This is Kamala's Plan on How to Win Back Black Men
It's Happening: Trump to Hold Campaign Rally at Madison Square Garden
Even Biden's Columbus Day Message Is at Odds With Kamala Harris
Kamala Has a Plagiarism Scandal on Her Hands
U.S. Embassy Issues a Warning to Americans As Hezbollah Keeps Firing Missiles
Everything Leftists Do Is Because They Hate Us
'Only One Man Can Fix That': Trump Picks Up Big Endorsement
US Sends Anti-Missile System, Troops to Israel
'Want Him to Hide Away?' Was This the Most Tone Deaf Post Yet...
Steve Kornacki Brilliantly Breaks Down Kamala Harris' Problem in the Polls
Hillary Clinton Has Another Meltdown About Trump
Bill Clinton Buries Kamala Harris...While Campaigning for Her
New Polling: More Red Flags for Team Blue
Hispanic Voters Could Tip the Scales for the GOP
This Liberal Outlet Just Called Out Kamala Harris for Dodging Interviews
OPINION

On International Artist Day, Many Find Creativity Subject to Constraint

The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Townhall.com.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File

“The rights of free speech and free exercise, so precious to this nation since its founding, are not limited to soft murmurings behind the doors of a person’s home or church, or private conversations with like–minded friends and family. These guarantees protect the right of every American to express their beliefs in public. This includes the right to create and sell words, paintings, and art that express a person’s sincere religious beliefs.”

Advertisement

That opinion, issued in fall 2019 by the Arizona State Supreme Court, assumed an art form all its own – it was music in the ears of the plaintiffs in the case, calligrapher Joanna Duka and artist Breanna Koski.

It’s safe to assume that Joanna and Breanna, the founders of Brush & Nib Studio in Phoenix, never planned to wade into the tempestuous waters that so many other artists are being forced to navigate while pursuing artistic dreams. Their case arose from challenging a law that would have forced them – against their sincerely held religious beliefs – to create customized and elaborate wedding invitations with words and paintings celebrating same-sex wedding ceremonies. It would even have prevented them from explaining why they could only create art consistent with their views on marriage.

Similar legal conflicts have arisen throughout the country, as many state and local laws take aim at artists who want to use their gifts to honor their deeply held values and beliefs.

Some, like Joanna and Breanna, have seen justice from the courts and their freedom affirmed, while others, like Lorie Smith, in Colorado, can still only hope.

Lorie owns and operates 303 Creative, through which she creates custom websites and graphics for her clients. But if Lorie creates websites celebrating weddings, a Colorado law would force her to design custom websites and graphics promoting messages that violate her religious beliefs on marriage.

Advertisement

With the help of Alliance Defending Freedom, Lorie is challenging the law, but so far, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit has said that Colorado can continue to tell Lori what she can and can’t create and what she can and can’t say. The Tenth Circuit did so even though it admitted that Lorie’s websites were protected speech under the First Amendment and that Colorado’s law required her to speak messages she disagreed with.

All that was justified, said the court, because Lorie created unique artwork. Not good news for artists – no matter what their viewpoints or mediums.

So, Lori is now petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court to take her case.

If some of this is starting to sound familiar, it’s because Colorado cake artist Jack Phillips has already been down this road, declining to create custom cakes celebrating views of marriage and gender that contradict his deeply held religious beliefs. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 7-2 in his favor—condemning the state for its “clear and impermissible hostility” toward Jack’s beliefs.

That’s good news for Lorie, but as we’ve seen too many times before, challenges continue to be raised against artists’ freedom of speech and religion. Jack is now in the middle of his third legal action—still being harassed by an activist attorney.

Advertisement

French painter Henri Matisse once famously mused, “creativity takes courage.”On International Artist Day, October 25, Americans should celebrate the courage on display from Joanna, Breanna, Lorie, and Jack.

With their very livelihoods on the line, they have chosen to stand—not just for the creative work that they do, but for the freedom of all artists to create and speak, free from government punishment.

Join the conversation as a VIP Member

Recommended

Trending on Townhall Videos