It is no longere news that, the US supreme court ruled on Friday that 13 states
that banned gay marriage did so unconstitutional, effectively legalizing gay marriage
across the country, but Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant responded by saying that,
the Supreme Court "usurped" each state's "authority to regulate
marriage within their borders." Hence, he and other state leaders are
considering various legal options, including halting all marriage
licenses.
For starters county clerks in Texas will be able to turn away gay couples seeking
marriage licenses, the state's attorney general Ken Paxton announced
on Sunday. This and other moves are being considered to halt gay marriages n the resisting states.
Clerks can refuse based on religious objections, Paxton told the Austin American-Statesman,
and because the clerks will probably be sued, "numerous lawyers stand
ready to assist clerks defending their religious beliefs."
Even lawmakers
of these affected states are trying to resist following the ruling by delaying its implementation.
Paxton railed against the ruling in an opinion, ordered by Lieutenant
Gov. Dan Patrick, who wanted to find a way to legally protect those
who were against gay marriage.
"Friday, the United States Supreme
Court again ignored the text and spirit of the Constitution to
manufacture a right that simply does not exist. In so doing, the court
weakened itself and weakened the rule of law, but did nothing to weaken
our resolve to protect religious liberty and return to democratic
self-government in the face of judicial activists attempting to tell us
how to live,"
Louisiana Attorney General Buddy Caldwell says,
that because the Supreme Court's ruling did not include an official
order for states to begin issuing marriage licenses to gay couples, there is not yet a legal requirement for officials to issue marriage
licenses or perform marriages for same-sex couples in Louisiana." Parish
and city clerks were instructed to hold off on issuing licenses for 25
days, the amount of time states are allowed to appeal the supreme court's ruling.
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