NBJC on Supreme Court Case Designed to Undermine Colorado’s Civil Rights Protections
CONTACT: Brett Abrams | brett@unbendablemedia.com
Statement from Dr. David J. Johns, Executive Director, National Black Justice Coalition, a leading Black LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, on the Supreme Court hearing on 303 Creative L.L.C. v. Elenis:
“Today, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments for a hypothetical case of a web designer who says it would be against their religious and free speech rights to design a wedding website for a same-sex couple, and it is unfair for them to face Colorado’s discrimination law penalties. The designer has not worked with an LGBTQ+ client and brought this case based solely on projected and anticipated fears. A lower court dismissed the case. The U.S. Supreme Court should have respected precedent.
“A business open for some must be open to all. There are no exemptions in the phrase “Equal Under the Law.” One’s personal beliefs, especially when rooted in bigotry and bias, should never be allowed to cause harm.
“Let’s call the 303 Creative v Elenis U.S. Supreme Court what it is with precision: an attempt to gut civil rights protections Black people and many other marginalized communities have fought and died to secure. Despite overwhelming and growing evidence of violence and harm against Black people, women, LGBTQ+ people, and other historically excluded communities, Congress has yet to modernize the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to include retail, transportation services, and newer forms of public accommodations where clear and consistent non discrimination protections are need. Congress is also over fifty years late in ensuring Black women and Black LGBTQ+/SGL people have access to federal civil rights protections.
“This case is a clear attempt to gut civil rights protections for all by targeting the LGBTQ+ community. We saw this with HB2 in NC, the HERO fight in Houston, and we’ve watched it in Florida and other legislative chambers across the country. The U.S. Supreme Court should dismiss this case or determine once and for all that when the 14th amendment says equal, it means equal.”