Tony Perkins, president of the
Christian conservative Family Research Council (FRC), has praised
Jack Phillips for refusing to cave in to “homosexual bullies.”
Phillips is the Colorado baker who
refused to make a wedding cake for a gay couple.
On Thursday, Phillips said he would
appeal the Colorado Civil Rights Commission's order that he must
serve all customers regardless of sexual orientation or face fines.
In 2012, Phillips refused to consider
baking a cake for Dave Mullins and Charlie Craig, who have since
married in Massachusetts and held a reception in Denver. Phillips
said that serving the couple would violate his religious faith.
Colorado recognizes gay and lesbian couples with civil unions, not
marriage.
(Related: Colorado
Supreme Court orders Denver to stop issuing marriage licenses to gay
couples.)
The couple sued, claiming that
Phillips' faith does not give him a right to discriminate.
“Americans should not be forced by
the government – or by another citizen – to endorse or promote
ideas with which they disagree,” said Phillips attorney, Nicolle
Martin. “This is not about the people who asked for a cake; it's
about the message the cake communicates. Just as Jack doesn't create
baked works of art for other events with which he disagrees, he
doesn't create cake art for same-sex ceremonies regardless of who
walks in the door to place the order.”
“I clearly told them that I would
make them birthday cakes, shower cakes, cookies and brownies,”
Phillips
said. “I just don't do cakes for same sex weddings.”
Perkins applauded Phillips' move,
saying in a statement: “If you think Colorado's Masterpiece
[Cakeshop] will give in to homosexual bullies, then you don't know
Jack.”