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Double your gift-help Barronelle get justice
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Jul 20, 2017
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Barronelle’s fate is now up to the
Supreme Court
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Dear Friend,
If you’ve been following Barronelle Stutzman’s continuing fight to defend her freedom, you know that she is now down to her final appeal.
Just a few days ago, Alliance Defending Freedom asked the U.S. Supreme Court to hear her case.
Barronelle is a floral artist … and a grandmother … and a Christian. You’d never expect to see someone like her at the center of a firestorm. But she is being sued both professionally and personally by the Washington State attorney general and the ACLU because she was simply trying to operate her small business consistently with her views about marriage.
If she loses, they could take everything she owns — her business, her home, and her life’s savings. Everything.
When some of our Ministry Friends heard about Barronelle’s situation, they immediately responded with a $2 million matching grant to help with the huge expenses of taking her case to the U.S. Supreme Court. This means that any gift you make will be doubled, dollar for dollar, to go twice as far to defend Barronelle and others like her.
Her case could make a big difference to the religious freedom of all Americans. |
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Barronelle was targeted because of her beliefs
You probably know her story. Barronelle is the Washington State floral designer who became the target of harassment and lawsuits after she made a simple decision to follow her conscience in 2013.
You see, Barronelle had a long-time friend and customer named Rob. Barronelle and Rob had always had a warm and cordial friendship. After they built a relationship for nine years, Rob asked Barronelle to design the flower arrangements for his same-sex wedding.
But Barronelle couldn’t fulfill this one request. Because of her commitment to Biblical truth and God’s plan for marriage, she knew she had to decline.
In a truly free society, no one would have tried to force her to participate.
Sadly, the Washington Attorney General saw things differently. Even though Barronelle had referred Rob to several other florists that she knew would do a good job for his wedding, the Attorney General filed a lawsuit against her.
Barronelle became the target of hateful letters, phone calls, emails, and even death threats. Then the ACLU stepped in to file a suit against her too.
But, through it all, Barronelle refused to surrender. It’s clear from her words that she knows she’s fighting for all of us:
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“Does anyone really believe that a government that
gives itself the power to force people to believe (and
not believe) things and can order artists to create
state-sanctioned messages will only use that power
to bend one small-town florist to its will — and then
leave everyone else alone?” |
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Barronelle Stutzman was simply living out her faith when she found herself targeted for her beliefs. |
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Religious freedom is at stake for every American
We are still very much in a battle for religious freedom every single day. We must defend our liberties, our faith, and our brothers and sisters like Barronelle.
Organizations like the ACLU want Christians to be completely marginalized, unable to speak about or live out our faith in public life.
In Barronelle’s case, the ACLU and the state unleashed a team of eleven attorneys who are trying to bankrupt her because she refused to violate her faith.
Earlier this year, the Washington Supreme Court ruled that the state can force Barronelle to create artistic expression and participate in events that conflict with her faith.
That court got it wrong because no one should have to choose between their faith and their livelihood. Freedom cannot survive in an environment of coercion.
Thankfully, this is not the end of the road. But winning a case at the Supreme Court requires an enormous amount of time and money — and ADF is defending Barronelle free of charge.
Your tax-deductible gift is vital as we prepare to fight for Barronelle to receive justice.
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We’re looking for 1 million Americans to
stand with Barronelle
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For Questions About Our Services:
Phone:
800-835-5233
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