Nolte: Michael Imperioli Is a Fascist and Constitutional Moron

Consider what a contrary approach would mean. Under Colorado’s logic, the government may compel anyone who speaks for pay on a given topic to accept all commissions on that same topic—no matter the underlying message—if the topic somehow implicates a customer’s statutorily protected
trait.

Taken seriously, that principle would allow the government to force all manner of artists, speechwriters, and others whose services involve speech to speak what they do not believe on pain of penalty. The government could require “an unwilling Muslim movie director to make a film with a Zionist message,” or “an atheist muralist to accept a commission celebrating Evangelical zeal,” so long as they would make films or murals for other members of the public with different messages. … Equally, the government could force a male website designer married to another man to design websites for an organization that advocates against same-sex marriage.

Let’s take this even further. If the Supreme Court had not ruled this way, a black or Jewish motivational speaker could not refuse to speak at a Ku Klux Klan gathering.

The fascist Imperioli thinks Muslim film directors should be forced to make a pro-Israel movie; atheist muralists should be forced to paint a pro-Christian mural, a gay website designer should be forced to design an anti-gay marriage website, and a black motivational speaker should be forced to address a Klan meeting.

Bottom line: only a fascist believes the government has the right to force Americans to say something or use their talent and artistry to express a belief that violates their conscience.

Imagine such a world! Welcome to the Woke Reich.

Hey, maybe someone should hire the fascist Imperioli to star in a movie and then do a rewrite where the fascist Imperioli has to use his sympathetic character to express the moral view that The Sopranos is a cancer on society, an amoral and disgusting show that hurt America, an overrated and poorly-acted dumpster fire that never should have been made (something I do not believe). Or maybe have the fascist Imperioli’s sympathetic character address the evils of same-sex marriage, abortion, and talk about how climate change is a hoax (which it is).

Hey, why not? After all, the fascist Imperioli “speaks for pay.” Will the bigot back out? Or will he stand by his fascist principles and do what he is demanding other artists do: use his art to spread beliefs that violate his conscience?

So, yes, Imperioli is a fascist. Now we’ll get to the “constitutional moron” part.

A few dozen people demonstrate in front of the US Supreme Court in Washington, DC, on December 5, 2022, during the oral arguments in a case involving a suit filed by Lorie Smith, owner of 303 Creative, a website design company in Colorado who refuses to create websites for same-sex weddings despite a state anti-discrimination law. (Photo by PEDRO UGARTE/AFP via Getty Images)

In an update to his earlier comment, the fascist Imperioli wrote (in part) this (Emphasis Added):

I believe in religious freedom, freedom of speech, and the right for individuals to pursue happiness. I also believe in the separation of church and state as stated in the First Amendment. I believe that all people regardless of race, religion, color, creed, gender or sexuality are entitled to freedom, equality, rights and protection under the laws of our nation. And I vehemently oppose hate, prejudice and bigotry and always have.

Could someone please tell the fascist Imperioli that there is no “separation of church and state” in the First Amendment? You can read that Amendment right here. It only takes about ten seconds. Nowhere does the First Amendment separate church and state. In fact, nowhere in the Constitution does this separation exist.

And that’s not even the worst of the fascist Imperioli’s imbecility. The worst of it is that the fascist Imperioli thinks the Supreme Court ruling is legalizing discrimination when the ruling is obviously protecting Americans from discrimination. Nowhere does the 6-3 ruling say that it’s okay not to serve a gay couple or a black man or whomever. What the ruling clearly says is that if you have chosen to be in the business of being paid to speak (actor, director, web designer, screenwriter, motivational speaker, painter, cake designer, columnist, novelist…), that does not mean you can be bullied by mean-spirited customers or the fascist state of Colorado to express words or ideas that violate your conscience.

And the Court is not only protecting the religious conscience. Also protected are every American’s personal beliefs. Atheists cannot be compelled to spread the gospel. Gays cannot be compelled to campaign against same-sex marriage. Black motivational speakers cannot be compelled to motivate the KKK. The fascist Imperioli cannot be compelled to say The Sopranos sucks.

The fascist Imperioli disagrees. He firmly believes he and those others should be forced to do those things.

Which proves he’s a fascist.