So it's come to this?

[filledeplage]

The high court ruled on the issue, clerks don't make the law but follow it.

You are correct about her job. She may have been elected, or appointed, but her job is not to impose or create her own policy, but to follow the "law of the land." She likely took an oath to follow the law of the jurisdiction and the U.S. Constitution.

If she found it morally repugnant, she could have delegated the duty to the assistant clerks to issue the licenses.  Clerks have plenty of other administrative duties to follow.  She can't substitute her personal judgment for the law.  

[Fire Wind]

According to the press, she was an elected official, and she had the option to allow the deputies to do it without interfering, but refused to do it, which sounds like she's making a scene deliberately.  It was thought a fine wouldn't work in her case, and supporters are putting money together, hence jail.

[the captain]

It's a shame that this kind of crap is sensationalized and made into a leading story.

It's a shame that activists on both sides clearly are using this person as an example, one demonizing her and one making her their shining knight (and funding such stance).

It's a shame that this person could have stayed out of jail by simply authorizing her deputy clerks who had agreed to give out the licenses to do so, which would have also meant she herself wasn't being required to give out the licenses. (It was thus her choice to go to jail.)

It's a shame that the federal, or any other level of, government gets involved in personal relationships (beyond preventing abuse of minors).

Individual freedom to practice religion is protected, as it should be, but when the expression of such religion negatively impacts others while simultaneously breaking the law, there has to be some kind of concession somewhere. Refusal to compromise is nothing to be proud of. If we were all absolutists, there would be no society to speak of, just millions of Hatfields and McCoys.

People are a fucking embarrassment.

[KDS]

While I don't think this person should've been imprisoned, I would have one question I'd love to ask her, and anybody else who opposes same sex marriage:

Exactly how does a man marrying a man, or a woman marrying a woman, affect you? 

[Chocolate Shake Man]

Has Paris Hilton publicly commented on this yet?

[Mike's Beard]

It's a shame that this person could have stayed out of jail by simply authorizing her deputy clerks who had agreed to give out the licenses to do so, which would have also meant she herself wasn't being required to give out the licenses. (It was thus her choice to go to jail.)

I think it was the fact of her name still being on the license even if she didn't personally issue them herself that she had a problem with.

[Robbie Mac]

I respect her right to her religious beliefs but if it is directly interfering with her ability to do her job requirements, then she needs to step down and allow someone else to take over. However, sending her to jail for standing up for her religious views is just plain liberal fascism at it's most transparent.  

I agree. It should have been nothing more than a firing. Though if she is an elected official then jail is the only option. Seriously, you cannot have people who are there to enforce the law blatantly break it.

She is an elected official.

[Robbie Mac]

According to the press, she was an elected official, and she had the option to allow the deputies to do it without interfering, but refused to do it, which sounds like she's making a scene deliberately.  It was thought a fine wouldn't work in her case, and supporters are putting money together, hence jail.

So, yeah. "Liberal fascism". 

[alf wiedersehen]

It's hard to be sympathetic to their plight when sh*t like this happens; indeed, my sympathy for the gay community is at an all-time low. This is the hallmark of a communist state, not the "land of the free." This is persecution of Christians, not to mention persecution of the people actually following the letter of the law. The Kentucky constitution specifically prohibits gay marriage. Like it or not, she was doing her job. Where are the "tolerant" gays, feminists, and liberals? Where?

They're NOWHERE to be found. "Tolerance" is a euphemism for "acceptance or else." You either fall in line with the liberal gestapo or you will face the consequences.

You're sympathy for gay people is at an all-time low? Why? It's not like the government officials that made these laws and then enforced them were a group of homosexual people with a blood lust for oh so innocent Christians. This lady knew what she was doing. She was making an example of herself. You know what happens when you consistently disobey the law? You got to jail. Surprise! "Land of the free" doesn't equate "there's no laws, go have fun by preventing American citizens from getting married". "Land of the free" means "hey, you're gay? No problem. You can get married". "Land of the free" means "oh, you can't fulfill your job obligations? Go get a new one." This isn't a persecution of Christians. The other guy in the article, Bunning, himself is a religious man with the same job, but recognizes that he oath he took when he entered the position rises above his own feelings on the subject. This isn't a persecution of law followers, this lady isn't following the law. The Supreme Court is the supreme law of the land, and whether you like it or not, she wasn't doing her job.

Why are you crying out for tolerant people? Why do you only ask for tolerant people when someone does something like this? You want me to accept this woman who denies other American citizens their right to marriage? That's bullshit. If this woman decided that she would step down because her religious views are impacting her job, I would be sympathetic. But that's not what happened - she deliberately stayed on to prevent people from being married. I can't even believe that allowing equal treatment to the people of the United States is even a political topic. What kind of f***ed up society makes a political issue out of allowing one section of its people to be treated the same as another section of its people? Your condemnation of groups you aren't affiliated with is predictable, but still sad.

