Christian conservatives have renewed
their calls for President Donald Trump to sign a religious freedom
order that would undermine LGBT rights after a florist was found
guilty of discriminating against a gay couple.
On Thursday, the Washington Supreme
Court unanimously ruled that a Richland flower shop violated the
state's anti-discrimination and consumer protection laws when it
refused to provide flowers for a gay couple's wedding in 2013.
(Related: Washington
Supreme Court rules florist discriminated against gay couple.)
Barronelle Stutzman, the owner of
Arlene's Flowers & Gifts, has argued that providing the service
would be a violation of her faith.
Tony Perkins, president of the Family
Research Council (FRC), said in a statement that the ruling “tramples
on our nation's long held tradition of respecting the freedom of
Americans to follow their deeply held beliefs, especially when it
comes to participating in activities and ceremonies that so many
Americans consider sacred.”
Brian Brown, president of the National
Organization for Marriage (NOM), also criticized the ruling, calling
it “outrageous” and a confirmation that the Supreme Court
“illegitimately redefined marriage in its Obergefell decision.”
“This case is one of many that
illustrates why President Trump must act immediately to protect the
religious liberty rights of people of faith,” Brown wrote in an
email to supporters. “Liberal judges simply will not act to
protect people with mainstream, traditional views on marriage and
sexuality when they conflict with the ever-expansive demands of LGBT
extremists. It is up to President Trump and Congress to act.”
Perkins also renewed his call for Trump
to sign such an order: “We urge President Trump to sign an
executive order protecting religious freedom to ensure the federal
government does not engage in the same discriminatory behavior as
rogue states like Washington.”
Such an order has been rumored for
weeks. A leaked draft of the order first reported by The Nation
would protect persons and organizations that oppose marriage equality
and abortion rights and believe that a person's sex is determined at
or before birth.
(Related: LGBT
groups say draft of Trump “religious freedom” order would allow
discrimination.)