Action Speaks Louder Than Words

Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear has a clear message to the county clerks in his state who continue to refuse to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

Do your job or quit.
‘When you voluntarily decide to run for office, and you win, and you raise your hand and you take the oath to uphold the Constitutions of the United States… that oath doesn’t say “I will uphold the parts of the Constitution that I agree with and won’t with the parts I don’t agree with,”‘ Beshear said during a press conference on Tuesday (21 July).
He added: ‘You can continue to have your own personal beliefs but, you’re also taking an oath to fulfill the duties prescribed by law, and if you are at that point to where your personal convictions tell you that you simply cannot fulfill your duties that you were elected to do, than obviously an honorable course to take is to resign and let someone else step-in who feels that they can fulfill those duties.’
Kentucky’s Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis is being sued by the American Civil Liberties Union and testified in federal court this week that she has refused based on her religious beliefs.
Another clerk, Casey Davis of Casey County, has personally reached out to the governor.

Beshar shared what he told Casey: ‘I said, I respect your feelings, but when you accepted this job and took that oath, it puts you on a different level. You have official duties now that the state law puts on you.’