The Rising “Price of Citizenship” – from 7k to 135k

Jul 3, 2015 | 1 comment

Do we celebrate independence by forcing Americans to act against their conscience or pay a heavy fine?

We’re sadly now seeing the consequences of state government passing laws that force citizens to make this choice:

In 2013, Elaine Huguenin from New Mexico was declined to be the photographer for a same-sex wedding ceremony. She was found guilty of discrimination and fined close to $7,000. The state judge told her this was “the price of citizenship.”

In 2014, the “price” for exercising your freedoms doubled – Robert & Cynthia Gifford were fined $13,000 for declining to host a same-sex ceremony on their property in New York.

Today the price is up to $135,000 – issued to Aaron and Melissa Klein of Oregon for choosing not to be a part of a same-sex ceremony by making their wedding cake. To top it off, they also were issued a gag order – to “cease and desist” any public discussion on what happened to them.

Is there an end? Is this really justice?

The majority of states won’t see these injustices – for now – because their exist no state law that’s been the driving force behind these fines (which is having “sexual orientation”/”gender identity” in anti-discrimination/accommodation policy). Pennsylvania does not have this law but if Governor Wolf and some state lawmakers get their way, we’ll see these fines being forced upon Pennsylvanians as well.

This Independence Day, make sure Pennsylvania – the birthplace of freedom – doesn’t join this list: tell your State Senator and State Representative to not undermine our freedoms by adding “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” to our anti-discrimination law. To send an email, click here or go to tinyurl.com/fightforfreedomPA.