OKLAHOMA CITY (June 30, 2023)—Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs President Jonathan Small said the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling today in 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis preserves citizens’ core right to religious liberty and free speech.

“The right to practice one’s religion is a foundational freedom granted in the U.S. Constitution, yet many special-interest groups have sought to use government power to force Christians to effectively endorse and promote activities they do not support,” Small said. “Today’s ruling protects citizens from that type of coercion, ensuring the rights of all citizens, religious and non-religious alike, to live their lives in accordance with their deeply held religious beliefs.”

Lorie Smith, owner of a web design company called 303 Creative LLC, objected to being forced to create websites for homosexual weddings, saying that required her to endorse and promote something offensive to her as a Christian.

In a 6-3 decision issued today, the U.S. Supreme Court held, “The First Amendment prohibits Colorado from forcing a website designer to create expressive designs speaking messages with which the designer disagrees.”

“The First Amendment envisions the United States as a rich and complex place where all persons are free to think and speak as they wish, not as the government demands,” the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision states. “Colorado cannot deny that promise consistent with the First Amendment.”