LGBT Parents & Allies
Meet The Mississippi Baker Who Refuses To Discriminate
As a baker and small business owner, I meet all kinds of people. I am truly blessed to have a job where I get to wake up each day and make people happy. People come into my bakery looking for sweets to celebrate life’s most special moments.
Since 1962, we have been baking up delicious memories from scratch in Jackson, Mississippi, a place I’m proud to call home.
While my job is fun, I also take my responsibility to serve the public seriously. That means quality control with my products, and it means providing nothing less than excellent customer service to each and every patron who walks into my store. It’s my job to judge the quality of my flour; not the race, religion or any other identities of my customers.
It is not my job to turn someone away because I don’t like who they are or what their beliefs are.
My bakery is very much part of the fabric of the neighborhood, and I recognize that my baked goods should be enjoyed by every walk of life. That’s why I was saddened to learn about Masterpiece Cakeshop in Colorado turning away a couple because they are gay. It doesn’t matter whether or not they approve of gay people, or whether or not I do.
As business owners serving the public, we don’t have a right to deny people service just because of who they are.
I am proud to be from Mississippi, where my Southern hospitality and Christian faith are strong. I take great pride in having the freedom to be who I am and living in our great nation made up of many different kinds of people who believe many different things. I may not agree with everything that everyone believes, but as a service industry professional, it is my duty to serve each and every one of them.
I get up before the sun each morning because I love the smiles I put on people’s faces when they come into my store and enjoy a baked good.
I love getting to witness the bond between loved ones—the delight on a kid’s face as he gets to pick out which treat he wants as a reward for a good report card; the tenderness of a wife as she picks out dessert to surprise her spouse after a hard week at work; that cake that’s special ordered to celebrate a new job, a big birthday or retirement.
When a couple comes into my bakery to pick out a wedding cake, they are incredibly excited.
It is a day they will remember forever. Who am I to take that away from them?
Originally published by The Clarion-Ledger; Photo via James Nord; Originally published in July 2015
Comments (10)
Douglas Hammett-Lair
Thank – you Mitchell Moore,
Thank – you Mitchell Moore, for your wonderful, Christian, unbiased service tour community, and now … To the world. I am SOOOOOO happy to read a,post like this! THIS, folks, is Christisn and pure thinking (with love in ones heart) … Which is what weddings are supposed to be about. Again, thank you Mitchell … From the bottom of my heart!
Arthur Green
I am so excited to read this
I am so excited to read this story. What a wonderful and loving person this man is. God truly loves him, as he shares that love with the world. It is nice to know that there are other Christians out there who do not discriminate – period. May the Lord bless and keep him as he does God’s work of sharing love and joy.
Scott
Thank you Mitchell Moore.
Thank you Mitchell Moore. You are my Mississippi.
George M Melby, Pastor
WHAT a heart-warming story!!!
WHAT a heart-warming story!!! I so wish every Christian would not only “hear” the Word, but “DO” it, in service to the Lord! Unabridged blessings and peace to you and your business!
Betty Cordoza
I have worked in sales, and
I have worked in sales, and it never, ever crossed my mind to think about identifiers of my customers. Mitchell is an outstanding example of what this ethic is all about.
Also, as a Christian, he is an outstanding example of Jesus’ commandment to “Love one another as you love yourself.”
Lourene Medlow
What a blessing you are to
What a blessing you are to all those that come into your store. You restores my faith in humanity.
Johnny Quest
I heard your interview on NPR
I heard your interview on NPR this morning and smiled until my face hurt. While I do not identify as either a Republican or a Christian, I find Mitchell a breath of fresh air. Live long and prosper, my friend.
Tom Holsomback
This was the most one sided
This was the most one sided interview I have heard in a while. NPR (KRWG) is showing their liberal side, again. Mr. Moore was asked, have you ever felt forced to bake for clients you didn’t want to serve? He honestly said NO. I find this very hard to believe. He states it decriminalizes discrimination, which is the biggest issue. What it does is protects business owners from HUGH unnecessary lawsuits / judgements filed by those who want their 15 minutes of fame. He doesn’t believe there is no such thing as a deeply held religious belief. If he believes that he isn’t a Bible believing Christian. By passing this bill they think they are looking out for us. He go on to state, hundreds of other issues that aren’t being tackled as if the Mississippi governing body will ignore every issue except this protection bill. Honestly, if you are using this as an argument, you have ulterior motives. He states they are addressing a problem that doesn’t exist. What about Aaron and Melissa Klein, owners of Sweetcakes by Melissa, the Oregon bakery, that was fined $135,000 in “compensatory damages. The problem does in fact exist. NPR ask those pertinent questions. Try to stay in the middle as all journalist should.
Dee Zimmer
I heard your interview with
I heard your interview with NPR (4/5/16) and was appalled to hear of this “legalized discrimination” in Mississippi. Thank you for your stance on non-discrimination and for emphasizing that being a person of faith means that one does NOT exclude service to others. Can you imagine Jesus Christ discriminating against those different from Him? Some so-called Christians are not Christian at all.. Thank you.
Rev. Meg Wilkes
Mitchell, thank you! Please
Mitchell, thank you! Please don;t be detered by of the negative comments people make. It is very hard to be a “Christian” and still be like Christ in today’s nationalistic religious climate. You remind me of Jesus in your thinking. This is admirable and makes me feel happy to identify as a Christian. I am a bible believing Christian – and I recognize the complexities of scripture. I am, after all, a female minister. 🙂 Be strong. You will be rewarded in spirit and in truth, friend. Thank you.
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