Barronelle Stutzman, the Washington
state florist who refused to serve a gay couple, says she turned down
a state settlement in a discrimination case because there is no price
on freedom.
On February 18, Benton County Superior
Court Judge Alex Ekstrom ruled that Stuzman had violated the state's
Consumer Protection Act when she refused to provide flowers for a gay
couple's wedding. She said that providing the service would be a
violation of her faith.
Ekstrom disagreed, saying in his ruling
that the Supreme Court “has held that laws may prohibit religiously
motivated action, as opposed to belief.”
Stutzman turned down a deal offered by
Washington's attorney general, which involved a promise to serve all
customers regardless of sexual orientation, a $2,000 penalty and $1
for court costs.
During a
Fox News The
Kelly File
appearance, Stutzman explained why she decided to appeal the
ruling.
“There's not a price on freedom. You
can't buy my freedom. It's me now, but tomorrow it's gonna be you.
You gotta wake up,” she said.
The state is “talking about bullying
me into doing something that is against my faith. They can't do
that. They can get rid of me, but they can't get rid of God,” she
added.