The US Supreme Court took on a landmark free speech case on Monday, dealing with graphic designer Lorie Smith and her desire to speak and work in accordance with her Christian faith, which causes her to hold a traditional view of marriage between a man and a woman.
Smith is the owner of 303 Creative, a design agency, and has filed a lawsuit challenging a Colorado law that would have forced her to create same-sex marriage websites.
The designer spoke with the The Daily Signal, after his argument before the Supreme Court. “I’m a graphic and website designer from Colorado. I want to create projects for weddings. And I want to do this according to my faith, but the state of Colorado is censoring and trying to align my speech, forcing me to create specific artworks and expressions that go against the core of who I am and what I believe. ”, explained Smith. “So the court heard the case today, and I hope the Supreme Court will protect everyone’s right to create and speak according to their own beliefs.”
Asked how she was feeling after that momentous morning, she replied: “I’m feeling amazing and so grateful for this opportunity. My hope and prayer is that the court will protect everyone’s right to speak freely, whether your views are similar to mine about marriage or perhaps different. The right to speak freely is guaranteed to each and every one of us, and I hope the court will recognize that,” said the designer.
Smith is represented by Alliance Defending Freedom🇧🇷 The organization’s president, Kristen Waggoner, told the The Daily Signal that the case “calls into question whether we all have the right to free speech.” “Colorado has taken the position that it can force all kinds of artists and speakers to say things they don’t believe,” he said.
“Many states have sweeping laws and government officials are using them to force people to say things they simply don’t believe,” he said.
This is not just a threat to the personal rights of Americans, warned the president of the association – “in fact, it is a threat to the principle of fundamental government and allowing authoritarian governments to tell people which ideas are worthy”, she concluded.
So did Colorado Masterpiece Cakeshop owner Jack Phillips, who was taken to court for refusing to create a wedding cake for a same-sex couple.
Smith’s case, Phillips’ case and other similar court battles are “about the government’s responsibility to respect the right of each of us,” Phillips told the The Daily Signal🇧🇷
*Mary Margaret Olohan is a senior reporter for The Daily Signal. She previously worked for The Daily Caller and The Daily Wire, where she covered American politics, as well as social and cultural issues.
©2022 The Daily Signal. Published with permission. original in English.
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