‘Stupid Bible-Thumping…B**ch’: Bakery That Refused to Make Gay Couple’s Wedding Cake Speaks Out Amid Threats, Economic Woes
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/05/31/economic-terrorism-bakery-that-refused-to-make-gay-couples-wedding-cake-gets-threats-could-close-down/
May. 31, 2013 3:40pm
In February, Aaron and Melissa Klein, owners of Sweet Cakes by Melissa, an Oregon-based bakery, found themselves at the center of a media firestorm after refusing to make a wedding cake for a lesbian couple’s ceremony. Nearly four months later, the small business continues to receive threatening and harassing phone calls and e-mails, as they grapple with the ongoing fall-out from their controversial decision. This week, they spoke with TheBlaze about the ongoing drama.
It was Jan. 17 when a mother and her daughter
showed up at the shop and chatted with Aaron about purchasing a cake; their
meeting was short-lived, though. Upon learning that the wedding was for two
women, the baker purportedly politely declined service to the women, citing his
Christian faith. Aaron apologized, but stayed true to his values.
Sweet Cakes by Mellisa
As we previously reported, the mother and daughter
became disgusted by the refusal and walked out. Ten minutes later, the baker
told TheBlaze that the frustrated mom came back into Sweet Cakes by Melissa and challenged
Aaron’s decision not to serve the couple. Again, he maintained his stance and
cited the Bible; the mother allegedly disagreed again and stormed out — and a
discrimination complaint was later filed against the shop.
“February 1st or 2nd, I got a letter from the
Oregon DOJ, saying I was under investigation for a possible discrimination
complaint,” he said, noting that the grievance has still, months late, not
materialized, as it was apparently improperly filed (it is unclear whether an
official investigation will continue or whether a new inquiry will be launched).
When asked why he refused to provide a cake to the couple, Aaron was candid, saying that he and Melissa don’t provide baked goods for same-sex weddings.
“Obviously, with my Christian values, I believe that marriage is between a man
and a woman,” he said. “I take it to be a religious event. … God ordained it.”
HOW THEIR DECISION HAS IMPACTED BUSINESS
While Aaron and Melissa told TheBlaze that the
community initially rallied around them — a collective action that helped spark
additional business — that support has since waned. In place of the extra
business, the Kleins regularly receive (especially in light of renewed media
coverage) virulent e-mails and phone calls.
From claims that Aaron should be shot to one
apparent threat that he be raped, the hate and angst being thrown the Klein
family’s way is certainly serious in nature. Some have even wished for the
couple’s five children to be stricken with illness. Aaron and Melissa shared a
number of the e-mails with TheBlaze.
“You stupid bible
thumping, hypocritical b**ch. I hope your kids get really, really, sick
and you go out of business,” reads one e-mail.
“Here’s hoping you go out of business, you bigot.
Enjoy hell,” reads another.
But it’s not just rhetoric that the husband and
wife have encountered as a result of their refusal to provide the cake. They
claim that their wedding vendors have been “badgered and harassed” until they
refuse to do business with Sweet Cakes by Melissa.
As a result, the business’ wedding cake orders
this summer are down dramatically from the past. Plus, some individuals have
canceled their previously-planned cakes in the wake of the controversy.
“My attorney likens this — he calls it economic
terrorism,” Aaron said. “These people, they have literally tried to cut any
business ties off through harassment.”
The impact has even been seen among customers who continue coming to the shop. Some of them, despite still ordering from Sweet Cakes by Melissa, are hesitant to let others know where the delicious baked goods are coming from.
“Another thing lately that we’ve been noticing
happening — we’ll have the people who support us,” said Melissa. “They’ve come
in and ordered stuff, but they don’t want us to put our sticker on the box.
They don’t want people to know they got their stuff with us.”
She went on to say that the situation has been
difficult, stressful and perplexing, especially considering that the business
may end up shuttering due, in part, to the economic impact that the cake fiasco
has had. Melissa said that the family has been working hard to keep negative
emotions at bay and she called the challenge a “trial,” but said that, “God has
really been helping us through this.”
