Maryland: Several anti-gay court clerks to stop performing all marriages

Maryland: Several anti-gay court clerks to stop performing all marriages by Scott Roberts, 27 December 2012, 5:15pm Several deputy court clerks in St Mary’s County, Maryland, will stop performing marriages when same-sex marriage becomes legal in the state next week. Joan Williams, clerk of the St Mary’s Circuit Court, told the Washington Examiner that some of her employees are opposed to equal marriage for religious reasons. As a result, she has decided that those deputy clerks who are against the new law won’t perform any marriages at all. Ms Williams says it’s a way of respecting their beliefs. All counties in Maryland are legally required to start performing same-sex marriages on 2 January 2013. In November’s state ballot, 52% of Marylanders voted to approve legalising marriage rights for gay couples. Carrie Evans of Equality Maryland, a gay rights group in the state, said there appears to be nothing discriminatory about changing which deputy clerks perform marriages.

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• I have a real problem with government employees not upholding state laws as a part of their job. If they feel they can't perform their duties, then they need to find another job. Under what other scenarios is this allowed?

• Would Williams be equally obliging to Muslim clerks who refused to serve women without burkas? What if a Christian employee said they didn't want to serve people who eat pork and shellfish because it violated biblical law? Or is it only certain believers and certain beliefs that Williams makes such allowances for? One wonders.

• Fuck them. Fire them and hire somebody willing to do the job they are being paid for.

• There's a REASON St. Mary's City hasn't been the capital of Maryland for a couple of centuries.

• When are we, in America, going to stop pandering to all these religio-loons? We don't have Sharia Law here folks! Do your jobs, or quit!

• I'm confused. Aren't they technically quitting? If they can't perform ANY wedding then they don't have a job. So it's like them quitting. So what's the problem? A gay friendly person will now have their job, or am I missing something?

• Then fire them. They're not doing their jobs.

• Don't all christians only recognize marriage in the church with an ordained minister or priest? If so, then they should not be performing ANY civil ceremonies, gay or straight because that would go against their beliefs.

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• [quote]I have a real problem with government employees not upholding state laws as a part of their job. Arnie allowed state employees in California to refuse to serve gay citizens when marriage equality was in effect in CA. No penalty for not doing the job you were hired to do. Because gays are "equal". You know.

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• Deputy Court Clerks do more than perform weddings; technically, those that will no longer perform weddings could take on a majority of the other Clerk roles. These Clerks are being a pain but they have rights as well; if they're fired, a lawyer with sense would allege they were let go over their religious beliefs. Cheaper to keep them, sadly.

• These are civil, non-religious ceremonies. If they refuse to perform these civil ceremonies, they should be fired. And from their POV, where does it say anywhere in their precious bi(b)le that two members of the same sex can't marry. I thought the only prohibition was against anal sex.

• Biblical prohibitions are actually strongest against divorce, r11. Somehow I suspect these creeps have no problem with good old-fashioned evangelical-style divorce.

• What are you talking about, R11? If anal sex was their only objection then they wouldn't have any problem with lesbians getting married. That isn't the case.

• Exactly, R12. Are they refusing to marry heteros who have been divorced also?

• These employees could not discriminate on religious grounds against women or the disabled or black people because those groups are all protected by civil rights federal law. Gays, however, are discriminated against by federal law thanks to Bill Clinton's signing of the Defense Of Marriage Act. So what these employees are doing is actually encouraged by the fact that the feds say marrying gays is illegal anyway.

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• I bet they've married plenty of couples where the bride was admittedly and/or obviously pregnant. Sex before marriage is a no-no, so shouldn't they refuse to marry these couples who've had premarital sex as well?

• [quote] Are they refusing to marry heteros who have been divorced also? Actually, according to the article it says they will no longer be performing ANY marriages.

• Yes, that was the compromise, R17 - their desire to rape gay rights was glosses over by their skittish superiors.

• they should be forced to spend an hour with that Precious Moments mother and daughter duo from OK. That would be the worst punishment anyone could comprehend!

• Is there anything in America you can't get away with if you claim you're doing it for Jesus? Maybe murder?

• Of course, now these freaks and their supporters will claim this is just further proof that their religious rights are being taken away, which is such narcissistic thinking. They don't take into consideration that maybe the rights of gay couples are being trampled on by their refusing the conduct these ceremonies.

• [quote]Of course, now these freaks and their supporters will claim this is just further proof that their religious rights are being taken away, which is such narcissistic thinking. They're a minority when it comes to this. Most people find those who start claiming that they can't/won't do something job-related because of their religion repugnant, and ridiculous. The general response is: fire them. They can't do their job. Many people, even those who are religious, can't stand other religions, and feel that another person's religion is being forced down their throats.

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• If part of their jobs requires performing gay marriages and they refuse, fire them. Simple.

  Anonymous

• What if you say you can't work on Fridays because it is your religion to attend a weekly gang bang? Would that work? Who gets to define what a "religion" is and which religious exemptions can be made?

• Fire them for unwillingness to do their fucking jobs.

• Then go work in a church, not a court building. Easy.

• [quote]Joan Williams, clerk of the St Mary’s Circuit Court, told the Washington Examiner that some of her employees are opposed to equal marriage for religious reasons. [quote]As a result, she has decided that [bold]those deputy clerks who are against the new law won’t perform any marriages at all.[/bold] [quote]Ms Williams says it’s a way of respecting their beliefs. Williams just cut their income. I'm sure the marriages they perform offset their salaries. There goes that money source. I think she's very clever. They'll probably quit and she can hire a new crew who aren't oppose to marrying people.

• [quote]Williams just cut their income. Bullshit. They are government employees on a salary. They get the same government salary and benefits even if they sit around all day doing nothing while others carry the workload.

• It's not bullshit. They get generous tips from couples they wed; it's a nice part of their income.

• Maryland is a work at will state- which means you can fire a person for any reason that does not violate your civil rights.

  Anonymous

• No one getting married in a county clerk's office is tipping the clerk. Wtf.

• When are normal people going to run for office?

• I'd just go to another county in the meantime.

• They sure do, R32. They get lower tips than judges who perform the service, but they all get tips. A friend who got married recently was told up front that a tip was expected and the amount. Try to get a judge to perform a civil ceremony for you without paying him for the service. It won't happen. This is the same thing. They get by with it because it's something they do above and beyond their regular duties.

• [quote]They get by with it because it's something they do above and beyond their regular duties. You are sooooo full of shit. It IS their job to perform weddings among other things. That is why they have to make a big deal out of NOT doing their job on religious grounds. And most government workers are forbidden from taking tips. It's not a Vegas wedding chapel.

• Religion is the root of all evil.

• Betcha in a few months they will qietly do it for straight couples but will still claim they don't for anyone, if a gay couple walks in.

• Every job I've ever had has had some detail that I objected too. Did I whine and complain and refuse to do it? No. This is the last straw, our tax dollars are paying their salary!

• [quote]If part of their jobs requires performing gay marriages and they refuse, fire them. Simple. No you loser, if it's a violation of their rights than it's illegal to fire them. That's creating a hostile working environment. It is especially wrong when it goes against your religion, because this has the additional protection of the First Amendment. YOU may not like the BILL OF RIGHTS, but those of us who are AMERICANS like it just fine.

• R40 is the loser. Sorry, you don't get to force your religious choices and dogma on others. And if you're incapable of performing your job due to your religious convictions, you need to find a new job. Period.