The Ethics of the Masterpiece Cake Shop Decision

On June 4, The Supreme Court announced its 7-2 ruling in favor of a baker who refused to bake a cake for the wedding of a same-sex couple. The public response was intense on both sides. People took to the streets and to social media to express their attitudes about the decision. One common misconception in the popular commentary on this topic appears to be that the Court ruled that places of business have the right to discriminate against patrons for religious reasons. The Court’s decision was actually much narrower. It did not create a religious exemption from anti-discrimination laws