In one of the dumbest comments you’ll ever hear on CNN (which is really saying something), CNN Tonight host Laura Coates attempted to argue for denying people of faith their religious liberty by forcing bakers and wedding website designers to lend their services to same-sex “weddings” by comparing it to restaurant owners claiming they’re artists in order to deny African Americans, gays or Jewish people their Macaroni and Cheese.
When interviewing Lorie Smith, a graphic designer Lorie Smith, who is at the center of the Supreme Court case 303 Creative LLC v Elenis, Coates asked the ridiculous question “at what point can someone say I’m an artist, and not really be one? My question really is, what is art?”
“What is to distinguish you from somebody saying, well, you know what? Look, my macaroni and cheese in this restaurant is a work of art. This pie is a work of art. The way that I make my clothing in this boutique: works of art,” she asked.
Coates continued her infantile analogy: “so you know what, I don't want somebody in here who's gay, who's black, who's Jewish, who's disabled, what is the line that distinguishes say you from the artist that somebody could, under the auspices of saying they’re an artist do the same thing?”
Smith replied that “what I'm seeking is that the court step in to protect everyone's right to speak freely.”
Jumping in to educate Coates, was Kristen Waggoner who serves as the president and general counsel of Alliance Defending Freedom which is representing Smith before the Supreme Court.
“The court has already determined these tests,” Waggoner explained. “Words, text, and graphics. That’s speech. If we’re talking about some macaroni and cheese dish. That’s not speech. And that’s an easy call for the court to make. And they’ve been making those calls for many many years, under the First Amendment,” Waggoner said.
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To read the transcript click “expand”:
CNN Tonight
12/5/2022
10:10:23 p.m. EasternLAURA COATES: At what point can someone say I’m an artist, and not really be one? My question really is, what is art? Obviously, I’m not disparaging your art form. I had a wedding website. I understand it, it’s a whole thing. I know you’re an artist. But what is to distinguish you from somebody saying, well, you know what? Look, my macaroni and cheese in this restaurant is a work of art. This pie is a work of art. The way that I make my clothing in this boutique: works of art.
So you know what, I don't want somebody in here who's gay, who's black, who's Jewish, who's disabled, what is the line that distinguishes say you from the artist that somebody could, under the auspices of saying they’re an artist do the same thing? Do you have those concerns?
LORIE SMITH (PLAINTIFF IN 303 CREATIVE LLC V ELENIS): Well, I can only speak to myself, and I’ve made it clear, I work with everyone. I have clients that identify as LGBT. And what I'm seeking is that the court step in to protect everyone's right to speak freely.
KRISTEN WAGGONER (CEO, PRESIDENT & GENERAL COUNSEL OF ADF): The court has already determined these tests. Every free speech case determines whether it’s speech or conduct. The law is well established to determine that. Is a message being communicated? Is it in a medium that we're used to seeing? That we know? Words, text, and graphics. That’s speech. If we’re talking about some macaroni and cheese dish. That’s not speech. And that’s an easy call for the court to make. And they’ve been making those calls for many many years, under the First Amendment.
