(Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Michael Imperioli took to his Instagram account to “thank” the U.S. Supreme Court for Friday’s ruling allowing a Christian web designer to decline wedding services to LGBTQ couples.
The actor implied that the ruling allowed Americans to freely discriminate against people they disagree with.
“I’ve decided to forbid bigots and homophobes from watching The Sopranos, The White Lotus, Goodfellas or any movie or tv show I’ve been in,” Imperioli wrote. “Thank you Supreme Court for allowing me to discriminate and exclude those who I don’t agree with and am opposed to. USA ! USA!”
According to The New York Times:
The Supreme Court sided on Friday with a web designer in Colorado who said she had a First Amendment right to refuse to design wedding websites for same-sex couples despite a state law that forbids discrimination against gay people…
The case, though framed as a clash between free speech and gay rights, was the latest in a series of decisions in favor of religious people and groups, notably conservative Christians.
The decision also appeared to suggest that the rights of L.G.B.T.Q. people, including to same-sex marriage, are on more vulnerable legal footing, particularly when they are at odds with claims of religious freedom. At the same time, the ruling limited the ability of the governments to enforce anti-discrimination laws.
Imperioli responded to posts criticizing his views by writing, “Hate and ignorance is not a legitimate point of view” and “America is becoming dumber by the minute.”
The award-winning actor is best known for playing Tony Soprano’s nephew Christopher Moltisanti in HBO’s classic crime drama The Sopranos. He recently appeared in HBO’s The White Lotus as Dominic Di Grasso, a sex-addicted Hollywood producer.
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