Like most business owners in America, web designer Lorie Smith just wanted to be left alone to build her business. But because she is a Christian, as Her Lord promised, “in the world you will have trouble.” (Matthew 16:33)
Despite her recent Supreme Court victory in 303 Creative v. Elenis, she continues to have trouble.
On her website she writes, “Because of my faith … I am selective about the messages I create or promote [on my customers’ websites]. I am always careful to avoid communicating ideas or messages, or promoting events, products, services, or organizations that are inconsistent with my religious beliefs.”
That declaration gave Smith plenty of trouble. The anti-Christian Colorado Civil Rights Commission simply couldn’t abide allowing her to express her Christian faith in public, and so they challenged her freedom to do so. The case went to the Supreme Court, where Justice Neal Gorsuch expressed the majority opinion ruling against the commission:
The First Amendment prohibits Colorado from forcing a website designer to create expressive designs speaking messages with which the designer disagrees….
Colorado seeks to compel this speech in order to excis[e] certain ideas or viewpoints from the public dialogue.
It was never about discrimination. As Smith said, “My case has never been about choosing which client to work with, but about choosing the message that I’m being asked to promote.”
Attacks began even before the final verdict was in, with members of the American Atheists and the Satanic Temple protesting the coming decision, waving signs that read “Racist, Sexist, Anti-Gay, Christian Fascists Go Away!” and “The Future is Satanic.”
She was personally targeted by them:
I’ve had my home address put on social media, I have received many threats — death threats, threats of bodily harm.
The security system at my home, my child’s school has been on alert.
I’ve lost business, my clients have been harassed and my website … people attempt to hack into it, almost regularly by the hour.
In an interview at The Epoch Times just days after the decision was announced, Smith reported:
Especially in the last week, despite the victory last week, I do continue to face horrific attacks, people saying they hope I would be raped; they want to burn my house down; they know where I live, and they want to come kill me and my family….
Just last week, my website crashed with over 10 million attacks, messages saying things that would make your skin crawl.
It’s sad to me because, at the end of the day, when I am standing to protect those individuals who have submitted those hateful responses, standing to protect me and them as well, of course, it’s heartbreaking.
In another interview yesterday, with The Daily Signal, Smith added:
A lot of the threats have alluded to the fact that people have my home address and have posted that address on social media in an effort to encourage others to send hateful messages.
It’s coming from all angles, really, whether it be phone, email, mail, my website, social media.
There have been attempts to explain why the vitriol continues to plague Smith, even after the decision. Said Kellie Fiedorek, senior legal counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), who represented Smith before the high court: “The[y] reflect a complete misunderstanding of the facts.” Wrote Briana Oser at The Washington Examiner, “This is a reaction of blind rage, one that has no rhyme or reason.”
The real reason is Her Lord’s promise: “You will be hated by all because of My Name.” (Matthew 10:21)
Related article:
Denver Website Designer Wins in Landmark First Amendment Case
