Melissa Klein, Anti-Gay Baker, Cries At Values Voter Summit Over Business Closing

[rug]

Posted: 09/29/2014 2:33 pm EDT
Updated: 09/30/2014 4:59 pm EDT
The Huffington Post | By James Nichols

Anti-gay baker Melissa Klein cried at the Values Voter Summit last week over the closing of her business after she and her husband, Aaron, faced severe backlash from their refusal to make a cake for a lesbian couple's wedding.

In January 2013, Sweet Cakes By Melissa, located in Gresham, Ore., refused service to a lesbian couple looking for a wedding cake. The subsequent fallout included national media attention and a state investigation for anti-gay discrimination, which may be supported by the Kleins' agreeing to bake cakes for an "ex-gay" group.

The couple is now reportedly fighting a $150,000 lawsuit from the state, a reality that made Klein break into tears while discussing her passion for the process of baking wedding cakes during the Values Voter Summit.

- snip -

Clarification: An earlier version of this story reported that Sweet Cakes was "forced" to shut down in the wake of the backlash it received for not serving LGBT clients. However, the bakers chose to shutter their business rather than offer cakes to gay clients.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/29/melissa-klein-anti-gay_n_5901036.html

[PM Martin]

1. The right never likes the free market when the

rules apply to them. If this bakery does not wish to serve gay people, then we can all stand in solidarity against the bakery and shop elsewhere.

[hifiguy]

2. Why on earth would any rational small business owner

turn away a paying customer? The money all spends the same whether it's from a lesbian couple or a straight couple. Stupid is as stupid does.

A friend of mine who is quite conservative and an observant Catholic had no problems recommending that his high-profile law firm hire an openly lesbian attorney. His rationale was simple - "she's a good lawyer with great credentials and I liked her when I interviewed her. Why does anything else matter?"

[calimary]

15. The key here is the word "rational," I think.

There is no rational thinking with these people. Your friend who's conservative and very Catholic is also rational. He seems to have his feet firmly grounded in reality.

And I too wonder why on earth any rational small business owner would turn away a paying customer. But this lady was not rational. She's ruled by her narrow-minded ideology, and that all too often has no roots in reality.

[awoke_in_2003]

16. Because Jesus. nt

[dballance]

19. Actually, Jesus never said anything about homosexuals.

In fact, Jesus was anti-death penalty, not very enamored with the rich, and was all about forgiving.

Too bad today's GOP cannot learn those lessons.

[awoke_in_2003]

22. Yes, I know that...

but I live in the babble belt amongst a lot of fundies. I was using sarcasm to point out the way these people think.

[Moostache]

23. Because Ebola! (n/t)

[arcane1]

27. Because they are assholes. n/t

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

3. So no lesson on personal responsibility learned.

They made the decision to try and use their public business in a discriminatory way, and can't fathom why that didn't go over so well in modern day America. So now they're crying 'victimization'. Typical.

[stillwaiting]

4. She was CLEARLY persecuted!

It had absolutely nothing to do with that "free market" in action that conservatives love so much. Oh, they do love it. Don't they?!?!

P.S. She also did not discriminate against gays. It was just her expressing her religious freedom!! The poor, poor woman...

[Dreamer Tatum]

5. Sorry, Mrs. Klein, but the free market spoke. Deal with it. nt

[calimary]

13. Free Market!!! Free Market!!!

Yes indeed, Dreamer Tatum. The almighty free market in all its "sanctity" did indeed speak, didn't it!?! That's what she really worships anyway. And it appears that precious beloved free market turned around on her and bit her in the ass.

[Dreamer Tatum]

21. And good for it. Live by the market, lose your business by it. nt

[jwirr]

6. If she had to close her business apparently many customers who were not gay also objected to her

stand.

[BrotherIvan]

7. The phrase "Courage of your convictions" comes to mind

She likes to discriminate but doesn't like the same to be directed toward her. Poor Melissa! Your bigot's tears are as sweet as buttercream frosting. The only person who you should be blaming is the pastor who taught you that hate was the key to heaven.

[roody]

8. The Wedding Day is grossly overrated.

[JaneyVee]

9. Right, gays can't get married in 31 states and can get fired in 29, but...

Obviously the cakes are the victims in all of this.

[shenmue]

10. I like cake. I don't like mean people.

[msanthrope]

11. The invisible hand of the market just slapped you, Ms. Klein. nt

[blackspade]

12. Keep crying...

The whaaaambulance is on its way.

[daleanime]

14. They are crap....

I won't waste another second of my life on their self induced problem.

[nomorenomore08]

17. Schadenfreude... Sweet, sweet schadenfreude...

[Mister Nightowl]

18. Well boo FREAK-in' hoo!

[pinboy3niner]

20. She should learn to loave everybody. nt

[hifiguy]

24. It takes a lot of crust

to turn down a pile of dough.

[pinboy3niner]

26. The owners sound like real batards

[Vinca]

25. What a dim bulb this woman is. It's a cake. Flour, eggs, sugar, butter . . .

nobody's requesting she have wild lesbian sex with the customer while baking it.

[Shrike47]

28. I feel the same way about pharmacists who won't dispense the morning after pill.

If you want to run your life by your 'moral principles', don't purport to do business with the public. Get into a different line of work.

[Thinkingabout]

29. This is boycott at it greatest, the baker "boycotted" a same sex couple, the story got out

and then the baker is boycotted. It is a part of doing business. Perhaps she expected the RW to run out and make her business great as the ones who went to chick fil a, but it did not happen. I have been in business, did not care what the customers thought or did, they were still my customers, I wanted their business. She is the cause of the failure of her business. She may have launched a growing business in catering to same sex couple, won't know now.