THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD
(apologies to Keith Olbermann)
Aaron and Melissa Klein
It looks like Aaron and Melissa Klein, the former proprietors of Gresham bakery Sweetcakes by Melissa, are following the government-defying example of Kim Davis, the Rowan County, Ky., court clerk recently jailed for refusing to marry same-sex couples. On July 2, the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries ordered the Kleins to pay $135,000 to a lesbian couple, Rachel and Laurel Bowman-Cryer, for whom Aaron Klein refused to bake a wedding cake and then posted their home address online. The Kleins, records show, have for nearly three months defied BOLI’s order to pay. Their attorney twice requested a stay while the Oregon Court of Appeals considers the Klein’s case, asserting payment would lead to “financial ruin.”…. BOLI Commissioner Brad Avakian rejected those requests—noting that the Kleins raised nearly $500,000 from crowd-funding sites and the money will be held in escrow during appeal.
I have no issue with those Christians who actually make an effort to live their beliefs. Those who endeavor to lead Christ-like lives are to be admired, for those are the people who will help make this world a better and more compassionate place to be.
Then there are the brazen hypocrites, people like the Kleins, who wouldn’t know how to lead a Christ-like life if you handed them an instruction manual and a Sherpa to guide them. The Kleins, who made a name for themselves by refusing to bake a wedding cake for a same-sex couple- a clear violation of Oregon law- and claiming religious freedom as justification, are Christians in the same way I’m Kobe Bryant. They’ve revealed themselves to be characterless grifters who’ve ridden religious hypocrisy to wealth and fame. Even better is that they believe themselves to be above the law.
I could have at least considered taking the Kleins seriously had they stuck to their “religious freedom” argument. What the Kleins have conveniently ignored is the reality that every freedom comes with a corresponding responsibility- in this case, to treat those whom they come into contact with with at least the barest minimum of respect. Instead, they posted the address of the lesbian couple they refused service to online in what could only be construed as a clear attempt to goad their compatriots into harrassing the couple.
It’s what Jesus would do, don’tchaknow??
The judgment against the Kleins reflects damages to be paid to the couple, Laurel and Rachel Bowman-Cryer. The Kleins “brought the case to the media’s attention and kept it there by repeatedly appearing in public to make statements deriding” the couple, according to BOLI. The persecution included posting the Bowman-Cryers’ home address on Aaron Klein’s personal Facebook page.
Classy, eh? It’s (not) exactly what Jesus do, isn’t it? For my part, I’d love to see the State of Oregon take the Kleins down a notch or six. Then again, that would simply feed into their persecution complex and…who knows?…perhaps they could raise another half-million. In today’s America, religious hypocrisy is a career move, and one that pays exceedingly well.
Though they have raised $500,000 from crowdfunding sources, the couple seems to be ignoring court orders to pay.
You can do that when you believe yourself to above the law.
According to emails between the prosecutor and the Kleins’ attorney obtained by Willamette Week, as of September 16, the Kleins have yet to pay up, even though the final judgment against them was rendered July 27.
“It is unfortunate that they will not seek the bond or irrevocable letter of credit, that you had initially stated they were interested in seeking, when they have clearly raised close to $500,000 with which to pay the damage award,” prosecutor Jenn Gaddis wrote. “As we previously discussed, the bond or irrevocable letter of credit would not be dispersed pending appeal(s).”
The email from Gaddis states if payment isn’t rendered, the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries will “docket” the payment, meaning the agency will be in a position to place liens on the Kleins’ property, Willamette Week explains.
Those claiming “religious freedom,” in addition to having a responsibility to be at least something close to decent, respectful human beings, also have an obligation to follow the law. That the Kleins have failed miserably in both of these duties says about all a reasonable person needs to know about them. The truth is their decision to discriminate may have, in their mind at least, been a right guaranteed them under their definition of “religious freedom,” when in fact it’s about nothing more than common, garden variety hatred and homophobia. They’ve managed to monetize their hypocrisy to the tune of $500,000, so for them to claim poverty when it comes to paying BOLI’s judgment against them is BS. The Kleins have parlayed their religious bigotry and homophobia into a gig sharing the dais with Kim Davis at the Value Voters Summit in Washington, DC, last weekend. The Rabid Religious Right adores them, which if nothing else should prove how little these moral midgets are about the teachings of the Jesus Christ they claim to revere.
I suppose this is what Joel Osteen is referring to when he’s preaching about “Prosperity Theology,” eh?
It’s sad that religious bigotry, hypocrisy, and self-superiority pays far better than being a decent human being endeavoring to follow the teachings of one’s Lord and Savior. Then again, if you believe in karma as I do, you have to believe that someday the Kleins will reap the “rewards” of their hypocrisy. I, for one, look forward to seeing that.
In the end, I hope that sorry saga will serve as proof that claiming bigotry and discrimination as “religious freedom” is as wrong and inhuman as it is un-Christian. Then again, for the Kleins it’s not really about their faith; if it was, they’d have found a way to express themselves that didn’t involve breaking the law and treating other human beings as “less than.”
