Aaron and Melissa Klein are pushing back against the punishment imposed on them for simply living out their Christian faith.
The Portland, Oregon, couple operated "Sweet Cakes by Melissa," but when they declined to bake a cake for a homosexual "wedding" in 2013, a complaint was filed before the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries. Last week, Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian finalized a fine of $135,000 against the Kleins, ordering them to pay two lesbians for "emotional damage."
Avakian, however, was not done. The Oregon official then imposed a gag order on the couple, mandating that they 'cease and desist' from speaking publicly about not wanting to bake cakes for same-sex weddings based on their Christian beliefs. See full story at OneNewsNow.
"This [decision] effectively strips us of all our First Amendment rights," the Kleins state on their Facebook page. "According to the state of Oregon, we have neither freedom of religion nor freedom of speech."
Thankfully, the Kleins have not backed down, as Aaron said in an interview following the verdict: "He wants to silence anyone who opposes his point of view. Unfortunately, he's doing this with the wrong Christian, because I fight back."
The Kleins are requesting a stay on the fine in an effort to delay the order and will begin the appeals process. But until then, Aaron and Melissa will not be silenced and will continue to speak out against the anti-Christian intolerance imposed by Commissioner Brad Avakian.
Sign the petition to Aaron and Melissa Klein in support of their courageous actions!
If you'd like to financially help Aaron and Melissa Klein through this hard time as they fight for religious freedom, you can donate here.
Tim Wildmon
President American Family Association
