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Santa Rosa Clerk To Stop Performing Marriages
December 26, 2014
Beginning next Thursday, January 1, the Santa Rosa Clerk’s Office will no longer perform wedding ceremonies.
The office will continue to issue marriage licenses at the Santa Rosa County Administrative Complex on Caroline Street in Milton and at the Santa Rosa County South End Service Center on Gulf Breeze Breeze Parkway in Gulf Breeze.
For more information, call (850) 983-1823 or (850) 983-1967.
Comments
18 Responses to “Santa Rosa Clerk To Stop Performing Marriages”
chris in Molino on December 30th, 2014 11:25 am:
” I was under the impression during the time our forefathers wrote the constitution, people of “non-traditional lifestyles ” were hung high by the neck. Just sayin…”
Yes Chris and blacks were hung by the neck not too long ago also. Leave it to a conservative to applaud lynching. Gays still are in backward, religious-run countries in the Middle East and in African Christian nations. Maybe you and your little conservative comrades should move there where the mindset is more 16th century. You should all fit right in (if they aren’t lynching you for believing in the wrong God and holy book, that is).
I love how the Christians/conservatives here always point to tradition and the “will of majority.” Civil rights are NOT up to majority rule. Our laws and constitution were in fact designed to PROTECT the rights of the minority. Strict adherence to tradition, and majority rule are not a sound basis for successful, freedom loving societies. Christianity and The Bible aren’t either for that (as history clearly shows us – people came here FLEEING FROM Christian nations). If there was a Muslim majority in this country you all would be singing a far different tune about freedom of religion and separation of church and state.
So if a clerk has strong religious views then they should not take jobs that require them to perform duties to people whose religion, beliefs, race or innate sexual orientation offends them. If you take the job, you perform the ceremony. End of story. This is the same situation as interracial marriages were a few decades ago, with clerks and churches refusing to perform them. Conservatives were on the losing side of history (and morality) then just as they are now.
REGARDING THE STATEMENT:
“This is an attempt to subvert a court ruling the Clerk disfavors, but it will backfire. Most people who get married at the ‘courthouse’ do so because they can’t or won’t get married in a church.”
Actually, no, it isn’t an attempt to subvert the court.
Legal status desired will be achieved.
What you seem to REALLY want is to force folks to give their personal approval by performing a religious-type of ceremony.
I’m reasonably certain you would force churches to give their unqualified blessings if you had the power — or just dissolve them all altogether.
Even if you don’t agree with what others think, you shouldn’t try to force them to bow to your idol any more than you would want to bow to theirs.
David for better people
If it is an attempt to subvert a court ruling, i applaud it and fully support it. This isnt the will of the people, well, maybe a few people. Certainly not the majority. I can remember my parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents saying how this country was goin to hell in a handbasket. However right they were, this country, our society has not ever been so adulturated so fast as it is now. We spend billions a year on social services and speak about constitutional rights for people who arent supposed to be here in the first place. No they have taken away your rights and freedoms a little at a time until one day soon youll look around to notice you have no rights, no freedoms.
So Florida is marrying people of “non-traditional lifestyle”. Why, because its their constitutional right? I was under the impression during the time our forefathers wrote the constitution, people of “non-traditional lifestyles ” were hung high by the neck. Just sayin…
There is zero chance of coincidence here. The Santa Rosa County Clerk has chosen to stop providing this service in light of the stay expiration which would have otherwise required same-sex marriages to be performed starting January 6. I’m perfectly fine with this. This is an attempt to subvert a court ruling the Clerk disfavors, but it will backfire. Most people who get married at the ‘courthouse’ do so because they can’t or won’t get married in a church. How long before those heterosexuals start complaining that the Santa Rosa Clerk no longer provides this service? Santa Rosa County residents deserve better, but it will be up to them to demand it at the ballot box.
@jeeperman—Tradition means nothing these days, as is shown with what is happening with Nativity scenes on public grounds. Unless required by law as part of the duties of the clerk, they will not be required to perform marriage ceremonies, only to issue marriage licenses. Law trumps tradition.
To clarify:
Moments prior to the “stay” being issued, the same judge ruled the ban unconstitutional. The “stay” was issued and is in effect thru Jan. 5th meaning the ban stays in place until the “stay” expires.
And if county clerks have traditionally performed marriages, I believe the courts will force the clerks to continue that tradition. Unless they can show the court that doing so is a substantial financial burden. There are many other public service functions they do on a daily basis that they are not required by law to do.
Religious or personal beliefs should not impede your performance as an elected official. If it does, step down.
@jeeperman—You state “Basically means same sex marriages are unconstitutional”. Did you mean that the BAN on same sex marriage is now unconstitutional after the stay expires on January 1? As far as I know, it has never been required by law for any clerk to perform a marriage ceremony, only to issue a marriage license, if all requirements were met.
There is no “new law” taking effect 01-01-2015 related to same sex marriage.
The stay (suspension) of the constitutional ban on same sex marriage becomes null and void after Jan. 6th 2015 unless more legal mumbo jumbo changes things further.
Basically means same sex marriages are unconstitutional.
Any county clerk that decides to now not perform marriages are going to find themselves in the crosshairs of the ACLU and others.
No matter what excuse the county clerk comes up with.
What everybody is slightly over looking is the fact that the courthouse don’t have to perform any type of marriages. That was just a service provided to the public. So now with the equal rights marriage taking place on Jan 1,2015 they figure they can easily weasel themselves out and still look good. But it all has to do with the new law taking place. Nobody is forcing anything on anyone. So unless you really know the subject don’t put it don’t…..
I hope it is gay marriage related. It’s time Christians stand up for what we believe in and quit letting society and liberals tell us what we have to believe and do. Hire an additional clerk that will perform a gay marriage if you don’t like it, but forcing Christians to go along with something they don’t believe in is the same thing people are accusing Christians of doing. What’s good for the goose isn’t good for the gander in society’s eyes. It’s high time for Christians to step up.
Suggestion or allegation the subject was put out there, so I i stated my opinion. I do believe that is still allowed in America? But you are welcome not to like it, because this is America. You have a great day.
Lynn. Hold your horses. Get off your soapbox. It was a suggestion, not an allegation. Wow!
I am shocked that there are people who believe that this has something to do with marriage equality in the state of Florida.
One Response…………… That is the same exact thought I had.
If it is, then they have the right not to perform the service. If that person went into the position under one set of rules and then the rules change and is something that person has strong beliefs about then to me they have a right to refuse especially if there are many other placed people can get married. I know many will say they should step down from their position because they are a public servant. Easier said than done. We all have to make a living. To many people are all so ready to be self righteous about any issue put before them, but under the same circumstances they would do no differently, but they will say they would. I call BULL! It is very likely that gay marriage has not a thing to do with this decision. Just so you know I have no problem whatsoever with a persons life choices or that they may have been born differently from someone else. My brother was gay and I loved him dearly. He is gone now and I miss him very much. I just believe that everyone has the right to their own beliefs. It is not discrimination to someone else because you may not believe their way. I don’t believe in gay marriage because of what I believe in, but I would never infringe on someones right to be married according to their beliefs. To many people are trying to force acceptance of their beliefs on someone else. You have the right to share what you believe if the other person wants to take the time to learn something different and about the world outside their bubble, but you do not have the right to force their acceptance. If this becomes the norm then we are no longer a free country, but a dictatorship. I truly hope this never happens. It would be a slap in the face of the people who fought and died for our right to be free. Just my option. And thank God I still have the right to it today.
I do not blame them.
Sounds possibly related to gay marriage?