"Conservative Justice Samuel Alito seemed to embrace the plaintiff's claim that Colorado's law aims to marginalize views the state dislikes, saying the measure appears to allow therapists to help a patient feel comfortable about being gay but bars them from helping a patient who seeks to "end or lessen" their same-sex attraction.
'It seems to me your statute dictates opposite results in those two situations' based on the viewpoint expressed, Alito told Stevenson. ;Looks like blatant viewpoint discrimination,' Alito added.
1. There it is. The statute appears to allow teachers to teach that gravitational acceleration is 9.8 m/2^2, but bars them from teaching that gravity is a communist plot. The statute dictates different results based on the viewpoint expressed. Looks like blatant viewpoint discrimination.
I mean, you can't even fucking parody these motherfuckers any more. I just used his exact words and of course there's no cogent rebuttal. It's just asinine. Literally, per Alito, a state cannot force teachers to teach the truth, if the purported teacher claims some religious bullshit.
2. Note: IMPORTANTLY this is not about free speech. There are no restrictions on conversion therapy in general in Colorado. Anyone can hang out a shingle and sell conversion therapy. The law only prevents the "therapist" from claiming to be performing medical care. That is, Colorado's interest is making sure that it doesn't suffer reputationally by association. Colorado wants its state residents to be able to rely on its medical licensing. Colorado wants its citizens to see "licensed by the state" and infer that, whatever is provided, it's not quackery.
This therapist bitch bringing the lawsuit wants to steal goodwill from every other doctor in the state. Therapists in general provide good services to their clients, so they are trusted. Then Ms. Chiles comes in, starts spewing this harmful bile, and dupes people because medical license. Of course, the damage will be inflicted on therapists as a group. Thus, Ms. Chiles transfers goodwill from other therapists to herself.
I doubt anyone presented the argument this way. I wonder if it would be more persuasive. Maybe the best way to reach the Supreme Court is to paint the other side as thieves. Get that fascist fight-or-flight thing going. I doubt it, though; probably they see that theft as good.