Religious freedom and gay marriage can coexist: law professor Alan Brownstein responds to law professor Robin Wilson

05/11/09 LA Times:

Law professor Alan Brownstein responds to law professor Robin Wilson over her concern that in some states, same-sex marriage legislation does not adequately accommodate religious liberty. "The more serious problem with Wilson's analysis is that it never considers the impact of religious exemptions on gay and lesbian couples ... it may be appropriate for small businesses such as wedding photographers or caterers to be granted religious exemptions that allow them to decline to provide personal services at weddings for same-sex couples. But large businesses and obvious places of accommodation -- the places where public life in our society takes place -- should be open to everyone. A large hotel should have no more right to refuse to provide reception facilities for a same-sex wedding on religious grounds than to refuse to provide the reception for a bar mitzvah on religious grounds."