BuzzFeed goes where Christian bakers banned

BuzzFeed is a network of websites that features news, video, amusing online tidbits and much more.

But its managers have their beliefs, and its chief, Jonah Peretti, recently confirmed that he had "canceled an advertising deal with the Republican National Committee because of the tone and substance of presumptive nominee Donald Trump's campaign."

The Wall Street Journal reported it was in a memo to staffers Peretti said the campaign "is directly opposed to the freedoms of our employees in the United States and around the world and in some cases, such as his proposed ban on international travel for Muslims, would make it impossible for our employees to do their jobs."

A report on the site itself referenced a $1.3 million advertising agreement, and Peretti's message said, "BuzzFeed informed the RNC that we would not accept Trump for President ads and that we would be terminating our agreement with them."

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He continued, "We certainly don't like to turn away revenue that funds all the important work we do across the company. However, in some cases we must make business exceptions: we don't run cigarette ads because they are hazardous to our health, and we won't accept Trump ads for the exact same reason."

Scholars and legal experts alike say it absolutely within the website's prerogative to make such a decision.

But shouldn't others have that right, too?

They don't.

For example, the owners of the Gortz Haus Gallery, Betty and Richard Odgaard, had to close their business after they said their beliefs did not support providing wedding services for a homosexual duo and they were forced into a $5,000 settlement.

Or Jack Phillips, the owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop in Colorado, who is under orders from the state to undergo indoctrination, and have his staff do the same, because he chose not to express the message of endorsement for homosexual "marriage" by creating a cake for a duo.

Or Barronelle Stutzman, owner of Arlene's Flowers in Washington state, who already has been penalized by the state for declining to support a same-sex wedding with her floral talents.

All of these cases and more are profiled in the Big List of Christian coercion that WND has assembled.

The problem was outlined by Jordan Lorence, a key member of the Alliance Defending Freedom team in a recent commentary.

"BuzzFeed made the same conscientious choice that a number of small business owners represented by Alliance Defending Freedom have made: to decline to promote messages, create art, or participate in events that are counter to their deepest convictions," he wrote.

He said five points need to be made.

First, BuzzFeed "profits by creating expression and ideas," and like other news agencies, media outlets, Web designers, speech writers and others makes money by its creative work.

"Their freedom to express – and their freedom to not express – the ideas they choose is fully protected under law," Lorence wrote.

Then he said there needs to be recognized owners of businesses "have core beliefs, and sometimes a customer can ask them to do something that crosses the line of the owner's beliefs."

"The vegan website designer will likely say no to helping promote the state meatpackers association. The New Age environmentalist/pacifist who designs social media campaigns may say no to helping the fossil fuel companies or the National Rifle Association promote their respective messages. No different from what the photographer, the florist, and the baker are doing," he wrote.

Third, "Everyone understands that BuzzFeed disagrees with Donald Trump’s ideas, and that is not discriminating against Trump or his supporters as people," he said.

"Is BuzzFeed full of bigotry and discriminating against Trump and his supporters? No. Same goes for the photographers, the florists, and the cake bakers," Lorence wrote.

Fourth, there's little likelihood that because BuzzFeed doesn't take the $1.3 million in ads, the Trump organization will be unable to spend that money on ads anywhere.

"Likewise, a same-sex couple will have no problem finding another photographer, baker, or florist to do their message-based work."

Finally, BuzzFeed could be sued by Trump for discrimination, since "The District of Columbia bans discrimination based on 'actual or perceived political affiliation.' Puerto Rico prohibits denial of service because of 'political issues.' Seattle bars conduct that 'differentiate[s]' because of 'political ideology.'"

But BuzzFeed, he said, could argue the lawsuits would violate the First Amendment.

"That is exactly what the photographer, the florist, and the baker have argued in their cases: that these unjust laws and ordinances violate their fundamental freedoms."

All of these cases and more are profiled in the Big List of Christian coercion that WND has assembled.