Dozens of protesters gather outside Sweet Cakes bakery
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GRESHAM, Ore. – Protesters gathered on Saturday outside a Gresham bakery that’s at the center of a wedding cake controversy.
A baker who refused to make a wedding cake for a lesbian couple is the subject of a state investigation. The story gained national attention since KATU News first reported it earlier this month.
Dozens of people showed up outside Sweet Cakes by Melissa Saturday afternoon to voice their opposition to Aaron Klein’s decision not to make the cake.
“That’s wrong. That’s a crime in Oregon,” said protester Rob Cochran. “I need to let people know if you’re going to do that as a business, there are going to be consequences.”
Inside the bakery, however, business is booming.
"Lots of support. Support coming through the door, support coming from - we get 25 or 30 letters a day," said Klein, who said he's been the subject of hate mail as well. "I think there are actually some photoshopped pictures of me going around that are pretty messed up, but in my opinion that really shows the morality of the people doing this."
Oregon Attorney General's civil enforcement officers are looking into whether Klein broke the law when he denied the couple a cake. The Oregon Equality Act of 2007 prohibits discrimination against people based on their sexual orientation and gender identity. The statute includes public accommodations, such as businesses.
“I don’t really care about them as individuals. The fact is, businesses cannot be allowed to discriminate,” said Cochran.
“I thought it was really great that someone would stand up for what they believe and not feel pressured at the time,” said customer Sue Anderson. “I thought it was really good that they have some feelings about life, and they’re living it.”
Aaron Klein told KATU that he’ll close down shop if he has to, but he refuses to make a cake for a gay wedding. He says it’s a religious debate.
"I think [the state labor commissioner] is going to have decide what's more important: The Oregon State Constitution, or the statute that was passed in 2007," Klein said. "They dropped the ball by not putting in any exemption for religious beliefs."
The lesbian couple at the center of the controversy received offers to make them a wedding cake from all over the country. Local baker Laura Widener, who runs the Southeast Portland bakery Pastrygirl, will make their wedding cake.
Celebrity baker Duff Goldman will also make them a second “bride’s cake” in the style of a “groom’s cake.
Maybe that bakery doesn't stock she/she cake toppers.
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I still fail to see the issue here. Â GAY MARRIAGE IS ILLEGAL IN OREGON, therefore why should a bakery be forced to make a cake for an illegal event.
 @Karren RichardsThe bakery was not forced to bake the cake. The issue is discrimination by a chartered business under the law. It's simple, even a homophobe should be able to understand it.
Marriage is a Christian religious event. Â Religion and the right to it was protected by the constitution. Â To me it is an unconscionable act for this person to make a cake for an event that is clearly not blessed by the Christian God Christ Jesus. Â Â Those protesters should enjoy the blessings of God like breathing and not wreathing in pain, like they will in hell. Â
 @ParkerLewis there is no such definition of marriage except possibly in your mind. Marriage is a civil contract.
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âThose who would renegotiate the boundaries between church and state must therefore answer a difficult question: why would we trade a system that has served us so well for one that has served others so poorly?â â Sandra Day O'Connor
Could a large movie theater chain in Oregon, refuse to admit black people, because the theater owner's religion was anti-black?
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Of course not. Â
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But that theater owner's CHURCH could turn away black people and could refuse to marry gay people. Religious people are allowed to discriminate at church and in their own private homes, but NOT in public businesses.
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 @ParkerLewis  @Kay Eff you are a very nasty person
It is a State, not a Federal Law, and the owners of this business could have quietly and legally refused service at any time without stating a reason, it is when they refused service and made a statement intentionally designed to discriminate against these individuals that they violated the law. You reap what you sow
 @Downriver Business owners can NOT quietly refuse service at anytime without giving a reason. Businesses are subject to Oregon Equal Rights Laws.  If a person is refused service and was NOT given a valid reason, then they can report it to the authorities and the business will be investigated. Â
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A bookstore that caters to black women can NOT turn away white male customers based on gender or skin color, IT'S THE LAW
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 @Kay Eff all he had to say was that he was to busy, he did not have to make a show out of his bias. It is illegal to turn away business in Oregon because of sexual orientation. That is my point. Businesses are chartered by the state and as such must adhere to state laws. There are many, even most states that do not have orientation discrimination laws and if this bakery feels it cannot adhere to the laws of the state it is free to relocate and I say goodbye and don't let the door hit you on the way out,
You cannot have a business in Oregon that discriminates against blacks, or hispanics, or gays.
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If you discriminate, you are subject to a $50,000 fine and closure.
I WILL NOT SERVE THEM
when i get my business started, i wont serve them
You know, if I was denied service cause I was a Heterosexual, I'd just take my business elsewhere instead of crying about it....
If it's a crime to exercise one's business beliefs by refusing service, that is a violation of the Bill of Rights, as well. This liberalism is fast becoming a way to leverage things that would normally go their own ways, to some conclusion, but now government is forcing businesses to comply with laws as to whom the business must serve. Unless and until the government is paying for the business, it should not have any sayso in how business is transacted, as long as all health and safety codes are met, taxes are paid, and there is an up to date business license on file. We might as well throw out the Constitution if this is what is to be expected from government; talk about Big Brother and 1984 becoming a reality!
 @DK I'm sure you would like to turn away black people and hispanic people and gays from your business. But the law won't allow you to do it.
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The bill of rights does NOT give movie theaters or shopping malls, or other businesses the right to turn away black people or gay people.
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If you don't like it, then move to Iran because America is about EQUALITY.
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They are getting their cake elsewhere, so the cake isn't the issue. The issue is that 10% of the people who are involved in somethig that was against the law, when the U.S. stood for morals, are demanding that the other 90% of the people do what they say regardless of their Christian committment. This truly is a freedom issue. People should be free to buy what they want to buy and business owners should be free to refuse service to anyone. The government should never be allowed to force a Christian to be involved in a sacreligious activity.
 If you want to change the law,  ORS 659A.403, then it is your right to attempt to do that. @J D