Soprano star Michael Imperioli sarcastically thanked the Supreme Court for “allowing” him to discriminate, while banning “bigots” and “homophobes” from looking at his work.
“I have decided to ban bigots and homophobes from watching The Sopranos, The White Lotus, Goodfellas or any movie or TV show I have been in,” Imperioli posted on Instagram Saturday after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of a christian web designer who claimed she shouldn’t be designing a page for a same-sex couple.
“Thank you Supreme Court for allowing me to discriminate and exclude those I disagree with and oppose. UNITED STATES! UNITED STATES!’ Imperioli continued, before becoming more serious, saying, “Hate and ignorance is not a legitimate position.”
He later responded to his post: “America is getting dumber by the minute.”
The actor is now just one of many activists who have spoken out against the decision in recent days.
Soprano star Michael Imperioli (pictured in October) slammed the Supreme Court decision allowing a Christian web designer to refuse services to a same-sex couple
He posted on Instagram that “bigots” and “homophobes” are no longer allowed to watch The Sopranos. Imperioli is depicted in the series with James Gandolfini
Imperioli also ‘thanked’ the Supreme Court ‘for allowing me to discriminate’
The 6-3, conservative-backed decision overturned a lower court ruling that Denver-area business owner Lorie Smith could not receive an exemption from a Colorado law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
Smith, the owner of 303 Creative, is an evangelical Christian who said she believes marriage can only exist between a man and a woman.
She sued the Colorado Civil Rights Commission and officials in 2016 because she feared being punished for refusing to serve same-sex marriages.
Her case was advocated by the Alliance Defending Freedom, a right-wing Christian group that has regularly filed lawsuits against gay and transgender rights.
During oral arguments, Smith insisted she did not want to discriminate against anyone, but simply objected to not being able to express her Christian beliefs.
She argued that her websites were considered art and protected by her constitutional right to free speech.
In the end, the Supreme Court’s conservative majority agreed, even though the liberal justices argued that a ruling in Smith’s favor would encourage other companies to discriminate against certain customers.
Lorie Smith is a Christian graphic designer who said she would refuse requests to design wedding websites for same-sex couples because of her religious beliefs
The Supreme Court ruled 6 – 3 in favor of Smith, led by his Conservative majority
In his majority opinion, Judge Neil Gorsuch said the First Amendment prohibits Colorado state officials from “forcing a website designer to create expressive designs that express messages with which the designer disagrees.”
“The protections of the First Amendment belong to everyone, not just those whose motives the government deems worthy,” he wrote.
“In this case, Colorado is trying to force a person to speak in a manner consistent with their views, but defies its conscience on a matter of great importance.”
However, Justice Sonia Sotomayor said the ruling was “deeply wrong” in her minority opinion.
“Today, for the first time in its history, the Court grants a public-access corporation the constitutional right to refuse to serve members of a protected class,” she said as she read from the bench in a depiction of the depth of minority sentiment.
“Today is a sad day in American constitutional law and in the lives of LGBT people.”
A person protests outside the Supreme Court on Friday as a decision on Lorie Smith’s case was expected in Washington
Pictured is a protester protesting outside the Supreme Court as it made its final decision on the case on Friday
Smith’s supporters cheered after the Court’s conservative majority ruled she can refuse to work with same-sex couples
Democrats were also quick to call out the decision, with President Joe Biden saying he is “deeply concerned that the decision could lead to more discrimination against LGBTQI+ Americans.”
“More broadly, today’s decision weakens longstanding laws that protect all Americans from discrimination in public accommodations — including people of color, people with disabilities, people of faith and women.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer also said, “Refusing service based on who someone loves is just as bigoted and hateful as refusing service because of race or religion.
“And this is bigotry that the vast majority of Americans find completely unacceptable.”