Barronelle Stutzman Is a Victim of a Modern-Day Kristallnacht

The homosexual fascists of the LGBT movement have claimed another scalp in their relentless quest to purge Christians from what the Washington State Supreme Court called “the commercial marketplace.” While the target of the Nazis was the Jews, Christians are the target of the modern-day brownshirts. The only difference is that the weapon of choice for homosexual activists is a gavel rather than a lead pipe. 

Baronelle Stutzman is a grandmother with a sweet demeanor who has never been accused by anyone of unkindness or incivility. Yet yesterday, the Washington State Supreme Court unanimously labeled her a hate-filled homophobic bigot. 

Her crime? Politely declining to use her artistic talent to promote same sex marriage. The two homosexual men who approached her to do a floral arrangement for their “wedding” were valued customers of Ms. Stutzman, even friends, proof that she did not discriminate against them or anyone else. She even recommended nearby florists who would be happy to help them. 

But her own conscience, animated by foundational Christian and biblical principles, would not permit her to promote same-sex marriage. As a consequence, the Snidely Whiplash of the Evergreen State, attorney general Bob Ferguson, literally sued her for everything she owns. Although he had to grit his teeth and settle for a fine, Ferguson wanted not just to take the assets of her business but her personal assets as well. It was his goal to strip her, a 70-year-old grandmother, of her business, her possessions, her bank accounts, and her house, leaving her homeless and naked on the curb. 

Ferguson at one point said Ms. Stutzman’s First Amendment rights have not been violated because she can still believe whatever she wants about homosexual marriage. But Ferguson is wrong. The First Amendment not only protects the freedom to believe Christian principle; it protects the freedom to act on it. 

The specific guarantee is for the “free exercise” of religion, a constitutional right American Christians possess 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including the time they spend running a business. It is an inalienable right they have received from the Creator, which means no earthly authority, including the Washington State Supreme Court, has the constitutional or moral authority to take it away from anyone. 

I have been using the term “Gay Gestapo” for years, but lesbian columnist Tammy Bruce recently popularized the term when talking about the Christian bakers in Oregon who got fined $135,000 and put out of business for making a decision similar to the one Ms. Stutzman made. Ms. Bruce is scandalized by the mean-spiritedness and raw hatred that animates the homosexual movement. There certainly is hate in the debate over homosexual rights, but it is not coming from conservatives. It is coming from the homosexual left. 

Ms. Bruce pointed out that the Gay Gestapo is bringing both tyranny and slavery back to America. When you compel someone to violate their conscience, what else is that but tyranny? And when you compel someone to labor against their will, what else is that but slavery? The only one being discriminated against here is Baronelle Stutzman. 

Ferguson said the verdict “sends a clear message around the country as well.” It surely does. It sends the message that the LGBT crowd is not about marriage equality but homosexual supremacy. For gay activists, it is homosexuality uber alles. 

We as a culture must understand that, to put it colloquially, this is a duel to the death. The conflict between religious liberty and homosexuality is a zero-sum game. In every clash, somebody wins and somebody loses. Every advance of the homosexual agenda comes at the expense of religious liberty. We cannot have both special rights based on homosexual behavior and religious liberty at the same time. One will be forced to give way to the other. 

One of the plaintiffs claimed he was happy to be on the “right side of history.” Well, the issue is not being on the right side of history; it’s being on the right side of right. It’s being on the right side of the Constitution, and it’s being on the right side of God’s moral law. The Washington Supreme Court isn’t. 

Ms. Stutzman has appealed her case to the Supreme Court. Even if the court takes the case, the same five un-elected lawyers who imposed same-sex marriage on the country are still there and will certainly be sharpening their gavels to stick it to this grandmother as soon as they get the chance. 

President Trump, in the run-up to the election, you pledged that you would protect religious liberty, that you would be a champion for Christians whose rights to the free exercise of religion are being trampled on a daily basis in this country. Here is your chance to prove this wasn’t just an empty campaign promise. Direct your attorney general, Jeff Sessions, to draft the mother of all amicus briefs to support Ms. Stutzman in her appearance before the Supreme Court. 

And issue your executive order on religious liberty. Now. Don’t wait another day. It’s masterfully crafted and will make you and your administration the friend of religious liberty instead of its enemy. If you sign it and issue it, it will instantly become the Magna Carta of religious liberty for this generation. 

There is no time to waste. How many more grandmothers will have to face the loss of everything they own before their president comes to their side? {eoa}

Bryan Fischer is host of the two-hour weekday “Focal Point” program on American Family Radio.

This article was originally published at AFA.net. Used with permission.