State of Iowa to counties: Obey gay marriage ruling, issue certificates

[Doughboy71]

Some Iowa county recorders say they have contemplated refusing to give a marriage license to gay couples who walk into the office, but so far none is vowing to do so.

“This is putting us in a very, very difficult position here,” Wayne County Recorder Angela Horton said Thursday in an interview. “But sometimes you have to put aside your personal beliefs, your religious beliefs, when you’re doing a job you’ve sworn under oath to provide.”

After hearing rumblings of discontent, a state official sent a strongly worded note to all recorders Thursday explaining why they should obey the Iowa Supreme Court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage when it takes effect April 27.

Victoria Hutton of the Iowa Department of Public Health informed recorders that the ruling has the force of law statewide: “All county recorders in the state of Iowa are required to comply with the Varnum decision … and to issue marriage licenses to same sex couples in the same manner as licenses issued to opposite gender applicants.”

More from the Des Moines Register here.

[asdjrocky]

1. This is just great.

I spent a fair bit of time in Iowa during the primaries and the caucus. I was in the southwestern part called Council Bluffs. A pretty conservative area according to the lawn signs, and I can just see many of them gritting their teeth about this. Great news for Iowa.

[Bill McBlueState]

2. I'm sure there are plenty of churches

who would be willing to hire a new secretary if a country recorder got canned for refusing to obey the law. Let them find out.

[Sal Minella]

4. Yes. When a person finds himself/herself no longer capable of performing the job,

(for whatever reason) -- it's time to find a different job.

I can imagine a religiowackazoid county recorder filing suit for "religious discrimination" -- but the same Supreme Court would eventually tell him/her that religious beliefs cannot be allowed to impair job performance*, and that checking out what churches are hiring would be a good idea. :)

*This case would differ from the pharmacists' "conscience" clause because there is no alternate county recorder available to issue the license.

[TechBear_Seattle]

3. "Sometimes"?

"But sometimes you have to put aside your personal beliefs, your religious beliefs, when you’re doing a job you’ve sworn under oath to provide."

:wtf:

I have to ask: What are the presumably more numerous times when one can put aside a job you have sworn under oath to provide in favor of your personal and/or religious beliefs?

[Sal Minella]

5. I think she means -- Not every customer challenges a county employee's religious beliefs --

the "sometimes" refers to those patrons whose requests do challenge the religious beliefs of the county worker providing the service -- I think that's what she's saying.

[Toucano]

8. Not true.

A person's religious beliefs govern their conduct, not the conduct of others who are not of that faith.

There is never any challenge to the religious belief of the functionary unless they are instructed to issue a same-sex marriage license to themselves.

[Toucano]

6. The very difficult position.

In reality, Ms. Horton, your personal beliefs are just that: PERSONAL. When you are at work, you are to be PROFESSIONAL.

If you don't like same-sex marriage, DON'T HAVE ONE!

What is so difficult about that?

[Sabriel]

7. You're there to serve the public, not JUDGE it.

Why can't they figure that out?