Aaron and Melissa Klein are the owners of Sweet Cakes by Melissa in Oregon.
Sweet Cakes by Melissa
The couple first made headlines in 2013 when they declined to concoct a wedding cake for a same-sex lesbian couple. The Kleins said their Christian beliefs were the reason for refusing the cake order.
Upon being denied by the bakers, the same-sex couple filed a complaint with the state. They were awarded $135,000 ordered by the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries who accused the Kleins of discrimination.
They were being sued.
The case now known as Klein v. Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries was presented to a three-judge panel earlier this month. The Klein’s legal representatives argue that the state agency responsible for the claims against the couple has violated their religious liberty, due process and free speech, after forcing the bakers to pay $135,000 to the lesbian couple over the dispute.
“[The government] should never force someone to violate their conscience or their beliefs,” representatives of the bakers stated in a press release.
Sweet Cakes by Melissa
After fighting Oregon’s decision for three years, the Kleins officially filed the appeals case last year. The $135,000 is currently sitting in an escrow account until a judgment is reached.
Melissa spoke at a press conference following legal proceedings in early March. In her emotional statement, the baker explained her heart and why she and her husband opened their bakery in the first place.
“When we opened our bakery, we loved serving all customers who came into the shop, regardless of their identity or beliefs. My cakes were my canvas. My bakery wasn’t just called ‘Sweet Cakes Bakery,’ it was ‘Sweet Cakes by Melissa’ because I pour my passion and heart into each cake I make. My faith is a part of that.”
Their shop has since closed down, but Melissa says she never had a problem with the lesbian couple. She said she was happy to serve them in the past, and would happily bake for them in the future. She simply did not want to participate in their wedding as it is not biblical and “goes against” her beliefs.
Sweet Cakes by Melissa
Melissa also went on to say that in protecting the beliefs of the same-sex couple, the government has not only violated the Klein’s lawful religious beliefs, but also failed them as citizens.
“I have a strong faith in God, whom I love with all my heart. My whole life is dedicated to living for him, in the best way that I know how. America is a place where the government can’t force you to violate your religious beliefs or tell you what to believe, but we feel like that is exactly what happened to us. We lost everything we loved and worked so hard to build.”
The Kleins have endured tremendous hardship, unthinkable heartache and hundreds of threats since the case first began. Melissa believes that no one should have to suffer the way the government has directly caused them to.
“We just want the government to tolerate and accept differences of opinion, so we can continue to follow our faith. We hope that, even if people have different beliefs from us, that they will show each other tolerance and that we can peacefully live together and still follow our faith. That’s all we want.”
The Oregon Court of Appeals is expected to issue an opinion in the coming months. The controversy of this case is the first of many in the debate between religious freedom and equal rights—both of which are protected under the law. It is believed that the outcome of their case will likely serve as reference for the future.
Hear Melissa and Aaron’s heartfelt statements following their day in court in the video below:
Melissa and Aaron Klein had their day in court. The Oregon bakers, who were fined $135,000 for refusing to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding in 2013, made their case before the Oregon Court of Appeals this Thursday, March 2. They are holding a press conference immediately after the hearing.
Posted by The Oregonian on Thursday, March 2, 2017
