Tag: same-sex marriage

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Oklahoma Bill Would Ban State Employees From Issuing Same-Sex Marriage Licenses

Anti-gay Oklahoma Rep. Sally Kern

A bill currently before the Oklahoma state legislature would ban state officials from any activity which supported same-sex marriage. The legislation would

On Tuesday, HB 1599 successfully passed the House Judiciary and Civil Procedure Committee by a 5-3 vote. It now is headed to the full House.

The bill makes it illegal for any state employee to issue a marriage license to a same-sex couple. Punishments would include losing state pension, benefits and salary.

(via Huffington Post)

The bill is one of several in the Republican-dominated statehouse to impose restrictions on same-sex marriages that have been proposed after a U.S. federal judge last year ruled the state’s ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional. The ban remains in effect pending an appeal.

The bill called the “Preservation of Sovereignty and Marriage Act” prohibits taxpayer funds, including government salaries, to be used for any activity that supports same-sex marriage. It also says that those who issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples can be subject to removal from office.

The bill’s author, Representative Sally Kern, a Republican, said the measure is a response to U.S. courts overstepping their authority by forcing Oklahoma to recognize gay marriage.

Representative Emily Virgin, a Democrat who voted against the measure in committee on Tuesday, said: “No other state in the union has seen more anti-LGBT legislation introduced during this legislative session. The battleground is right here in Oklahoma.”

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Texas: Travis County Judge Rules Same-Sex Marriage Ban Unconstitutional

For the second time a Texas judge has ruled that the state’s ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional.

From the Austin American-Statesman:

Travis County Probate Judge Guy Herman ruled as part of an estate fight in which Austin resident Sonemaly Phrasavath sought to have her eight-year relationship to Stella Powell deemed to have been a common-law marriage. Powell died last summer of colon cancer.

Travis County Clerk Dana DeBeauvoir said she will be conferring with Herman and county lawyers to determine the impact of the ruling.

“I am scrambling, trying to find out if there is anything I can do. Right now, I think it’s no, but we are checking,” said DeBeauvoir, who in the past has said that she is ready to begin distributing marriage licenses to same-sex couples as soon as allowed by the courts.

The lawyer for the siblings who opposed Phrasavath’s claim said no decision has been made on whether to appeal.

Attorney General Ken Paxton declined an offer to be party to the case and thus is not in a position to appeal.

Herman’s ruling came after an hourlong hearing in the Travis County Courthouse. Phrasavath challenged the constitutionality of the prohibition on gay marriage as a first step toward establishing her relationship as a common-law marriage.

Phrasavath and Powell began living together in Austin shortly after Phrasavath proposed in 2007, leading to a marriage ceremony that, though not recognized under Texas law, was performed one year later by a Zen priest in Driftwood southwest of Austin.

Texas’ marriage ban was previously struck down by U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia. The ruling was stayed until the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals could weigh in on the subject as it is considering a similar challenge to the ban.

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Alabama Judge Roy Moore Says He Would Defy SCOTUS On Marriage Equality

During an appearance on Fox News Sunday, Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore says he would defy SCOTUS should the high court rule in favor of marriage equality.

Roy Moore, the conservative chief justice of Alabama’s Supreme Court, said Sunday that if the U.S. Supreme Court decides that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry, he would defy the ruling because it would alter God’s “organic law.”

Under Justice Moore’s urging, many Alabama counties defied both a federal judge’s ruling throwing out the state’s gay marriage ban and the U.S. Supreme Court’s refusal to delay the beginning of same-sex marriages last Monday.

The U.S. Supreme Court will hear April arguments on whether state gay marriage bans violate the Constitution’s guarantee of equal treatment under the law. A ruling is expected in June.

“This power over marriage, which came from God under our organic law, is not to be redefined by the United States Supreme Court or any federal court,” Justice Moore told “Fox News Sunday.” U.S. Supreme Court rulings are considered the last word on American law.

Watch Moore’s appearance on Fox News Sunday below:

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Poll: 62% Support For Marriage Equality Referendum In Ireland

A new poll by Sunday Independent/Millward Brown shows 62% of voters in Ireland plan to vote in favor of marriage equality in May. Only 16% oppose legalizing same-sex marriage.

With such solid support, activists worry supporters will become complacent and assume the measure will pass.

One marriage equality activist had this to say: “The biggest threat is our supporters taking these figures as fact and bowing out of voting.”

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Update: 51 of 67 Alabama Counties Now Issuing Same-Sex Marriage Licenses

Latest count in Alabama shows:

• 51 counties now issuing same-sex marriage licenses

• 7 counties issuing marriage licenses to opposite sex couples only

• 9 counties not issuing marriage licenses at all

• 86% of Alabama’s population now has access to same-sex marriage licenses

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Hate Group Leader: Order To Issue Same-Sex Marriage Licenses A Form Of “Slavery”

Yesterday, fired/demoted/something-like-that American Family Association radio host Bryan Fischer referred to U.S. District Judge Callie Granade’s court order on issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples in Alabama a form of “slavery,” brought about by the “gay gestapo.”

Via Right Wing Watch:

“When you are ordered by an agent of the government to violate your own conscience in something that you do, that is slavery. If you are forced to violate your conscience to do work, that is slavery. If you are forced to violate your conscience that is tyranny…that is the gay gestapo at work, ‘you either do what we tell you or you’re gonna get punished.'”

Remember, when LGBT advocates refer to equality issues as “civil rights” the right wing loonies lose their minds.

BUT – they feel perfectly free to compare advances for gay Americans with “slavery” and Nazi Germany.

SRSLY.

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Alabama: More Counties Begin Issuing Same-Sex Couples Marriage Licenses

Lauderdale and Franklin counties, as well as most all North Alabama counties, join in the marriage equality parade today after Judge Granade made clarified her order – AGAIN – that the state’s same-sex marriage ban is unconstitutional.

According to reports, more than a dozen additional counties have begun issuing licenses to same-sex couples today.

From Quad-Cites Daily:

Yielding to mounting pressure from Federal Authorities, North Alabama Probate Judges this morning began issuing marriage licenses without condition to the applicants’ sexual preferences.

The Quad-Cities Daily called Probate offices all across the area and found that pretty much anywhere a couple goes, if everything else is in order, their sexual preference of a spouse will not affect the couple’s ability to get a license.

Update from Equality Alabama:

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No Batteries Left In ‘Bama – Preacher Blames The Gays

As marriage equality continues to spread across Alabama, one protester found his way to a Birmingham City Council meeting to express his displeasure at the recent development in equality.

Cedric Hatcher, an outspoken street evangelist and regular at Birmingham City Hall, took to the lectern during the public comment portion of today’s meeting to express his disapproval of the marriages that took place just across Linn Park and around the state Monday.

“To me yesterday was one of the most bizarre scenes I’ve ever seen in the city,” Hatcher said. “It was one of the most comedic scenes I’ve ever seen in public when I witnessed men with size 13 and 14 shoes out there kissing each other in the mouth in front of little kids. It was like a freak scene going on, that’s what I call it.”

But most importantly, the good Reverend couldn’t find any batteries for his radio. And why? The gay.

“What happened? They said, Rev, they bought all the batteries there tonight. They celebrated in some kinda way. Just bought all the batteries. I don’t know what they do with the batteries, but I’m a preacher, I’m not gonna go there.”

Hatcher also threw in the usual cries of future nuptials with pets like snakes and cats.

I will take offense to that, though. It’s ridiculous to say I would ever marry a cat.

I don’t even have a cat.

(h/t JMG)