Rowan County Kentucky Clerk Kim Davis refuses to grant Constitutional Equality Under the Law by issuing marriage licenses to every qualified couple seeking a marriage license who applies in her office.  Speciffically, she cites "religious liberty" in her statements and says that having "[her] name affixed to the [same sex wedding] certificate would violate [her] [apparently Christian] conscience" - even though the bible says nothing about gay marriage.   The United States Supreme Court has refused to stay a Federal Court Order instructing Ms. Davis to issue the marriage licenses or quit her job as Rowan County Clerk.

Ms. Davis appears to claim that her religious freedom depends not only on the ability to discriminate against same sex couples by denying them equal access to marriage from her taxpayer paid position of official responsibility, but also that her religious freedom depends upon her ability to force applicants for marriage licenses to conform to her religious beliefs, no matter what religious beliefs are held by those applying for marriages licenses.

What about the freedom of religion of the people who are applying for licenses?  Why should Ms. Davis be allowed to force applicants for marriage licenses in her taxpayer funded office to comply with her religious beliefs in preference to their own?  Ms. Davis is being paid to perform a service while those requesting the service she is providing are paying her for that service.  If you are paying for a service, you have every right to expect equal access to that service and not to be forced to comply with other people's religious beliefs as a condition of obtaining those services.  If you are being paid to provide a service you have the responsibility not only to provide equal access to that service, but also to allow those paying for the service to retain their religious beliefs.

Ms. Davis is paid to provide Equal Access Under the Law to those seeking marriage licenses in her county.  However, Ms. Davis is not only claiming that her religious beliefs require that she discriminate against certain citizens, but she is also claiming that her religious beliefs require her to force applicants for marriage licenses in her county to surrender their own religious beliefs (if any) and comply with Ms. Davis' personal religious beliefs as a prerequisite to receive the services Ms. Davis is paid to provide.  While upcoming Contempt of Court hearings for Ms. Davis will almost certainly focus on her refusal to perform her job, the most important question being raised by the actions of Ms. Davis revolve around who, if anyone, has the right to force their religious beliefs on others from their positions of economic or political power.  

Rowan County Kentucky Clerk Kim Davis appears to be making the patently ridiculous claim that others are forcing their religious beliefs upon her by not allowing her to force her religious beliefs upon others.  

Link to source: http://www.rawstory.com/2015/09/kim-davis-says-in-statement-this-has-never-been-a-gay-or-lesbian-issue-it-is-about-marriage-and-gods-word/

by Groff Schroeder

September 1, 2015