GAY MARRIAGE IN ARKANSAS?

May 11, 2014

UPDATE: 3/7/2016

All of you know by now that this story is very outdated in such a short period. Five of Nine judges decided this issue for the entire country. This will turn out to be the final straw to break the USA’s back. All of our other problems will stem from the “Big Three” that have occurred since 1962. Of course, our fall started as a ripple long ago. Now, we are facing a tidal wave.

CR

“A county judge in Arkansas struck down his state’s constitutional bans on gay marriage, saying in a ruling Friday night that they did not advance “any conceivable legitimate state interest.”

“In finding the ban unconstitutional, Pulaski County Circuit Judge Christopher Piazza cited the series of federal court rulings, including those in Utah and Virginia, that have been issued since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down portions of the federal Defense of Marriage Act. That landmark ruling has led to a spate of lawsuits in about a dozen states seeking to topple bans on same-sex marriage.

“Same-sex couples are a morally disliked minority and the constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriages is driven by animus rather than a rational basis,” Piazza wrote. “This violates the United States Constitution.”

“The judge did not issue a stay, meaning same-sex marriages could begin as soon as county clerks next open their doors. However, Arkansas Atty. Gen. Dustin McDaniel plans to ask for a stay and immediately appeal to the Arkansas Supreme Court, which has initial jurisdiction on all county circuit appeals.

“We respect the court’s decision, but, in keeping with the attorney general’s obligation to defend the state constitution, we will appeal,” spokesman Aaron Sadler said. “We will request that Judge Piazza issue a stay of his ruling so as not to create confusion or uncertainty about the law while the Supreme Court considers the matter.”

“Piazza’s ruling stems from a lawsuit filed by 12 same-sex couples who sought to wed in Arkansas and eight same-sex couples who had legally married in other states. They had been barred from either receiving marriage licenses or having their marriages recognized because of a 1997 law approved by lawmakers and a 2004 voter-approved amendment to the state constitution.”

This is a portion of a story that you can read HERE.

So…what has happened? Putting a couple of new sources together, I’m still trying to understand it all.

Last Friday, Arkansas’ Pulaski County Circuit Judge Chris Piazza made a ruling that removed a 10-year-old constitutional amendment overwhelmingly passed by voters in 2004 banning gay marriage. His ruling also overturned a 1997 state law banning gay marriage. The results: 15 couples were issued same-sex marriage licenses yesterday in northwest Arkansas.

One judge opened a can of worms. Since he didn’t issue a stay, Arkansas’ 75 county clerks were left to decide for themselves whether to grant marriage licenses.

This ruling comes about a week after Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel became the first statewide official in Arkansas to back same-sex marriage. He said that he supported allowing same-sex couples to wed. At the same time he stated that he will continue defending his state’s 2004 ban on gay marriages in court.

What a mess. So, the State’s Attorney General will have to fight the judge’s decision although he agrees with it.

“They” (those who are trying to override the will of the people) really timed this whole thing well…FOR THEM. A single judge commits judicial tyranny on Friday and marriage licenses are granted the next day before those who are supposed to uphold the state constitution have an opportunity to stop it before it’s out of the box. Those who are familiar with Arkansas news know that the story will not really get any traction until Monday. The only matter local Arkansas channels stay on top of on weekends is dangerous weather.

This story is still developing and I intend to stay on top of it here. I have no confidence in our state Supreme Court. If the matter winds up there, we are surely in trouble. My assessment is based on the 2008 7-0 decision, overruling the will of the people, to allow homosexuals to foster and adopt children.

The “weather” is becoming very dangerous in Arkansas.

cr

Quick update: It’s Monday morning in Arkansas and they were discussing this issue on the morning news. At this point, I seem to have my facts straight.

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Posted by Chris