My Win at the Supreme Court Is a Win for All Americans

It was one of the greatest moments of my life. As I walked out onto those great marble steps that descend from the U.S. Supreme Court, looking over at the bouncing placards and cheering crowd, I was almost overwhelmed as I realized how few people ever get to experience something like that.

It was a deeply humbling moment. I knew this was an opportunity that God had given me to stand for something so important to all Americans: freedom of speech. And I knew, again, that all the upheavals and threats of the last few years had been worth it – that this case wasn’t just for me; it was for all of us who won the right to stand by our convictions.

The people who love me, the people who don’t, the people who have no idea who I am – we may not have much in common beyond this great land we live in. But the Supreme Court’s decision in my case affirms that we still live in a land where all of us are free to think for ourselves, to hold diverse beliefs, and to say what we believe without fear of government punishment.

That freedom has been more and more endangered these last few years. Our government hasn’t always shown itself to be a friend to freedom. The values that most people in this nation have tried to live by – being a good neighbor and treating those around us with basic, mutual respect – have been pushed aside, while many in power choose their favorites and move to silence anyone who disagrees with their dictates.

It’s seemed like fear and government censorship have replaced respect for good-faith disagreement and love of neighbor. But after this particular Supreme Court decision, which affirms that the First Amendment prevents the government from forcing us to say things we don’t believe – and in my case, things that conflict with my faith – I’m hopeful we’ve moved significantly closer toward freedom for all.

Yes, that’s wonderful news for me. It means I’m free, as a small business owner, to choose for myself what ideas I will promote and what messages I will say through my custom artwork. It means Colorado cannot punish me for staying true to who I am.

That’s great news, too, for a lot of other people I’ve come to know through my attorneys with Alliance Defending Freedom: people like cake artist Jack Phillips, photographer Emilee Carpenter, and former graduate student Maggie DeJong – all of whom have faced government censorship and even jail time for seeking to express what they believe.

But it’s also good news for people who disagree with my beliefs. I would give anything to sit down with anyone who has said harsh things about me; threatened to destroy my business, take my life, or hurt my family; or simply read my story and disliked who they thought I was.

I wish I could explain to those people that I genuinely care about them and their feelings. I love working with people from all backgrounds, and my artistic lens is never the person, but the ideas I’m being asked to express.

I can’t say everything everyone wants me to. I can’t pretend to agree with every idea presented to me. None of us can. None of us should have to. Each of us should be free to pursue truth, hold to our faith, respectfully speak our beliefs, and thoughtfully live them out day by day, without the government telling us what to believe or say.

If that’s the freedom you want – for yourself, for your family and friends, for all of those who share your ideas and convictions – then my victory is a victory for you.

Whatever you may think of me and my beliefs, we’re all freer today than we were yesterday. I hope you find that cause for celebration.