The Kentucky County Clerk refusing to grant marriage licenses over the question of gay marriage is standing her ground this week and may be the bravest woman in the United States today.
Since the June 26 Obergefell decision where the Supreme Court imposed gay marriage on the United States, Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis has steadfastly refused to issue marriage licenses to anyone regardless of sexual orientation.
Though ordered by the court to begin issuing licenses, Democrat Davis still refused. Her attorneys asked the Supreme Court for an injunction against the order and even the conservative justices did not side with her, this week she still refused.
In dramatic video from Tuesday Davis is shown squaring off with two emotional homosexual men demanding that Davis abide by the law and issue them a marriage license. Still she refused.
“By what authority,” one of the men demanded.
“Under God’s authority,” she replied.
The men said they’d stay at her counter all day long until she relented. She said they’d have a long day before retreating to her office as the men shouted. “Coward,” “Do you job” and “Call the police.”
Davis, along with her entire staff including her son, have been summoned by U.S. District Judge David Bunning. As an elected official, it is unclear whether anything can happen to her except being voted out of office or impeached which can only happen through the Kentucky legislature that will not sit in session until next year.
Besides losing the support of the conservative members of the Supreme Court, Davis has also been advised by two presidential candidates that, as a government employee, she has no choice but to issue the licenses or resign her governmental office.
On the Hugh Hewitt radio program this week Carly Fiorina said,
“First, I think that we must protect religious liberties with great passion and be willing to expend a lot of political capital to do so now because it’s clear religious liberty is under assault in many, many ways. Having said that, when you are a government employee, I think you take on a different role. When you are a government employee as opposed to say, an employee of another kind of organization, then in essence, you are agreeing to act as an arm of the government.
Also on the Hewitt show, Republican presidential long-shot Lindsey Graham said,
“The rule of law is the rule of law. We are a rule of law nation.” Graham said Davis has “accepted a job where she has to apply the law to everyone.”
Kentucky could consider following the lead of North Carolina and pass a law that allows county clerks to opt out of issuing licenses to gay couples. The North Carolina law still allows gay couples to receive licenses but allows particular clerks to opt out of issuing them. It is viewed as a balancing test between a person’s freedom of conscience and the new law imposing gay marriage on the country. The problem in Kentucky, however, is Davis runs the whole office and no one in her office is willing to issue the licenses.
In a statement issued this week, Davis said she owes her “life to Jesus Christ who loves me and gave His life for me. Following the death of my godly mother-in-law over four years ago, I went to church to fulfill her dying wish. There I heard a message of grace and forgiveness and surrendered my life to Jesus Christ. I am not perfect. No one is. But I am forgiven and I love my Lord and must be obedient to Him and to the Word of God.”
She says, “I never imagined a day like this would come, where I would be asked to violate a central teaching of Scripture and of Jesus Himself regarding marriage. To issue a marriage license which conflicts with God’s definition of marriage, with my name affixed to the certificate, would violate my conscience. It is not a light issue for me. It is a Heaven or Hell decision.”
“I never sought to be in this position, and I would much rather not have been placed in this position. I have received death threats from people who do not know me. I harbor nothing against them. I was elected by the people to serve as the County Clerk. I intend to continue to serve the people of Rowan County, but I cannot violate my conscience.”
Follow Austin Ruse on Twitter @austinruse
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