

Imagine that, this employee at Walmart refused to just scan a bottle or container of an alcoholic beverage — and that is acceptable. A Christian business owner declines to participate or provide service to a specific event — a gay wedding — which contradicts their faith, and the State crushes them.

Apparently based solely on the young man’s name Allen West's skin color,,, What's that old saying? you know the one about making an ass of your self.

Like any classic non-apology, this sort of “I was technically wrong, but still right” correction is not particularly impressive. But with yet another Christian persecution narrative going down in flames, I guess conservatives will have to keep looking. Proving that the government and President Obama (“surely an Islamist sympathizer”) are applying a double-standard, persecuting Christians while allowing Muslims to discriminate, is turning out to be about as easy as finding Bigfoot.

Allen West’s Exposé on Religious Discrimination at Walmart Fails Even the Simplest Fact-Checking

Homophobic, Anti-Semitic Chaplain Officer of the Year | MRFF

A major war is being viciously waged against the United States of America, a war that’s global in scope and poses a terrifying threat to our national security interests. The ruthless attacks, which this conflict has generated, have inflicted grievous damage to nothing less than the U.S. Constitution itself, as well as the foundational core values of the United States armed forces. While the mainstream media has been woefully asleep regarding this raging conflict, the Pentagon has verified through its own official publications that the war has already led to vast transformations within the armed forces. Religious fanatics are spearheading this pernicious worldwide campaign and, no, I’m NOT referring to Shia or Sunni Islamic jihadists…. but “jihadist” was a good guess. I’m referring, of course, to our very own fire & brimstone fundamentalist Christian crusaders, both within uniform and without, who have seemingly infiltrated every echelon of the United States armed forces. These religious extremists are bolstered by legions of civilian zealots, parachurch organizations, legislators, and persons of influence who are carrying out their own grievous massacre of bedrock civil rights under the banner of “religious freedom.”

You want the latest proof? Witness the appalling appellation and homage recently given to USAF Chaplain (Capt.) Sonny Hernandez, 445th Airlift Wing Chaplain Corps: freshly crowned as the “Air Force Life Cycle Management Center Individual Mobilization Accession Company Grade Officer of the Year” at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, in Dayton, Ohio. The official statement regarding this newly benighted Company Grade Officer of the Year sounds wonderfully amazing and ecumenical. Well, don’t cue the U.S. Air Force band rendition of Kumbaya yet, folks – the plot’s about to thicken with bountiful bile and phlegm.

[,,,]
So, my friends, the next time some fanatical Jesus freak from the “Family” Research Council, the American “Family” Association or the “Liberty” Institute (or some other Orwellian-named fundamentalist Christian hate-group) comes along and tries to sell you the unadulterated crap that the U.S. military under President Obama has become a “hostile environment for Christians”, in general, and hideously hostile to those poor, oppressed, pious military chaplains (like “Officer of the Year” Chaplain Hernandez) in particular, inquire about whether they also have some magic beans or love potions to sell you. You may then inform them with the cold, hard, irrefutable facts of the uber-dominating, Dominionist Christian influence pervading our armed forces, and the war on real religious liberty that is being waged.

Homophobic, Anti-Semitic Chaplain Officer of the Year | MRFF

Cuomo Challenges Carson: You Think Gays Get More Legal Protections than Christians? | Mediaite

CNN anchor Chris Cuomo’s interviews with neurosurgeon headline generator Ben Carson have caused some trouble for the latter, to the point that he’s said he won’t discuss LGBT issues anymore. Nonetheless Cuomo pinned him down on the subject Thursday morning, appearing bewildered when Carson intimated that the LGBT community was a more protected class than Christians under the Constitution.

“I would like to see as much emphasis on the rights of Christians…as there is to some of the other groups,” Carson said. “I would like to see a much greater conservation about Christians and their rights. Why are we not talking about that?”

“We are right now,” Cuomo said. “The LGBT community gets far less legal protection, as you know—”

“No, not as I know,” Carson objected.

“How do you not know that?” Cuomo asked.

“The important thing is for us as a nation to recognize that all citizens of the United States are protected by our Constitution,” Carson said. “We need to stop deciding that one group versus another is the flavor of the day.”

Cuomo Challenges Carson: You Think Gays Get More Legal Protections than Christians? | Mediaite

Clean & Clear Launches MASSIVE Assault on Christianity - BuzzPo

In case you’re unfamiliar with the retail giant we are dealing with here, Clean & Clear is one of the world’s leading beauty product companies. As such, they typically sign gorgeous female celebrities to represent their brand. This is smart – they go with the woman whom every other woman envies, whom every other woman would give her right arm to look just like. Women don’t want to look like a man disguised as a woman. It’s as simple as that.

This is a decision which is sure to stain Clean & Clear’s squeaky-clean, all-America image. Christian-minded parents (you know, the ones who buy billions of dollars worth of these beauty products for their young girls) don’t want their adolescent daughters looking up to a girl like Jazz Jennings; a girl who has gotten rich and famous by living a life contrary to what God intended for her.

If Jazz Jennings truly believes that she is “a girl trapped in a boy’s body,” she does not deserve ridicule, but rather the psychological help and spiritual guidance that has apparently been absent in her life for a very long time. She does not belong on television screens nationwide to put progressive ideas into the minds of impressionable youth who are already struggling to find their own identities, albeit in a much more normal fashion.

Clean & Clear Launches MASSIVE Assault on Christianity - BuzzPo