Kentucky's Rowan County Clerk, Kim Davis, has issued a statement via Liberty Counsel (http://www.lc.org/index.cfm?PID=14102&AlertID=1965) about her jailing for defying a federal court order to issue (legal) marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
I have worked in the Rowan County Clerk’s office for 27 years as a Deputy Clerk and was honored to be elected as the Clerk in November 2014, and took office in January 2015. I love my job and the people of Rowan County. I have never lived any place other than Rowan County.
I have not heard anyone questioning the job Ms Davis has done up to this time. Nor is that presently relevant. "I never stole anything before" is not a defense against a burglary charge.
Some people have said I should resign, but I have done my job well.
Except to county residents of the same gender who wish to lawfully obtain a marriage license.
This year we are on track to generate a surplus for the county of 1.5 million dollars.
And Nixon went to China and was re-elected to office. That doesn't change the grounds under which he was going to be impeached before he resigned. Ms. Davis' revenue generation for the county has nothing to do with this particular case.
In addition to my desire to serve the people of Rowan County, I owe my 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.
I respect Ms. Davis' faith. That doesn't mean she gets to place her religious beliefs above the legal requirements of the position she was elected to.
(I will confess that I find the construction, "I'm not perfect but I am forgiven" to be appallingly self-serving as a bumper sticker, let alone from a theological standpoint.)
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.
I am tempted to debate whether opposition to same-sex marriage, or homosexuality in general, is a "central teaching of Scripture," but that's regardless. Ms. Davis' oath of office, and clearly defined job responsibilities, is to uphold the law of Rowan County, Kentucky, and the United States — not to uphold Scripture.
To issue a marriage license which conflicts with God’s definition of marriage, with my name affixed to the certificate, would violate my conscience.
That seems kind of extreme, since you don't seem to cavil at issuing signed marriage licenses to divorcees or adulterers. Regardless, if such licenses are legal for the county, state, and nation, your conscience and our oath of office should lead you to resign, not refused to execute your position's duties.
It is not a light issue for me. It is a Heaven or Hell decision. For me it is a decision of obedience.
I can respect a decision to obey the moral dictates of your religious beliefs. I cannot respect an implementation of that decision which means that the citizens of your county cannot exercise their legal rights.
I have no animosity toward anyone and harbor no ill will. To me this has never been a gay or lesbian issue. It is about marriage and God’s Word.
Even if I take you at your word (which I am inclined to), clearly your beliefs about marriage and God's Word directly affect gays and lesbians. Pretending that it's not about animus toward them is beside the point — same-sex couples are not able to obtain lawful marriage licenses at your county office. That's the bottom line, as far as your job goes.
It is a matter of religious liberty, which is protected under the First Amendment, the Kentucky Constitution, and in the Kentucky Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
Your religious liberty to act ends at the tip of my nose, Ms. Davis. You are not required to violate your religious conscience, but you are also not allowed to deny me, or any other citizen, the services that they are legally and rightfully entitled to.
Our history is filled with accommodations for people’s religious freedom and conscience. I want to continue to perform my duties, but I also am requesting what our Founders envisioned – that conscience and religious freedom would be protected.
I will be blunt, Ms. Davis. If James Madison — or the other Founders — were asked if a devout Episcopalian should be allowed to deny a government service, such as a marriage license, to a Baptist couple because of objections to their religious beliefs, they would have answered with a resounding no. The very meaning of the First Amendment — and, I presume, Kentucky's constitution — is to protect against governmental action against a citizen's rights. In this cae, you are acting as the government. The threat to religious discrimination is not about you, but about the couples you are refusing to serve based on your own religious predilections.
That is all I am asking. I never sought to be in this position, and I would much rather not have been placed in this position.
I am sure of that.
I have received death threats from people who do not know me. I harbor nothing against them.
I profoundly condemn anyone who has threatened Ms. Davis' life. That is inappropriate and wrong for a wide array of reasons.
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.
Then you are only intending to serve some of the people of Rowan County in some ways. That cannot stand by your very oath of office (so help you, God). If you cannot violate your conscience to allow your office to act as required by law, then you must step down, and find some other fashion to serve others as you deem appropriate.
She would be a great politician because the spin-doctoring is strong in her. I fixed one of her statements –
This year we are on track to generate a surplus for the county of 1.5 million dollars . We could actually make more because there are a whole lot of people wanting to throw money at us for the services we provide, but ewww gays, and gay money isn't as good as straight money.
People who can't work on Sunday because of religious reasons don't work somewhere that requires Sundays. Vegans don't work in meat markets. I'm sorry her job changed and is no longer what it was but if her beliefs don't let her carry out her duties then it's time for a new job.
“That’s not the issue Delmar. Even if that did put you square with the Lord, the State of Mississippi’s a little more hard-nosed.”
It seems to me that she has broken her oath of office, and I think that should disqualify her from holding an elected office now and in the future.
+David Newman The county has begun filing for malfeasance or misfeasance or something regarding not performing her job duties. It's a looong first step toward removing her from office.
I never sought to be in this position, and I would much rather not have been placed in this position.
Then get out of that position. Find a position that doesn't conflict with your beliefs.
(Wait… She never sought that position? Didn't she say she was elected? How do you get elected without seeking election?)
I think she means in the position of some people not seeing her as the voice of God… or whatever she actually thinks she is.