THEIR MESSAGE
FOR GAYS AND LESBIANS
Contrary to the image that has been advanced in
media, Aaron and Melisa told TheBlaze that they love everyone and are not out to
discriminate or target a specific group of people. Their decision, they argue,
was merely one based on their own theological views and their penchant for
providing services that coincide with these standards.
Melissa said that she would want gays and lesbians
to know that she “loves all people” and that she would do anything for an
individual in need.
“I would do anything for a homosexual. I would
give the shirt off my back,” she said. “I’ve had gay friends, I’ve had gay
people in my life.”
The issue of the cake, she maintains, was one
that had to do with her own convictions. And she said that she would have no
problem respecting the beliefs of others, particularly those with whom she
disagrees, so she seemed perplexed as to why her own views, in this regard,
aren’t being given the same credence.
“I’m a Christian. I wish that everyone could be
saved — everyone could be a believer. We have a want for everyone to know
Christ,” Aaron added. “I did what I did because I would not want to support
somebody in something that would be a bad decision.”
THE FAMILY
DECRIES THE MOST RECENT MEDIA SCANDAL
An article published this week in the Willamette
Week, a local paper in Oregon,
has reignited the gay cake controversy for the Klein family. Since it is
illegal to refuse service based on sexual orientation in Oregon, the outlet seemingly attempted to
trap Sweet Cakes by Melissa in a lie by pretending to order cakes for events
that would violate Christian doctrine.
After calling the Klein’s business and one other
bakery that is also under fire for refusing to provide a cake for a gay wedding, Willamette Week claims
that Aaron and Melissa are guilty of hypocrisy. Here’s a portion of the article:
We wondered what other requests these cakemakers would decline to honor. So last week five WW reporters called these two bakeries anonymously to get price quotes for other occasions frowned upon by some Christians. Surprisingly, the people who answered the phone at each bakery were quite willing to provide baked goods for celebrations of divorces, unmarried parents, stem-cell research, non-kosher barbecues and pagan solstice parties.
We later contacted both bakeries to ask about
these inconsistencies. Regentin declined to comment beyond asking whether she
had been taped (she had not).
Sweet Cakes owners Melissa and Aaron Klein were
upset that we “would even try to entrap a business” and contacted conservative
talk-show host Lars Larson.
But the Kleins claim that this simply isn’t the
case and that they would not provide cakes for divorces or other related events
that would contradict Christian teaching (plus, the stem cell mention is odd,
because Christians don’t oppose stem cell research; instead, many oppose embryonic
stem cell research — a more specific and controversial form).
When TheBlaze first reached Melissa by phone on Thursday, she was frustrated by the new-found media coverage, claiming that it was rooted in lies and that she was dumbfounded that media outlets could publish things that were overtly untrue.
“I feel like all these media people — they have
not gotten our story — our actual story. And what we’re really about and why we
said no,” she said. “Everyone is looking at us like we’re these hateful
monsters that don’t want to serve gay people.”
In a separate interview on Friday, she made it
clear that her shop would not provide cakes for divorces or other related
events and that she wouldn’t even be willing to write profanity on a cake.
“For me, personally … It’s my morals, it’s my
beliefs it’s my convictions,” she added.
As for Aaron’s take on the matter, he said that
neither he nor Melissa answered the calls that were reportedly taken from
Willamette Week reporters. And he believes that there may be more strategic
reasons behind the publication of the article.
“As far as this whole issue … the only thing I
can figure, the idea behind running an article in that way is not only to rally
these activists … but also to try to isolate us from the people who support
us,” Aaron said. “It seems like it’s definitely trying to push an agenda and
put us out of business.”
This prospect, of course, is entirely possible,
as the bakery is struggling following the cake debacle.
It’s unclear what will happen next, as the
lesbian couple is reportedly still considering its legal options. Regardless of
what the government decides, though, Aaron says that he and his wife will stick
by their convictions and that their religious freedom is protected under both Oregon and federal
constitutions.
“I can say I don’t want to take part in something
that violates my religious beliefs. If they want to shut me down because of it,
then they could shut me down,” he told TheBlaze.
