Defying the Supreme Court and invoking "God's authority,"
a Kentucky county clerk on Tuesday turned away two
same-sex couples seeking marriage licenses — and then
was summoned to federal court.
Kim Davis, the clerk for Rowan County, who says that her
personal Christian objections preclude her from issuing
licenses to gay couples, declined the licenses to two men
and two women.
She said in a statement that it was not a "gay or lesbian
issue" but a "Heaven or Hell decision."
"To issue a marriage license which conflicts with God's
definition of marriage, with my name affixed to the
certificate, would violate my conscience," she said.
She said would not resign.
In the clerk's office, supporters of Davis shouted "Praise the
Lord!" and supporters of the couples called her a bigot and
shouted "Do your job!" after she declined the licenses.
Sheriff's deputies cleared the room, and demonstrations
continued outside.
The Supreme Court refused to intervene on Monday, leaving
in place a ruling from a federal judge that ordered Davis to
keep issuing marriage licenses while she presses her case
in the courts, claiming a religious objection to performing
her official duties.
The judge summoned Davis and her deputies to a hearing
on Thursday. Couples who have sued Davis for marriage
licenses asked that she be held in contempt and fined, but
not thrown in jail.
The legal drama escalated after a confrontation Tuesday
morning in the clerk's office. Davis denied marriage
licenses to April Miller and Karen Roberts and to David
Moore and David Ermold.
With a crush of TV
cameras behind them,
Moore and Ermold,
confronted her across a
desk.
"I'm not being
disrespectful to you,"
Davis told Moore.
"You absolutely are," he
said. "You're treating us
like second-class citizens,
He later asked whether she would deny a marriage license
to an interracial couple.
"A man and a woman? No," she said. She added that she
was acting "under God's authority."
After the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage
nationwide on June 26, Gov. Steve Beshear ordered all the
state's clerks to comply immediately. Davis, saying she did
not want to discriminate, stopped issuing all marriage
licenses.
A federal judge ordered her to issue them, and an appeals
court agreed. The Supreme Court's rejection of Davis'
appeal was the first legal skirmish to reach the justices
since the landmark marriage ruling in June.
The contempt request was filed by the American Civil
Liberties Union of Kentucky on behalf of couples, both
same-sex and opposite-sex, who sued Davis.
"Since Defendant Davis continues to collect compensation
from the Commonwealth for duties she fails to perform,"
lawyers wrote, "plaintiffs urge the Court to impose financial
penalties sufficiently serious and increasingly onerous to
compel Davis' immediate compliance without further
delay."
The county attorney has referred a misconduct charge to
the state attorney general's office. Davis, who was elected,
could also be recalled, but she is popular in eastern
Kentucky.
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/same-sex-marriage-kentucky-clerk-defies-supreme-court-turns-down-n419351?cid=sm_fc

Ok

GOD have mercy on us all what is this world turning into?

Good for her!!! At least she is saying the truth. It's just like the book of galatians says "My people has rejected me because I say the truth"

.
Too beautiful to read. Like music in my ears. Just one person in all of America taking a firm stand against what is evil in God's sight.


Amazing how America and the West could allow this level of moral degradation.

When I see people like these who can still take a stand and say no to societal evil, I believe that there's still hope for humanity.
I know she'd still come across a lot of persecution though. she may eventually lose her Job but she shouldn't give in to whatever pressures that may be mounted on her.

That woman is a heroine, she enjoys freedom of religion in a free country, and the 'anustards' and 'asstards' enjoys freedom of definition of marriage and sex orientation. Clash of freedom in Free Repuplic, Hollywood, do something.

So, let me understand this. An institution says gay marriage is okay. You work for that institution. You want to continue working for that institution. But you won't do your work that's in line with the institution's policy?

No, José. It doesn't work like that. When you find your philosophy clashing with the philosophy of your employers, YOU QUIT. You do not stay there and refuse to do your job. RESIGN and discriminate against gay people in YOUR OWN space that you control. That is allowed in a free country.

Wulfruna:
So, let me understand this. An institution says gay marriage is okay. You work for that institution. You want to continue working for that institution. But you won't do your work that's in line with the institution's policy?

No, José. It doesn't work like that. When you find your philosophy clashing with the philosophy of your employers, YOU QUIT. You do not stay there and refuse to do your job. RESIGN and discriminate against gay people in YOUR OWN space that you control. That is allowed in a free country.

I think its not that straightforward, if not, the constitution would have made provisions for gay marriage the day the country pened its charter on marriage. Then if this woman is acting in her faith in God, is it no longer the AMERICA whose banner is 'In God We Trust'? Since change has come, it would be a tug of war between the old and new school that the constitution protects, till the Union expounge the word 'God' out of the declaration of independence.

absoluteSuccess:
I think its not that straightforward, if not, the constitution would have made provisions for gay marriage the day the country pened its charter on marriage. Then if this woman is acting in her faith in God, is it no longer the AMERICA whose banner is 'In God We Trust'? Since change has come, it would be a tug of war between the old and new school that the constitution protects, till the Union expounge the word 'God' out of the declaration of independence.

I don't quite follow, sir. What does expunging the word 'God' from the Declaration have to do with homosexuality? You do know that there are people who believe in God who are also pro-gay, don't you?

You seem to want to limit God to your own Christian views. The idea of God is more universalistic than that. Well, here is the news: The Declaration of Independence is not in any way, shape or form pro-Christian or pro-any-specific-religion. The founding fathers of America (most of who were deistic, rather than Christian) made it very clear that America was not to have one religion.

I also wonder if that very 'Christian' clerk would have refused to issue divorce certificates to couples who wish to break up on non-adultery grounds.

The problem with everyone is as a resault of everyone speaking for everybody to please everybody. Please your true conscience and most problem would ceaze.

Wulfruna:


I don't quite follow, sir. What does expunging the word 'God' from the Declaration have to do with homosexuality? You do know that there are people who believe in God who are also pro-gay, don't you?

You seem to want to limit God to your own Christian views. The idea of God is more universalistic than that. Well, here is the news: The Declaration of Independence is not in any way, shape or form pro-Christian or pro-any-specific-religion. The founding fathers of America (most of who were deistic, rather than Christian) made it very clear that America was not to have one religion.

I also wonder if that very 'Christian' clerk would have refused to issue divorce certificates to couples who wish to break up on non-adultery grounds.

I seems to limit 'God' to the believe of the woman in question. I know the declaration will favour platonic definition of god as to 'imparting intellectual significance'. But such is not the only available answers you can get.

I find it interesting that she has been divorced three times and is currently on her fourth husband. What does Jesus say about divorcing and re-marrying?

On top of that, she got pregnant by another man while still married to her first husband. I'm pretty certain she broke a commandment there.

Glasshouses. Stones.