"A federal judge ordered a defiant county clerk to jail for contempt Thursday after she insisted that it would violate her conscience to follow court orders to issue marriage licenses to gay couples.
Rowan County clerk Kim Davis and her deputy clerks were summoned to appear before U.S. District Judge David Bunning after she repeatedly denied them marriage licenses, cited her religious beliefs and "God's authority."
The judge said his only alternative was to jail her because he did not believe she would comply with his order even if she were fined. She was escorted out of his courtroom by a deputy, although not in handcuffs, to be turned over to the custody of federal marshals."
I was just reading an interesting commentary on this by Lars Larson. Without commenting on the rightness or wrongness of Kim Davis's actions, consider this: the same sex marriage crowd are screaming for her scalp, but does anyone recall their being upset when public officials like the mayor of SF and the county commissioners of Multanomah County (Portland, OR) began issuing same sex marriage licenses in violation of prevailing law (and in the case of the commissioners publically expressed disapproval)? Recall any Liberals expressing displeasure over sanctuary cities?
The Age of Hypocrisy.
"This is the most lavishly funded and entirely moronic foreign ministry on the planet."~~Mark Steyn's description of the US State Dept.
Matt Walsh also addresses the situation today in a longish but well thought out piece. He ends with a warning that the choice Kim made may soon be one we will all face.
"This is a nation that has rejected truth, constitutional law and God’s law. Our culture is floating untethered in the abyss, besieged by confusion and moral chaos. If we think we can restore peace and truth by “following the law,” I believe we are in for a rude awakening. The law is dead. We are left with two choices: follow truth, or obey the dictates of our culture and the godless tyrants who lead it.
Kim Davis took door No. 1, and it landed her behind bars.
I hope some high powered conservative legal defense team takes up her case.
Actually I'd like to see them try this will a Moslem woman who dresses in a bag, and who believes in Sharia.
While this lady is in jail doesn't the town have an assistant clerk sitting in for her? Problem solved if it wasn't for the desire to coerce a person to act against their conscience.
As for the need to pose this situation to a Muslim, that's going to be fun.
You have to find a Muslim city clerk.
Just like you need to find a Muslim baker.
Go to Dearborn, MI?
******* The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil ... but by those who watch them and do nothing. -- Albert Einstein
Kim Davis Uproar Shows That Breaking The Law Is Only Okay When Progressives Do It
SEPTEMBER 3, 2015 By Sean Davis
The main contestant on this week’s edition of Internet outrage theater is Kim Davis, a Democratic clerk in Kentucky who is refusing to issue marriage licenses to gay couples. Davis, who was arrested by police today for not issuing the licenses, says her religious beliefs prohibit her from rubber-stamping applications for same-sex marriage licenses:
U.S. District Court Judge David Bunning placed Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis in the custody of U.S. marshals until she complies, saying fines were not enough to force her to comply with his previous order to provide the paperwork to all couples and allowing her to defy the order would create a “ripple effect.”
“Her good-faith belief is simply not a viable defense,” Bunning said. “Oaths mean things.”
Davis, who was tearful at times, testified that she could not obey the order because God’s law trumps the court.
“My conscience will not allow it,” she said. “God’s moral law convicts me and conflicts with my duties.”
Davis’s arrest was met with cheers by same-sex marriage advocates who for some reason did not demand imprisonment of officials who lawlessly issued gay marriage licenses in clear contravention of state and federal laws. Take, for example, Democrat Gavin Newsom, who is currently the California lieutenant governor. Back in 2004, when gay marriage was banned under California state law, Newsom openly defied the law and used his power as the mayor of San Francisco to force taxpayer-funded government clerks to issue gay marriage licenses:
Newsom unleashed a political and legal tempest February 12 when he ordered the city clerk to begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
Nearly 3,200 same-sex couples have gotten licenses in a nine-day frenzy that included thousands of family, friends and soon-to-be betrothed couples ringing City Hall, sometimes for days.
Just like Kim Davis, who is an elected Democrat, Newsom justified his lawlessness by citing his own conscience and beliefs about right and wrong rather than deferring to the actual laws of his state.
If you look for evidence of gay rights advocates chastising Newsom for his blatant lawlessness, you won’t find it. Because it doesn’t exist. You similarly won’t find any evidence of these principled law enforcement purists chastising California state officials for refusing to enforce or defend the Prop 8 ballot initiative in California, which was passed overwhelmingly by California voters.
I hope some high powered conservative legal defense team takes up her case.
Actually I'd like to see them try this will a Moslem woman who dresses in a bag, and who believes in Sharia.
While this lady is in jail doesn't the town have an assistant clerk sitting in for her? Problem solved if it wasn't for the desire to coerce a person to act against their conscience.
As for the need to pose this situation to a Muslim, that's going to be fun.
You have to find a Muslim city clerk.
Just like you need to find a Muslim baker.
Go to Dearborn, MI?
a few follow up stories.......
1. Assistant clerks issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples With clerk Kim Davis jailed for contempt, assistant clerks in Rowan County, KY, began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples today. http://www.middletowntranscript.com/arti.../NEWS/150909887
With clerk jailed, gay Kentucky couple gets marriage license • Friday September 4, 2015
2. MOREHEAD, Ky. -- A gay couple emerged from a Kentucky county clerk's office with a marriage license in hand this morning, embracing and crying as the defiant clerk who runs the office remained jailed for her refusal to issue the licenses because she opposed same-sex marriage.
William Smith Jr. and James Yates, a couple for nearly a decade, were the first to receive a marriage license this morning in Rowan County. Deputy clerk Brian Mason issued the license, congratulating the couple and shaking their hands as he smiled. After they paid the license fee of $35.50, James Yates rushed across the steps of the courthouse to hug his mom as both cried.
"This means at least for this area that civil rights are civil rights and they are not subject to belief," said Yates, who had been denied a license five times previously. He said he and Smith were optimistic they would get a license when they arrived, in part because the deputy clerk, Mason, had always been respectful when they came previously.
A crowd of supporters cheered outside as the couple left, while a street preacher rained down words of condemnation. Yates and Smith said they are trying to choose between two wedding dates and plan a small ceremony at the home of Yates' parents.
The licenses were issued only after five of Kim Davis' deputy clerks agreed to issue the licenses, the lone holdout from the office being her son, Nathan Davis. Her office was dark this morning as the license was issued to Yates and Smith, with a sheriff's deputy standing guard in front of it.
"I just want the licenses given out. I don't want her in jail. No one wanted her in jail," Yates said.
During a hearing Thursday, U.S. District Judge David Bunning had offered to release Davis if she promised not to interfere with her employees issuing licenses, but she refused, citing her Christian beliefs.