Not Backing Down?
Kentucky’s Pernicious Religious Scofflaw™ wants everyone to know that she didn’t really surrender. The BBC has the latest chapter in the saga of Kim Davis:
A Kentucky clerk who was jailed for refusing to issue marriage licences to gay couples has said she will not block the process but her name will not appear on the paperwork.
However, Kim Davis questioned on Monday whether licences without her signature would be valid.
…“I don’t want to have this conflict. I don’t want to be in the spotlight. And I certainly don’t want to be a whipping post,” Ms Davis said. “I am no hero. I’m just a person that’s been transformed by the grace of God, who wants to work, be with my family. I just want to serve my neighbours quietly without violating my conscience.”
Shortly after Ms Davis addressed reporters, a deputy clerk issued a marriage licence to a lesbian couple without incident.
Despite Ms Davis’ claims, several Kentucky officials including the governor said the recently issued licences are valid.
Ms Davis may not understand the difference between a “whipping post” and a “whipping boy”, but she has figured out that annoying a Federal judge is not the path to a comfortable life.
6 comments
LOL! Yes, your last sentence is exactly what I noticed too :). So now it appears all she can do is whine “the licenses aren’t valid!” while her office fills them out and files them. Apparently her weekend in jail was enough to convince her she didn’t want more, heh!
My understanding is that the actual marriage certificate issued to the partners is of only ceremonial value anyhow — what truly counts is the entry of the marriage into the central computerized marriage registry at the Office of Vital Statistics, which is where the “real” record is kept for state purposes, and which is where other states would send requests for marriage information if there was a question as to whether a couple was married or not. As long as the Office of Vital Statistics accepts the entry, it’s a “real” marriage under Kentucky law, paper certificate nonwithstanding.
A marriage license is essentially the same thing as “posting the banns”, a public announcement that two people are going to be married, so the public has an opportunity to protest. All it really requires from a clerk is to witness the statement that the applicants swore they were old enough and weren’t already married.
Witnessing an affidavit, what issuing a marriage license amounts to, isn’t a religious experience in any way, shape, or form.
No, but it’s right there, see? “So help me God”. How can you say that’s not religious? Right? Right?
Seriously, this is why strict church/state separation is important. A lot of people, even a lot of atheists, will say that it’s no big deal, just let the Xtians have their symbolisms. Maybe those people need to spend a few years living in the Bible Belt where religiosity is injected into every crevice of everyday life, including vital public services, news outlets and so-called non-sectarian NGO’s. For instance, not too long ago I attended a social evening sponsored by a non-profit & “secular” grief support group. The function opened with an evangelical prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, I kid you not.
PJ, we both know that nothing happens down here of any significance that isn’t preceded by a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance. If you aren’t an evangelical Christian you have to accept being constantly dissed down here. They get really annoyed if you point out that Jesus declared public prayer hypocrisy; oaths are generally a violation of “Thou shall not take the name of the Lord, thy God, in vain”; and pork and shrimp are abominations. 😈
I was brought up Southern Baptist — in Vacation Bible School the Pledge of Allegiance was followed by a Pledge to the Christian Flag. I know the territory. Even so I literally just can’t wrap my head around people who think this is appropriate behaviour. A non-church related grief group? Really?? And my right wing sister gets offended when I call these people parochial?
When you start off doing it in elementary school it becomes a habit … like heroine or crack 👿