In Supreme Court gay wedding cake case, Kennedy says state has not been tolerant of baker's religious views

Via Billy

Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy said during oral arguments on Tuesday that Colorado did not appear to show religious tolerance when it used its public accommodations law to force baker Jack Phillips to create speech via a custom cake for a same-sex wedding that defies his religious beliefs.

The line of questioning garnered attention because Kennedy often serves as the divided high court’s key swing vote, and a split vote could form again in Masterpiece Cakeshop Ltd. v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission.

Kennedy pointedly criticized Colorado for not being “tolerant” of Phillips’ religious beliefs.
“Tolerance is essential in a free society. And tolerance is most meaningful when it’s mutual,” Kennedy said. “It seems to me that the state in its position here has been neither tolerant nor respectful of Mr. Phillips’ religious beliefs.”