[Chocolate Shake Man]

According to the press, she was an elected official, and she had the option to allow the deputies to do it without interfering, but refused to do it, which sounds like she's making a scene deliberately.  It was thought a fine wouldn't work in her case, and supporters are putting money together, hence jail.

So, yeah. "Liberal fascism". 

Well, to be fair, the correct phrase for it is "oppressed freedom." But if you are going to start judging me on whether or not I use terms correctly rather than by the definitions that I arbitrarily and conveniently make up to help bolster my argument then that's just a striking example of oppressed freedom.

[Mike's Beard]

Has Paris Hilton publicly commented on this yet?

She said 'girl on girl action is hot but a guy doing another dude is eeewww icky".

[Douchepool]

You're sympathy for gay people is at an all-time low? Why? It's not like the government officials that made these laws and then enforced them were a group of homosexual people with a blood lust for oh so innocent Christians. This lady knew what she was doing. She was making an example of herself. You know what happens when you consistently disobey the law? You got to jail. Surprise! "Land of the free" doesn't equate "there's no laws, go have fun by preventing American citizens from getting married". "Land of the free" means "hey, you're gay? No problem. You can get married". "Land of the free" means "oh, you can't fulfill your job obligations? Go get a new one." This isn't a persecution of Christians. The other guy in the article, Bunning, himself is a religious man with the same job, but recognizes that he oath he took when he entered the position rises above his own feelings on the subject. This isn't a persecution of law followers, this lady isn't following the law. The Supreme Court is the supreme law of the land, and whether you like it or not, she wasn't doing her job.

Why are you crying out for tolerant people? Why do you only ask for tolerant people when someone does something like this? You want me to accept this woman who denies other American citizens their right to marriage? That's bullshit. If this woman decided that she would step down because her religious views are impacting her job, I would be sympathetic. But that's not what happened - she deliberately stayed on to prevent people from being married. I can't even believe that allowing equal treatment to the people of the United States is even a political topic. What kind of f***ed up society makes a political issue out of allowing one section of its people to be treated the same as another section of its people? Your condemnation of groups you aren't affiliated with is predictable, but still sad.

Government officials break the law every day and don't get into any trouble over it. Yes, this woman is absolutely being made an example of because the issue of gay marriage is a hot political topic. I get the fact that she wasn't doing her job and she will most likely be impeached. The Constitution (in theory) is the supreme law of the land, not the Supreme Court. Tolerant people understand that government has no place in marriage. It's not about "Biblical" marriage; it's about state control over something that should be between the people involved. Government does not give people the right to associate with others; it can only take it away. Government should not be in the marriage business. If people are allowed to vote (as in forcing their will on others) to determine what "rights" people have, then they are not rights; they are privileges.

You want social matters to stop being issues? Stop expecting big daddy government to get involved in them. That's "the land of the free" for you.

[Mike's Beard]

According to the press, she was an elected official, and she had the option to allow the deputies to do it without interfering, but refused to do it, which sounds like she's making a scene deliberately.  It was thought a fine wouldn't work in her case, and supporters are putting money together, hence jail.

It's bizarre that as an elected official they can't just suspend her but they can haul her ass to jail at the drop of a hat.

[alf wiedersehen]

Tolerant people understand that government has no place in marriage.

Is this just federal or state government? I don't think either one necessarily belongs, but one stepped in to straighten out the other. If Kentucky didn't put the "gays can't get married" clause into their state constitution, this wouldn't be a problem in the first place.

[Douchepool]

Well, the states have that authority under the Constitution to decide those matters because the Constitution does not define marriage. Granted, the states also shouldn't have that leeway, but horses for courses. I'm not a Constitutionalist.

[Rocky Raccoon]

I fail to see how issuing a marriage license to two strangers would infringe on this woman's personal religious beliefs.  If she believes in freedom of religion, shouldn't she be considerate to those who practice outside of her own religion?  Putting aside that the couple was lesbian, as a government worker it is her job to serve all Americans, not just people who align with her religious beliefs.  Whether you're for or against gay marriage, it doesn't matter.  These women weren't asking for anything illegal and Davis's behavior was plain wrong.  There's no other way to look at it.

[Loaf]

I'm amazed by how some Christians think they are acting according to their beliefs by hating other people.

Maybe they threw her in jail for being a bad Christian?

[Bean Bag]

Loaf, you're so wrong it's icky. The hate is coming from militant leftists pushing an agenda that most - not even close - most Americans do not want. That's the hate.  Men and women are different (in case you're clueless) and when they get together and get married it's a unique thing.

