Hoyer Remarks at a Press Conference on the Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission Case Oral Arguments Before the Supreme Court
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Press Release
For Immediate Release:
December 5, 2017
Contact Info:
Mariel Saez 202-225-3130
WASHINGTON, DC - House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) joined a rally hosted by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) outside the Supreme Court today on the Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission Case as oral arguments were heard by the Court this morning. Below is a transcript of his remarks:
“My name is Steny Hoyer and 750,000 Americans have sent me here to raise their voice. Equal justice under the law, equal, the same, Jefferson said it, not as inclusively as he should have, but so inclusively for his time, way ahead of his time. We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men and all women – he didn’t say women but he should have – are created equal, not by the Constitution, not by the majority vote, but by God he said, with equal rights for all. This building is created to protect those rights because, although they may be self-evident, they are not self-executing.
“Thirty-five Members of the United States Senate have signed an amicus brief to the Supreme Court and said: uphold the lower court; this is discrimination; it should not be allowed. One hundred and seventy-four Members of the House of Representatives have signed an amicus and said equal justice under the law.
“I went to the Maryland State Senate in January of 1967, shortly thereafter there was a case at the Supreme Court and on June 12th 1967, Loving v. Virginia, the Supreme Court said you cannot discriminate; you cannot say that because somebody is of one race that they cannot marry somebody of another race. They cannot do that. It is their right to do that. So the Court has spoken on this issue, this court will reemphasize that central tenet of America, that central tenant of our Declaration, that central tenant of most of our faiths that say treat one another as we would want to be treated.
“Today, the Supreme Court held oral arguments in a case that will have bearing on the very meaning of equality and equal access in this country. This case is about discrimination, pure and simple. This case is about making a u-turn on our commitment to equal justice for all. It’s about whether a business can say ‘I don’t want to serve LGBT Americans, or African-Americans, or Hispanic Americans, or Jewish Americans, or women, or anyone else that I don’t want to serve.’
“In the 60’s we said ‘that’s not America.’ That’s not our principle; that’s not our objective; that’s not our vision;, that’s not what we believe is fair or equal. Nobody, nobody, nobody should be allowed to be denied service, fired from a job, or evicted from a home because of who they are.
“This case isn’t really about cake – it’s about access, equality, respect, and yes, human dignity. And more than half a century of precedent is on our side.
“So I’m proud to stand here with all of you, just as I was proud to sign the amicus brief in this case with 173 other House Democrats. I am confident that the justices will reach the right decision in this case and reaffirm that every American, every American, every American deserves to be treated with respect, dignity, equality, whether it’s an employee, a tenant, or as a customer.
“We will raise our voices. We know there are voices raised to discriminate, we know there are voices raised to go back to the past where people were treated disparately, unequally, unfairly. We will not allow that to happen, this day, or any day. God bless you, God speed, keep on keeping on.”
“My name is Steny Hoyer and 750,000 Americans have sent me here to raise their voice. Equal justice under the law, equal, the same, Jefferson said it, not as inclusively as he should have, but so inclusively for his time, way ahead of his time. We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men and all women – he didn’t say women but he should have – are created equal, not by the Constitution, not by the majority vote, but by God he said, with equal rights for all. This building is created to protect those rights because, although they may be self-evident, they are not self-executing.
“Thirty-five Members of the United States Senate have signed an amicus brief to the Supreme Court and said: uphold the lower court; this is discrimination; it should not be allowed. One hundred and seventy-four Members of the House of Representatives have signed an amicus and said equal justice under the law.
“I went to the Maryland State Senate in January of 1967, shortly thereafter there was a case at the Supreme Court and on June 12th 1967, Loving v. Virginia, the Supreme Court said you cannot discriminate; you cannot say that because somebody is of one race that they cannot marry somebody of another race. They cannot do that. It is their right to do that. So the Court has spoken on this issue, this court will reemphasize that central tenet of America, that central tenant of our Declaration, that central tenant of most of our faiths that say treat one another as we would want to be treated.
“Today, the Supreme Court held oral arguments in a case that will have bearing on the very meaning of equality and equal access in this country. This case is about discrimination, pure and simple. This case is about making a u-turn on our commitment to equal justice for all. It’s about whether a business can say ‘I don’t want to serve LGBT Americans, or African-Americans, or Hispanic Americans, or Jewish Americans, or women, or anyone else that I don’t want to serve.’
“In the 60’s we said ‘that’s not America.’ That’s not our principle; that’s not our objective; that’s not our vision;, that’s not what we believe is fair or equal. Nobody, nobody, nobody should be allowed to be denied service, fired from a job, or evicted from a home because of who they are.
“This case isn’t really about cake – it’s about access, equality, respect, and yes, human dignity. And more than half a century of precedent is on our side.
“So I’m proud to stand here with all of you, just as I was proud to sign the amicus brief in this case with 173 other House Democrats. I am confident that the justices will reach the right decision in this case and reaffirm that every American, every American, every American deserves to be treated with respect, dignity, equality, whether it’s an employee, a tenant, or as a customer.
“We will raise our voices. We know there are voices raised to discriminate, we know there are voices raised to go back to the past where people were treated disparately, unequally, unfairly. We will not allow that to happen, this day, or any day. God bless you, God speed, keep on keeping on.”