The religious crowd apparently plans to make a martyr of the elected Kentucky county clerk, who has again today refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couple despite losing her battle all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.
If she may invoke religion in her particular job, I need not tell you all the other forms of religious objections that people could raise to requirements of public service jobs large and small.
She was elected to do a job. If she won’t, she should quit. Or be sent to jail for contempt of court. Or removed from office.
What’s next: The Catholic clerk who refuses to accept divorce lawsuits. The religionist who refuses to distribute birth control t a county health clinic. A treasurer who refuses to pay for weapons of war?
The clerk told Kentucky public radio she was acting under God’s authority. This is Jason Rapert dicta. But it is not legal.
UPDATE: Those being denied licenses have asked a judge to fine — but not jail — the clerk to make her comply.
RAPERT UPDATE: Need I tell you how happy defiance of the U.S. Supreme Court makes Bro. Jason Rapert, the bully of Bigelow? From his Facebook page:
I stand with Kentucky Clerk Kim Davis. The idea that a small political minority who denies God and mocks natural marriage can intimidate the vast majority of American citizens who honor marriage between one man and one woman is repulsive to any person of reason. Now is the time for men and women to stand up and reject the movement to ruin our society with immorality. Judges and politicians have only the power the people give them and we do not give them the power to ruin our society and trample our values.