One of the hallmarks of the American dream is owning and operating one’s own business. The freedom to realize one’s goals of personal independence and financial security is not available everywhere in the world and should not be taken for granted.
But in the past decade, we’ve seen a breathtaking assault on that freedom, with people being penalized to the point of economic ruin for striving to hold to their religious convictions. Hard-working people are persecuted for not riding the wave of the current “moral” revolution.
For example, we’ve all heard reports in the national media in recent years of business owners who declined to offer their photography or cake-baking services for same-sex marriage ceremonies. They were either sued by the offended parties who attempted to hire them, cited and fined by the jurisdictions in which they were doing business, or both. The possibility of financial devastation to the owner of a small business simply for religious belief should frighten and infuriate all of us.
On a larger scale, Hobby Lobby went to court to protect and defend its right to offer health care plans to its employees that are consistent with the company’s moral convictions. Chick-fil-A has been the target of boycotts and negative press because of views on marriage that were not company policy but rather the convictions of the company’s leadership.
Any company, large or small, owned and operated by Christians has the right to maintain its Christian environment. This may be unpopular in the court of public opinion, but it should never be found improper in a court of law.
The brave souls described here need someone to speak for them inside the legal system. That is what we’re ready to do every day, so that personal liberty is not eroded under the guise of “progressive” morality.
