Friday morning, the U.S. Supreme Court voted 6-3 in favor of a Colorado-based Christian web designer who refused to create websites celebrating same-sex weddings.
Justices say the ruling stemmed out of First Amendment privileges, which allow people to “think and speak as they wish, not as the government demands.”
Conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch noted that displays of speech including pictures, paintings, films and drawings — all of which fall within the First Amendment’s protections, granting the Colorado web designer authority to deny services for same-sex couples.
Some local wedding planners disapprove of the verdict.
“Kids these days, seeing these things come up in our government and politicians, it is just really disappointing because these kids who are growing up gay, they need to have someone to look up to,” said Scott Chedester, owner of Loven Light Events. “So, I just want everyone here on the Central Coast to know that if they need help with events or anything like that, with my business, we are all-inclusive and want everyone to feel equal.”
“Anytime you have somebody say to you, 'We don’t want to serve you, we aren’t here to help you,' that hurts," added Amanda Holder, owner of Amanda Holder Events. "I think it hurts the people you are trying to serve and help, and it also hurts other people in the community."
KSBY also reached out to several local churches for other perspectives on the Supreme Court ruling, but those we were able to get in contact with declined to provide comment.
