I Told You So (Update)

The whole circus involving bakers, florists, photographers, etc. refusing to "participate" in gay weddings by selling their goods and services to gay couples is nothing more than an assault on nondiscrimination laws. It's the same strategy that the right has used against abortion rights and same-sex marriage: chip away, and keep chipping away.

And now 86 senators and congresscritters have filed an amicus brief in support of Masterpiece Cakes and "cake artist" Jack Phillips. And good ol' Senator Mike Lee has let the cat out of the bag:

Calling it a "a compelled speech case," Senator Lee told supporters laws that demand businesses treat people equally are a violation of freedom of speech and expression.

You can't hardly get more plain than that: as far as the right is concerned, nondiscrimination laws are unconstitutional, not to say un-American.

Don't expect any of the usual suspects -- i.e., the main-stream media -- to pick up on that.

Update: As for whose rights should be protected, I mentioned this yesterday, but Digby has a nice, incisive take on it:

 Oh look:

In a speech at George Mason University in Arlington, Virginia, on Thursday, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos lit into what she called “the current failed system” for handling accusations of campus sexual assault, and she announced a period of public comment that could lead to significant changes. 

“There are men and women, boys and girls, who are survivors, and there are men and women, boys and girls who are wrongfully accused,”

I don't have an opinion on whether Title IX protections have gone too far. I haven't read anything to suggest they have done anything but force schools to take campus rape seriously. But Trump's administration taking this issue up is really, really rich.

After all we know what advice he gives to young men on this topic:

Try and fuck her. Move on her like a bitch. Use tic-tacs in case you start kissing her.  And just start kissing her. You can do anything. Grab ’em by the pussy. You can do anything.

The president himself was quoted saying he does all these things. If he can do it and get elected to the most powerful office in the world, there's no reason the average all American boy should have his college career ruined for following his example, amirite?

'Nuff said?