Kentucky Clerk Kim Davis is sparking outrage after the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against her this week. The Courier-Journal reports that a gay couple has been turned away by the woman for the third time since she began refusing marriage licenses to same-sex and heterosexual couples. The latest rejection comes just one day after the courts ruled that she must provide licenses to all couples seeking to marry.
James Yates and William Smith, Jr. have tried to get married in Rowan County, Kentucky, a total of three times since the Supreme Court declared same-sex marriage to be legal across the United States. All three times Kim Davis has rejected their attempts, refusing to provide them with a marriage license. The Kentucky Clerk has cited her religious convictions as a reasoning behind the refusal to issue licenses, but she is not following the law.
Unfortunately for Yates and Smith, Jr., the 6th Circuit Court ruling stipulates that she must begin issuing marriage licenses on Monday — in just over three days. In other words, she is still not required to issue licenses until that ruling officially goes into effect. However, the two men have promised that they’re not giving up, and will be trying to get married again next week. By then, if Kim Davis refuses to issue the license, she will be in direct violation of court order. What could happen next is anybody’s guess.
Davis isn’t the only court clerk in Kentucky who is refusing to follow the law. Right Wing Watch reports that Casey County Clerk Casey Davis has reportedly claimed that he will “die fighting” against marriage equality. The man appeared on the Tom Roten Morning Show, declaring that he will violate the SCOTUS by refusing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. He went on a religious tirade, citing that marriage-equality somehow violates the rights of Christians. However, he did not offer up an explanation as to what particular rights are being violated by embracing marriage equality.
“Our law says ‘one man and one woman’ and that is what I held my hand up and took an oath to and that is what I expected. If it takes it, I will go to jail over — if it takes my life, I will die for because I believe I owe that to the people that fought so I can have the freedom that I have, I owe that to them today, and you do, we all do. They fought and died so we could have this freedom and I’m going to fight and die for my kids and your kids can keep it.”
Kim Davis has not commented on her continued refusal to issue marriage licenses, but a Deputy Clerk in her office — who refused to give his name — mentioned that the court ruling won’t be official until after August 31. Meanwhile, activists are flooding the Kentucky Clerk’s office in demand of equality.
[Photo: Photo via LA Times/Daily Kos ]
