In July 2012, Jack Phillips, a Colorado bakery owner, declined to bake a wedding cake for same-sex couple Charlie Craig and David Mullins. Phillips explained to his potential customers that he would gladly make them a cake for another occasion or serve them pre-made items, but that using his talents to participate in a same-sex ceremony would violate his religious beliefs. In June, the Supreme Court agreed to weigh in on this issue, in Masterpiece Cake Shop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, which had been pending since January.

This is a tough question before the court, and it’s hard to strike a delicate balance between protecting individuals from discrimination and preserving religious freedom. Ultimately, though, business owners should be allowed to operate their businesses according to their consciences, and customers can use the tools of the free market to send a message to businesses with which they disagree.