All Utah Counties Now Issuing Same-Sex Marriage Licenses
Following Judge Robert Shelby's ruling last week against Utah's ban on gay marriage, officials in four counties (Box Elder, Utah, Piute and San Juan) continued denying marriage licenses to same-sex couples. With the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals declining to intervene and halt the ruling, however, county officials have now told the AP that they will relent.
San Juan County Clerk Norman Johnson said "what finalized it for me" was Gov. Gary Herbert's order to state agencies to comply with Shelby's decision and change procedures for the delivery of state services. To that end, the Utah Department of Workforce Services is recognizing gay couples for food stamp and welfare benefits.
For Johnson, Herbert's directive was the "final straw," together with a refusal Tuesday by the Denver-based appeals court to stay Shelby's decision pending an appeal from state lawyers.
Johnson said he felt like he was being dragged into granting marriage licenses against the wishes of voters who have kept him in office for 14 years.
"We have no choice," Johnson said Thursday. "The scales have tipped. It's not the way I want to see things go. But the law's the law, and I accept it. It's time."
Yeah, you have no choice.
Obeying the law is such a chore for you.
With this attitude to equal rights and equal protection laws why don't you just pi$$ off Mr.
Johnson.
Posted by: JackFknTwist | Dec 27, 2013 9:09:37 AM
The law's the law, yeah, right.
When a momo tells you it is. Else, it ain't.
Utah needs a strong slap in the face. They're one of the 50 states, not a soveriegn theocracy like Iran.
Posted by: enough already | Dec 27, 2013 9:31:20 AM
I'm afraid my only reaction to Mr. Johnson is "Grow up and get over yourself. If you can't do your job without whining, get out."
Posted by: Hunter | Dec 27, 2013 9:51:29 AM
The more I hear from anti-gay folks the weaker their arguments become. Basically they got nothing. As MLK said "The arc of the moral universe is long but it bends towards justice."
Posted by: Rafael | Dec 27, 2013 10:04:25 AM
Well, at least Mr. Johnson is issuing the licences. This is Utah and we're not going to have a major amount of people on our side here but as long as the job is being done, and licences are being issued, the job is being done.
Posted by: Francis | Dec 27, 2013 10:06:01 AM
I don't understand his comment about " it's time". I guess he personally agrees and just wants the voters to think otherwise?
Posted by: stevetalbert | Dec 27, 2013 10:21:17 AM
After all the dust has settled, Utah will have marriage equality. And just like everywhere else that was brought kicking and screaming into the real world as we know it. The sky will not fall. The earth will not explode. Everyone will go about their lives just like before. But society will be a better place. That's the only change that will happen. We must always remember that our opponents will puff themselves up like OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL... but really they are no more than a nervous little man behind a cside. They don't have truth, they don't have the moral high ground, they don't have common sense, they don't have justice.
They don't even have power if we don't let them.urtain. And if we just stand up to them, they will all slink back into the shadows. Because they have nothing on their
Posted by: StillmarriedinCA | Dec 27, 2013 10:35:20 AM
....*behind a curtain.
Posted by: StillmarriedinCA | Dec 27, 2013 10:37:06 AM
To StillMarriedInca:
Yes, what you posted here says it all. They are losing, and some of them may be even beginning to realize that they are losing.
Posted by: RonCharles | Dec 27, 2013 1:40:39 PM
All license bureaus now open...and it's killing them.
Posted by: UFFDA | Dec 27, 2013 7:35:53 PM
As Rachel Maddow said, "It's freaking, UTAH!"
We need to set our sights on Alabama and Texas. And it is finally, FINALLY in the hands of the courts where it belongs. The idea of the majority voting on minority rights is ABSURD. It has always been up to the courts to protect minorities. They have people there who judge what's fair. They wear black robes and are called "judges."
If the holocaust taught us anything it's that the majority will tyrannize the minority if given half a chance. And very willingly.
Posted by: Rob | Dec 28, 2013 7:12:24 AM