Supreme Court Justices clash over Christian designer case.

In a landmark Supreme Court ruling, a website designer in Colorado has been granted the right to refuse creating messages that conflict with her Christian beliefs. This decision sparked a clash of opinions between Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Gorsuch.

Justice Sotomayor, in her dissent, expressed concern over the ruling, stating that it grants businesses the constitutional right to refuse service to protected classes. She believes this is a setback for the movement towards liberty and equality for gender and sexual minorities.

She referenced the tragic 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting as an example of a hate crime against the LGBT community. However, it is important to note that neither the FBI nor federal prosecutors established it as a hate crime. Sotomayor’s argument suggests a social system of discrimination that puts LGBT individuals at risk.

Further investigation and trial revealed that the suspect, Omar Mateen, was unaware that the Pulse nightclub was a gay bar and chose the target randomly. His wife testified that Mateen, who had pledged allegiance to ISIS, initially planned to attack a Disney event.

Additionally, Sotomayor mentioned the 1998 slaying of Matthew Shepard, who was targeted and killed. However, it has been reported that Shepard’s murder was not solely motivated by his sexual orientation. Journalist Stephen Jimenez’s investigative book, “The Book of Matt,” concluded that Shepard’s death was the result of a meth deal gone wrong, rather than an anti-LGBT hate crime.

Clash of Opinions

The ruling favored artist Lorie Smith, who challenged Colorado’s anti-discrimination laws. These laws prohibited businesses from denying services based on sexual orientation. Smith’s victory in this case has significant implications for the protection of religious beliefs.