Colorado baker Jack Phillips said he has seen a “stream” of support from people who are thrilled that the Supreme Court ruled in his favor in a case in which he objected to making a cake for a gay couple’s wedding due to his religious opposition to gay marriage.
The justices ruled 7-2 on June 4 against the Colorado Civil Rights Commission, reversing a ruling from the Colorado Court of Appeals in one of the court’s most high-profile cases of the term.
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Phillips told the Daily Wire that he was “stunned” by the outcome of the case, Masterpiece Cake Shop Ltd v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, but ultimately it was a “great day.”
[Also read: Supreme Court could follow ‘bake the cake’ with decision to hear ‘arrange the flowers’ case this week]
Asked if there had been an outpouring of positive reactions, Phillips said there had been.
“Oh yeah. People stream into the shop all the time just to say ‘hi’ and they’re so happy to see that the [Supreme] Court saw what was going on and ruled in our favor. I’m getting phone calls and emails from all over. It seems that people are really thrilled with the outcome,” he said.
Phillips also acknowledged how difficult the situation had been when the dispute began with Craig and Mullins, the gay couple who asked Phillips to bake a cake for their wedding reception. He said they started a social media campaign that were joined by “hateful” phone calls and emails from critics.
“My life turned upside down with so much hatred coming toward us. There was a point where my wife and daughter were afraid to come to the the shop because they didn’t know what to expect,” he said.
The court’s decision focused narrowly on the Colorado Civil Rights Commission’s actions toward baker Jack Phillips, saying the commission was hostile to his faith and failed to act neutrally toward his religion. Supreme Court Judge Anthony Kennedy acknowledged the courts may rule differently in future cases that fall into the intersection of gay rights and religious freedom.
When asked about this, Phillips remained positive. “As far as I’m concerned, I think it is a complete win,” he replied.
