Blue state persists in campaign to control speech, now it’s a bookstore going to court

If nothing else, Colorado officials have proven their persistence in their agenda to control everyone’s speech.

First, following the demands of a homosexual Gov. Jared Polis and a Democrat-majority state House and Senate, they tried to force a Christian baker to endorse same-sex marriage. Millions of tax dollars later they not only lost, but were scolded by the U.S. Supreme Court for their “hostility” to Christianity.

They tried the same stunt, under the guise of “non-discrimination,” with a web designer. Again the Supreme Court knocked the state down.

They’re also arguing for their right to control others’ speech in another case now before the Supreme Court, involving state-mandated censorship of counselors.

Now state officials have adopted a scheme that would require a bookstore to express ideas its owners don’t believe, and it’s already in the courts.

Again.

It is a report in Complete Colorado that describes the dilemma facing Born Again Used Books, a Christian bookstore in Colorado Springs.

Its owners had to file a lawsuit against the state because of a leftist “gender expression” law new from Democrats in the statehouse.

It controls speech in that it requires businesses to address customers according to their “preferred pronouns,” meaning that bookstore workers have to call a woman “he” and a man “she” if that’s what they want.

The store, with help from the ADF, has sued over the state scheme to censor speech and punish individuals who are guilty of “misgendering” someone, that is, calling them by an accurate pronoun they don’t like.

It’s all under the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act, which has been used in those other schemes that already have been torpedoed repeatedly by the Supreme Court.

The lawsuit, in federal court, names as defendants state officials Aubrey Sullivan, Sergio Raudel Cordova, Geta Asfar, Mayuko Fieweger, Daniel S. Ward, Jade Rose Kelly, Eric Artis and Phil Weiser.

“The government has no need or right to force Americans to profess ideological views they oppose,” the court filing charges. “Our pluralistic country is big enough and sturdy enough to allow people of good faith to express different views, even when the government disagrees. The Constitution demands it. And Colorado is better for it.”

Store owners Eric and Sara Smith told Complete Colorado of their concern about compromising their values, or facing steep legal punishments for exercising their First Amendment rights.

“When the truth gets lost in the discussion, it’s hard to have a discussion,” Sara Smith told the publication.

The state also tried recently to force a Christian summer camp for children to allow boys in the facilities for girls, but abruptly reversed course when confronted with concerns about the state’s violation of religious rights.

The bookstore is seeking a court ruling to stop the state’s enforcement of its CADA against the store, an order declaring the state is violating the Constitution, a monetary award to cover the expenses of the fight, and that the court retain jurisdiction to see that the state follows the law.