Kentucky Clerk Kim Davis found in contempt, going to jail

[Goofy_Disney_Dad]

Good thing we didn't have the internet back when the Supreme Court decided the Loving v. Virginia case. Heavens to Betsy the threads that that decision would have created!

 

[pryncess527]

I don't agree with this lady's actions and think she's full of BS, but I don't think jail is the answer. Impeach her or fine her, but let's not make the jail system anymore crowded than it already is. Without impeaching her, she's just going to do the same thing when she gets out.

Having her charged with misdemeanor official misconduct IS the first step in a long, slow impeachment process. Removing an elected official is not easy, rightfully so.

A fine would have no teeth since her GoFundMe account would likely cover it.

She'll be in jail until she resigns or complies with the order, so doing the same thing when she gets out is not an option here.

 

[Missy1961]

Here's an interesting analogy:

Think of it this way. Someone who objects to war due to his religious conscience has a right to be a conscientious objector and not serve in the military, even were there to be a draft. But he does not have the right to serve as a military officer, draw a paycheck from the military and then substitute his own personal views of when war is justified for that of the government. The same applies here.

If Davis believes the government’s definition of marriage is fundamentally immoral and contrary to her religious convictions, she should remove her self from the state’s machinery of marriage. That she has every right to do. What she does not have the right to do, however, is serve as a government official and fail to fulfill the obligations that come with that office.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...censes-to-same-sex-couples-or-find-a-new-job/

Excellent points! And here's another one I saw on Facebook: If a Quaker had a job issuing gun permits and he/she said they couldn't do it because it's against their religion, wonder what the reaction to that would be?

 

[nkereina]

I doubt the judge has the power to impeach her, and a fine would have no teeth since her GoFundMe account would likely cover it.

She'll be in jail until she resigns or complies with the order, so doing the same thing when she gets out is not an option here.

Well that's good to know she'll be forced to resign or comply - wasn't sure how that would work. I don't think the judge can impeach her, I think it takes a vote? I'm not sure, but I think the vote would go against her.

 

[Albort]

I dont understand the point of an arrest. Just fire her.

If i refuse to do something at my job, do they throw me into jail until i comply with them?

 

[pryncess527]

Well that's good to know she'll be forced to resign or comply - wasn't sure how that would work. I don't think the judge can impeach her, I think it takes a vote? I'm not sure, but I think the vote would go against her.

The Kentucky legislature must vote to impeach her. And bringing formal charges against her in court is the first step in that process

 

[nkereina]

I dont understand the point of an arrest. Just fire her.

If i refuse to do something at my job, do they throw me into jail until i comply with them?

She holds a county title and needs to be impeached by the people who elected her, I believe. I don't think she can just be fired.

 

[pryncess527]

I dont understand the point of an arrest. Just fire her.

If i refuse to do something at my job, do they throw me into jail until i comply with them?

She is an elected official. Removing an elected official from office is no easy matter.

 

[Goofy_Disney_Dad]

I dont understand the point of an arrest. Just fire her.

If i refuse to do something at my job, do they throw me into jail until i comply with them?

I'd imagine there are some legal hurdles involved in the firing of an elected official. I'm sure it's coming, but it will more than likely take some time.

 

[3DisneyFanz]

She holds a county title and needs to be impeached by the people who elected her, I believe. I don't think she can just be fired.

If that's true I find it hard to believe voters in Kentucky would do that.

 

[sam_gordon]

Here's some light reading... http://www.lrc.ky.gov/lrcpubs/IB176.pdf.

It's seems to go through the requirements and policies for impeaching someone in Kentucky.

ETA: Voters can not impeach anyone. The House impeaches and the Senate holds the impeachment trial (sound familiar?).

Voters would be able to vote her out of office, but I don't know when the next election for that office is.

 

[Wendy31]

Sad day in America to be arrested for religious beliefs,

It's hard to discuss this w/o discussing religion. That said, I'm all for religious freedom, &, as a Christian, this whole thing makes me sad. I watched one of the videos yesterday w/ all the yelling back & forth w/ protestors lined up on both sides. And it's just sad.

