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| Blaine is taking a stand for religious freedom at the Kentucky Supreme Court today. |
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Dear John,
Blaine Adamson is just a regular guy.
He’s a family man, and he’s involved in his local church. He loves shooting hoops with his kids and rooting for the University of Kentucky basketball team.
Blaine is probably a lot like you, John. But seven years ago, his world was turned upside down when the city of Lexington, Kentucky threatened to take away his freedom.
Today, Blaine’s case is before the Kentucky Supreme Court. And now he has a chance to secure an important victory for freedom.
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Blaine serves everyone
As the owner of Hands on Originals, a promotional printing business, Blaine regularly declines to print messages that conflict with his beliefs. It’s standard practice in the promotional printing industry.
Blaine has declined to print shirts expressing violent messages, shirts promoting a strip club, and pens promoting a sexually explicit video. He also declined to print a shirt from a church—depicting Jesus on a bucket of fried chicken. It is always about the message, not the person requesting the shirt. Every time he denies a request, Blaine offers to connect that customer to another printer who will match his price.
When the Gay and Lesbian Services Organization (GLSO) asked Blaine to print shirts promoting the local pride festival, he knew he had to decline the request. He could not in good conscience print a message that was so clearly at odds with his faith and its teachings. As he always does, Blaine offered to connect the festival organizers to another printer that would have made the shirts for them.
But the GLSO wasn’t satisfied.
It filed a discrimination complaint with the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Human Rights Commission. The Commission ordered Blaine to attend “diversity training” and print messages that conflict with his religious beliefs.
But there was more. Some people organized a public boycott of Hands On Originals. And some customers began pulling their business. The Lexington mayor even publicly criticized Blaine.
Through it all, Blaine has trusted God. And he’s won in court—twice! But the government refuses to accept defeat. It appealed to the Kentucky Supreme Court, which is why ADF attorneys are there today defending Blaine’s freedom.
But this case never should have gotten this far.
Blaine serves everyone. He just declines to print certain messages.
If the Kentucky Supreme Court rules against Blaine, he would be forced to print messages that violate his faith. Think of what that could mean for Blaine. And think of what that could mean for you, John.
That’s why your gift is so critical. Please rise to the challenge and give today to further the impact for freedom. |
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You can help protect your religious freedom
Unfortunately, Blaine’s story is not an isolated incident.
Across the country, some government officials are trying to force people of faith to choose between their beliefs and their livelihood.
- Breanna Koski and Joanna Duka own Brush & Nib Studio where they create beautiful, handmade art to celebrate their clients’ special occasions. But a law in Phoenix currently requires them to use their artistic skills to create art for events that conflict with their beliefs. For each day they disobey the law, Joanna and Breanna face fines up to $2,500 and even jail time. Breanna and Joanna are currently awaiting a decision from the Arizona Supreme Court.
- Barronelle Stutzman is a floral artist and owner of Arlene’s flowers. Like Blaine, she has faced years of legal battles, all because she declined to create custom floral arrangements celebrating a longtime customer’s same-sex wedding. The Washington State Supreme Court denied justice for Barronelle twice. But she will soon be appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court.
John, your prayers and support make it possible to provide Blaine and others like him with a strong legal defense.
Will you stand for freedom with your gift today? |
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Together, we can WIN
Our freedoms are under attack. If we don’t protect our right to freely live out our faith today, it could be lost for future generations.
But there is HOPE! When we join together to fight for our freedoms, we can WIN! Just look at Blaine’s story. He took a stand for religious freedom and has won twice.
But he can’t do it without your support.
Please give now to protect freedom today—and for future generations. And thanks to the $2 million challenge grant, your gift will have an even greater impact.
Thank you for giving generously. |
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