We previously discussed the suspicious claims made by a gay Texas pastor, Jordan Brown, who accused a Whole Foods store of changing his order for a cake reading “Love Wins” to “Love Wins Fag.” Various people seeing the cake immediately began raising questions over Brown’s claims and a videotape seemed to contradict his account. Whole Foods countersued Brown. Brown has now fessed up that he did alter the cake and made the whole thing up. After he dropped his lawsuit, Whole Foods has decided to drop the countersuit though a strong case could be made for seeking damages in such a hoax.
Whole Foods was sued by Pastor Jordan Brown of Austin’s Church of Open Doors. It seemed odd that anyone would write such an offensive statement on a cake and not expect to be immediately confronted and fired at Whole Foods. Indeed, many asked how anyone picking up a cake would not see the slur before he left the store. Additionally, any employee would have to know that such a slur would result in the cake being immediately returned with a likely loss of employment.
Brown stood his ground and insisted in a poster video that the box has not been opened and he noticed the slur when he got to the car. He specifically notes that the content and pricing UPC label is unbroken — showing that the box had not been opened.
He stated: “My question is: Who could have done this? . . . It’s still inside of a sealed box . . . This is discrimination.”
However, the store stated that Brown “intentionally, knowingly and falsely accused Whole Foods and its employees of writing the homophobic slur … on a custom made cake that he ordered from WFM’s Lamar Store in Austin.” The store noted that Brown insists that he was in the sole possession and control of the cake until his posting of the video but that “after reviewing our security footage of Mr. Brown, it’s clear that the UPC label was in fact on top of the cake box, not on the side of the package. This is evident as the cashier scans the UPC code on top of the box.”
The evidence appears to have become insurmountable for Brown and his attorney, Austin Kaplan. Kaplan is described as a “rising star” in the local bar who has found himself at the center of a storm of controversy over the filing of this hoax. There is no evidence suggesting that Kaplan was aware of the hoax and Brown apologized to him. Some have suggested that, given the immediate questions raised about the allegations, that Brown should have known or made greater efforts to learn that this was a hoax. In his defense, he could note that he had a pastor who swore that the box was unopened and that he did not have immediate access to the security footage.
Brown issued a statement that “The company did nothing wrong. I was wrong to pursue this matter and use the media to perpetuate this story.”
Brown’s actions are clearly reprehensible. He was accusing the person who made the cake of discrimination and could have resulted in termination for the baker and any supervisor. He also labeled these people as bigots, a charge that would mark them in later efforts to get jobs. The hoax also gave credence to those who dismiss claims of discrimination and bigotry faced by the LGBT community. For that reason, a strong argument could be made for sanctions for a meritless lawsuit and the pursuit of tort damages.
The pastor gets his cake and eats it, too.
I’m surprised he didnt spray paint a swastika on it too.
Ha-Hahhh!
Replay all the comments from the regulars who were so sure this was a legit act.
What was that Fleming said?…All charges of racism or discrimination are hoaxes until proven otherwise.
Well, there’s your prove. Deny away
Usually these fake “hate crime” reports are made by college students or SJWs who are seeking attention and status within whatever perpetually aggrieved group they belong to. In this case, the fake victim perpetrated the hoax for money. He immediately retained an idiot attorney and undoubtedly hoped for a quick cash settlement from the company. This is on par with people who put some disguising item in their food in order to extort money from a restaurant. In the latter cases, the perpetrators are usually arrested. I think this individual should be arrested as well.
His false accusation could have gotten at least one employee fired, and tarnished the reputation of Whole Foods. People could have boycotted, and the store could have lost so much revenue that entire locations could have closed.
That was a really vicious thing to do.
Is this the latest thing now, making up discrimination/hate crime hoaxes for attention?
On the bright side, if it’s so hard to actually find real discrimination that you have to make one up, we must not be as hateful a country as some would lead us to believe?
Is the problem that there aren’t enough causes? Were people born in the wrong decade and feel like their life has no purpose without a crusade? Then join the Peace Corps! Dig a well. Volunteer to build a safe playground or rec center for kids in bad neighborhoods. I don’t know – find a valid way to make the world a better place!!!
Given the fact that the obvious discrepancies in the story came to light rather quickly, I wonder what legal damages can be sought against the attorney, Kaplan. I can understand why the store would drop the matter since law suits can cost lots of money and the prospect of recovery is slim to none. Can the store or others press charges against Kaplan with the state bar?
Thinking around a $135,000 fine and a measure of mandated re-education is in order for the ‘Bearer of False Witness’
So who was gay? How bout you Brown?
Protected groups have become predators.
“We have had a rash of these hoaxes. What causes a person to do this?”
In the West today, power is gained by claiming to be a victim.
They do it because it often works.
And hoaxers are rarely punished (recent exception: the Albany girls). Not much downside.
The heuristic is this: All claims of shocking racism/sexism/etc. are hoaxes until proven otherwise.
“Gay” and “Pastor” is an oxymoron.
Pastor Brown probably read about Pharaoh’s chief baker and repented.
When the chief baker saw that Joseph had given a favorable interpretation, he said to Joseph, “I too had a dream: On my head were three baskets of bread. In the top basket were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head.”
“This is what it means,” Joseph said. “The three baskets are three days. Within three days Pharaoh will lift off your head and impale your body on a pole. And the birds will eat away your flesh.”
We have had a rash of these hoaxes. What causes a person to do this? Is the self-esteem so low that they have to buy love by acts of fraud?
I vote Whole Foods keeps the case open, ban him from the store and he get professional help.
Really,???
Didn’t we all know…????
Whole Foods should have maintained the law suit.
jischinger writes,
<blockquote.so if WholeFoods sues the man who perpetrated the hoax what kind of jail time and fine will he get?
Wholefoods needs to lodge a criminal report alleging abuse of judicial process against the pastor and possibly the attorney, if it is perceived that he either knew or should have known that the claims were false. There must have been a sworn statement of some sort where the pastor and his attorney filed their complaint. The pastor’s complaint amounts to a fraud upon the court.
Now, Pastor Brown can exchange the cake for some humble pie.
so if WholeFoods sues the man who perpetrated the hoax what kind of jail time and fine will he get?