RESEARCH: The case pending before the Supreme Court is Masterpiece Cakeshop Ltd. v Colorado Civil Rights Commission. Use the following sources to learn about the facts, legal questions, and opposing arguments in this case:
This article (https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/christian-bakers-gay-weddings-and-a-question-for-the-supreme-court) in the New Yorker is a good place to begin your research. It thoroughly describes the facts of the case and the legal and ethical issues it raises from a mostly unbiased perspective.
This article (https://thefederalist.com/2017/06/27/masterpiece-cakeshop-fighting-first-amendment-not-gay-marriage/), published in the The Federalist, presents the argument for why the Court should rule on the side of artistic and religious freedom in this case.
The ACLU argues in this article (https://www.aclu.org/blog/lgbt-rights/lgbt-nondiscrimination-protections/masterpiece-cakeshop-supreme-court-case-one) of the dangers of allowing businesses to discriminate on the basis of religious or artistic exemptions.
The United States Supreme Court heard oral arguments on this case on December 5, 2017, reached its decision during the summer of 2018. To review and/or hear the oral arguments presented before the court, click here (https://www.oyez.org/cases/2017/16-111). What was the decision and final vote of the Supreme Court on this case?
Feel free to conduct your own research on this case as well, making certain to use reliable sources. Once you are comfortable with your knowledge of the case and the arguments of the opposing sides, you are ready to begin writing.
WRITE: Based on your research and analysis of the case, write a well-developed essay which addresses each of the following: (45 points)
* Briefly summarize the facts of the case.
* Identify and explain the core legal disputes presented in this case.
* Summarize the opposing legal arguments. Which arguments do you find most compelling, and why?
* Clearly cite how you would rule in this case. Explain the legal reasoning of your decision.
* What was the decision and vote of the Supreme Court in this case?
FORMAT AND SUBMISSION: Your essay should be typed, no less than two full pages in length (minimum), double-spaced, using 12″ font with one inch margins.
