Rand on Kim Davis: I’m ‘Sympathetic’ and Think ‘There’s An In-Between On This’

Kentucky Senator and Republican presidential candidate Rand Paul stated that he was “sympathetic to the idea that an individual shouldn’t have to sign or give their stamp of approval to they object to. And I think there’s an in-between on this” regarding Rowan County, KY clerk Kim Davis’ (D) refusal to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples on Thursday’s on the Fox News Channel.

Rand said, “I’ve never been opposed to contracts between consenting adults. but I am very much sympathetic to the idea that an individual shouldn’t have to sign or give their stamp of approval to they object to. And I think there’s an in-between on this. Why couldn’t we just have a notary of the public put their seal on it, and then the clerk would file it. My understanding is that she will file it as a contract, she just doesn’t want to sign that, because that indicates her approval of this and her religious beliefs are contrary to that.”

He added, “part of the problem here is that after thousands of years of having one definition for marriage, people want to change the definition. And I’ve talk to a lot of people who are pro-gay marriage, and some of them will say, you know what, maybe we should do persuasion instead of bully force on people. And that’s why I think this should have always been a state and a local issue.”

Rand then stated of the Supreme Court’s ruling on same-sex marriage, “I kind of object to that. I don’t think that really the federal government should be involved in something that’s always been a state and local issue. We have never had federal licenses for marriage. Our Founding Fathers didn’t go to Washington, DC they went to a local courthouse, but the local courthouse made the rules on marriage. And so I think that’s the kind of system we should have, even with the Supreme Court decision. I think it’s a mistake to sort of beat people over the head and say you must believe as we do. And really, I think there ought to be some room for people to exercise their religious beliefs, and not be told they have to do something they find morally objectionable.”

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