Then there’s the issue of how “compensatory” damages have come to lavishly reward extreme emotional vulnerability — or, at least, claims thereof. The more infantile your emotional control and disposition, the greater your “damages.” Or, I was denied a cake and I CAN”T GET OVER IT!

One of these objecting bakers should put up a sign that says “gay weddings serviced reluctantly and under state compulsion.” Want to bet that the tolerant left would make this illegal, too?

(1) If any damages, the cost of driving to another bakery to contract for a cake.
(2) Free speech, however hurtful, is not punishible by any fine.

This judgement is tyrannical. It sends the message to us all, don’t deviate from political correctness (your supreme politicians) to any degree, because we won’t hesitate to take everything you have. We have principles, and you only have money.

Unlike Ferguson, the fine is not going to the state (the police department). The plaintiffs are just the lucky bystanders. I assume 1/3 of the award is going to the SJW attorneys and will support other such lawsuits.

On the other hand, if they’re going to order that such a ridiculous amount be paid for damages that were purely psychological and sometimes contradictory (like loss of sleep and excessive sleep being listed by the same person), and without the administrative law judge actually getting testimony from a doctor to verify that all of these supposed symptoms were real and caused by the defendant, it’s likely that any future cases would result in similar damages being paid. This was SUPPOSED to be for damages, but it ended up having no basis in reality.

Perhaps the problem here is that an administrative law judge shouldn’t be deciding this sort of thing… if we’re dealing with large amounts of money, it should be a jury that decides, not a bureaucracy.

Bob