I previously covered beleaguered Christian baker Jack Phillips’s plight in the Colorado court system (see more — including the media’s stunning response — here and here). Jack believes he’s being persecuted by the state for his faith. As it happens, the Supreme Court has previously agreed with that notion.

Now another robed-and-gaveled official has sided with Phillips.

A federal judge ruled last week that Jack — owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop — can sue the state for its bias against religion.

Jack’s been stuck in court for some time — finally free of the legal web into which he was thrust after refusing to bake a cake for a gay wedding, the Colorado Civil Rights Commission moved against him for declining to bake a cake in celebration of someone’s gender transition.

Jack’d already won his initial case in the nation’s highest court; yet, the state of Colorado decided to prosecute him still.

The Alliance Defending Freedom — representing Jack — released a statement regarding their lawsuit:

“Colorado is acting in bad faith and with bias toward Jack. We look forward to moving forward with this lawsuit to ensure that Jack isn’t forced to create custom cakes that express messages in conflict with his faith.”

And check this out:

“He can’t get a fair shake before the state commission. A commissioner set to decide the state’s new case against Jack has publicly referred to him as a ‘hater’ on Twitter, one of several indications of the commission’s ongoing bad faith toward him and his beliefs.”

Whoa.

Here’s a bit more:

“Over his years as a cake artist, Phillips has declined to create cakes with various messages that violate his faith, including messages that demean LGBT people, express racism, celebrate Halloween, promote marijuana use, and celebrate or support Satan.”

Republican Rep. Doug Lamborn is on the cake creator’s side, as indicated in September via a letter to then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions:

“[N]owhere is the assault on religious freedom more pervasive then at the Colorado Civil Rights Commission through their selective application of the law, using it to target viewpoints that contradict their own personal beliefs [sic]. … For over six years now, the Colorado Civil Rights Commission has been on a crusade against Jack Phillips because its officials despise what he believes and how he practices his faith.”

The man just wants to bake cakes. In ways that don’t go against his beliefs. In a free country, he should be allowed to do just that, and be left alone by those who oppose his views. That’s what liberty is: freedom to, but also — and perhaps even moreso — freedom from. 

Perhaps Jack’s lawsuit will finally — for him — let freedom ring.

-Alex

Relevant RedState links in this article: here and here.

See 3 more pieces from me: as the stomach turns, journalist of the year, and race-baiting nitwittery.

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