A federal judge on Wednesday dismissed
a Minnesota's couple's lawsuit challenging a state law that prohibits
businesses from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation.
Carl and Angel Larsen, the founders and
owners of Telescope Media Group, filed their lawsuit in December,
2016.
The Larsens claim in their lawsuit that
a Minnesota law which prohibits their video production business from
discriminating against gay couples violates their religious beliefs
about marriage.
Using their “media production and
filmmaking talents to produce a video promoting or communicating the
idea that marriage can exist between anyone but one man and one
woman” would violate their “religious beliefs about marriage,”
the Larsens said in their lawsuit.
The couple wants to post a notice on
their website notifying potential clients that they will not film
same-sex weddings.
Chief U.S. District Judge John Tunheim
described such a notice as “conduct akin to a 'White Applicants
Only' sign.”
“Posting language on a website
telling potential customers that a business will discriminate based
on sexual orientation is part of the act of sexual orientation
discrimination itself,” Tunheim
wrote. “As conduct carried out through language, this act is
not protected by the First Amendment.”
The Christian conservative law group
Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) is representing the Larsens in their
lawsuit. The ADF is also defending Colorado baker Jack Phillips in a
similar case before the Supreme Court.
(Related: Trump
admin files Supreme Court brief in support of baker who refused to
serve gay couple.)
ADF lawyers said that they would appeal
the ruling.