However, I'm going against a lot my Christian friends when I say that I don't agree w/ Kim Davis & her "stance" at all.

I'm sad that's she going to jail because I think she's really just very misguided, but, at the point where she realized she couldn't do her job, she should have resigned. I'm perfectly fine w/ her saying, "I can no longer in good conscience do this job, &, even at the risk of being unemployed, I am resigning", &, in fact, I would have more respect for her had she chosen this route instead of making a spectacle of herself & other Christians.

If she truly believes the Bible & what the Bible says, then, as someone who has been divorced & married 4 times, she should have realized she didn't have a leg to stand on when she started judging other people's marriage statuses & only succeeded in making herself look foolish. If she could issue marriage licenses for people who had been divorced previously & wished to get remarried to other people, then she should have had no problem issuing licenses for gay couples.

As a Christian, her "stance" should have been to issue the license to whomever w/ a smile & a "Congratulations! I wish you both well..."

Religious freedom is a clergy member being allowed to say he/she won't marry whatever couple in his/her church due to the church's religious beliefs. In the church where I grew up, the pastor wouldn't marry a previously divorced person. That's religious freedom.

Religious freedom is not an elected government official getting to pick & choose which job duties he or she won't do due to moral or religious obligations.

 

[tnkr_bell]

It's not her job to approve marriages. It's her job to issue the legal document for the state that she works for.

 

[Jaya]

OK, as far as I can tell, she was elected by and thus paid by the people of Kentucky. She needs to do what the laws of Kentucky dictate. When she is elected by God and her salary comes from God, then she can do what God tells her to do. Until then, do your job, lady!

 

[Disney Doll]

/ I applaud her standing firm in her beliefs. I think it wrong for her to be arrested.

Without getting too religious, a person who has been married and divorced 4 times isnt standing firm in any beliefs.

 

[LukenDC]

Good. As a public servant, Kim Davis is to follow the law and not her personal beliefs. If she places her religious beliefs ahead of our nation's laws, then she should work for a religious entity, or find a government position that will not cause conflict with her beliefs. Gay people pay taxes, and perform other civic obligations. They should not be denied government benefits or inconvenienced because of one woman's religious beliefs.

 

[Goofy_Disney_Dad]

Without getting too religious, a person who has been married and divorced 4 times isnt standing firm in any beliefs.

I believe she claims to be born again, so she has a new foundation to stand on....or something.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

ETA: Apparently the judge is asking her workers if one of them will step up and be willing to issue the licenses. If not, they'll go to jail also.

Hmm, not sure how I feel about that one. I'm of course assuming the issuing of marriage licenses has never previously been part of their jobs. And if that's the case, that's a rotten position to put them in.

But, I may also be wrong in my assumption. It's also possible none of them have any objections making this a moot point.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

I don't agree with this lady's actions and think she's full of BS, but I don't think jail is the answer. Impeach her or fine her, but let's not make the jail system anymore crowded than it already is. Without impeaching her, she's just going to do the same thing when she gets out.

Unfortunately, the judge doesn't have the authority to impeach her or otherwise remove her from her job. And fining her would do nothing as people would just pay it for her.

Sad day in America to be arrested for religious beliefs,

That would indeed be a sad day if it actually happened. But she wasn't jailed for her religious beliefs. She's free to believe I'm a martian if that is what she wants to do. She was jailed for contempt of court for failing to comply with a judge's order. And that order was for her to do her job for which she is paid quite a bit of money courtesy of the taxpayers. And not only was she not doing her job. She wasn't allowing her staff to do it either. Her appeals were denied and her stays had run their course. She lost. It's time to comply. I am given to understand the staff has now been given the same order. We'll see if they comply or go to jail.

 

[Mokat76]

Oh she's a piece of work. Proclaims she's so religious and yet has been married 4 times. Hmmm.....

You can believe whatever you want, but you cannot FORCE your beliefs on others. And by refusing marriage certificates that's exactly what she's doing.

She needs to resign, or get impeached.

But liberals certainly feel it's fine to FORCE their beliefs on everyone. Hypocrisy at its finest.