Marriage is an institution that has existed for centuries, outside of govt as TRBB points out, and 5 powdered wigs say, no. Then the haters go and seek out people who they know don't want to play their games and have the govt FORCE them to bake them a same sex wedding cake. That's hate.  That's intolerance. Wake the fck up.

Stop accusing good people of the sht your left wing slobs do. Nobody fcking hates gays. Marriage is a special institution for a man and a woman. It's not about hating gays or whatever perverse fantasy the left wing media wants you to believe. It's about a small militant minoirty of hateful activists who don't want anyone to have anything special and unique.

Fcking haters. Cheer 'em on if you like, but but don't blame the victims of oppression for being hateful.

[the captain]

If mom says we have to let you play at our magic ceremony, then dammit, nobody can play. We'll take our game and go home.

Centuries of marriage, my ass. It has evolved constantly over its history, whether allowing for polygamy, various rules about divorce, existing as a largely property or political arrangement, etc. It has barely ever been what most people think of it as being now, which is an equal partnership of love and respect between two people (even if man and woman). That argument is full of sh*t.

Seems to me that hateful little scared people see hate everywhere. It's actually almost funny, except that the dumber people can't resist the fun of confrontational nonsense with big televised graphics. Whatever. The world moves on and luckily generations pass away. Their whining fades, and the scary fire and brimstone of how the world is going to hell never actually happens. (Luckily there's always a new aging generation to behave equally stupid. Oh joy.) Blah blah capital letters bold type Barack HUSSEIN Obama funny picture quote leftist assholeslobsnobeverybody'sbadbutmyteambreitbartzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

It's too bad none of the political discussions here ever amount to jack sh*t because of that nonsense (and its mirror image). A few people don't seem stupid or alarmist. A few do. And the threads devolve in to the Sandbox equivalent of Mike versus Brian. It's so disappointing to have topics that are interesting, but knowing that it's just a waste of everyone's time to say anything, ever, because of what is sure to follow.

[SurfRiderHawaii]

Our local County Clerk, who is a Vegan, was jailed last week for refusing to issue fishing and hunting licenses. 

In the meantime, I have been spending hours and hours reading the New Testament and trying to find any passages where Christ calls being gay a sin........  Must be contained in some hidden code only Christians can understand.

[alf wiedersehen]

Marriage is an institution that has existed for centuries, outside of govt as TRBB points out, and 5 powdered wigs say, no. Then the haters go and seek out people who they know don't want to play their games and have the govt FORCE them to bake them a same sex wedding cake. That's hate.  That's intolerance. Wake the fck up.

Is it tolerant and loving to not allow people to marry?

[Rocky Raccoon]

Loaf, you're so wrong it's icky. The hate is coming from militant leftists pushing an agenda that most - not even close - most Americans do not want. That's the hate.  Men and women are different (in case you're clueless) and when they get together and get married it's a unique thing.

Marriage is an institution that has existed for centuries, outside of govt as TRBB points out, and 5 powdered wigs say, no. Then the haters go and seek out people who they know don't want to play their games and have the govt FORCE them to bake them a same sex wedding cake. That's hate.  That's intolerance. Wake the fck up.

Stop accusing good people of the sht your left wing slobs do. Nobody fcking hates gays. Marriage is a special institution for a man and a woman. It's not about hating gays or whatever perverse fantasy the left wing media wants you to believe. It's about a small militant minoirty of hateful activists who don't want anyone to have anything special and unique.

Fcking haters. Cheer 'em on if you like, but but don't blame the victims of oppression for being hateful.

Yeah, look at all the love and tolerance you have.

How in any way is Kim Davis a victim?  What horrible things would have happened in her life if she just let two people she otherwise had nothing to do with get married?  Nobody asked her to bake a cake for them, she just needed to sign some legal papers which again, did not have any personal relevance to her.  And now she's getting tons of press, is considered a hero by conservative politicians, and has become the poster child of Mike Huckabee's presidential campaign.  Yeah, that poor woman.

[Jim V.]

Nobody fcking hates gays.

And there you go folks. Absolute proof that this "Bean Bag" character is absolutely, fully, totally full of sh*t.

Bean Bag also believes there is no racism besides of course THE NEW BLACK PANTHERS who are comin' to getcha!


Now, guys and gals, we know it's just so hard to be a straight, white, Republican, Protestant male in the United States. The chips are just sooooooo stacked against you. Such a rough life.

[KDS]

Mr. Bag,

I have a quick simple question for you.

How exactly does a man marrying a man, or a woman marrying a woman, affect you? 

That seems to be a question that nobody who is against same sex marriage can answer. 

[Douchepool]

Mr. Bag,

I have a quick simple question for you.

How exactly does a man marrying a man, or a woman marrying a woman, affect you? 

That seems to be a question that nobody who is against same sex marriage can answer. 

+1

The question that should still be asked is why government is in the marriage business in the first place.