Tennessee judge denies divorce request because of gay marriage ruling

[RKP5637]

http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2015/09/tennessee_judge_denies_divorce.html#incart_story_package

A Tennessee judge last week refused to grant a couple divorce, citing the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling allowing gay marriage, according to The Chattanooga Times Free Press.

The gay marriage ruling meant the court found the state is "incompetent to define and address such keystone/central institutions such as marriage, and, thereby, at minimum, contested divorces," Hamilton County Chancellor Jeffrey Atherton wrote.

Now, Atherton contends, it is up to the U.S. Supreme Court to clarify "when a marriage is no longer a marriage."

The couple seeking the divorce -- Thomas Bumgardner, 65, and his wife, Pamela, 61 — declined to comment.

Atherton told the newspaper he hopes the couple can reconcile.

Atherton, a Republican, was elected in 2010.

[Angry Dragon]

1. another idiot

[Liberal Veteran]

2. Gay marriage has undermined the sanctity of divorce!

[randys1]

4. No shit, think how many teaparty assholes will be upset about that one!

THis ruling actually kind of makes sense, if it happened before the SC ruling.

[Xipe Totec]

6. One could easily argue that it strengthened the bonds of matrimony. nt

[NCjack]

9. And gives the Republicans a twofer: they now hate the divorced. /nt

[randys1]

3. Hatred is all they have, and they have a long list of groups and types they hate.

[RKP5637]

5. Really what it's all about. Hatred, dominance, subservience and persecution.

It's a "feel good" for them under the banner of their god, invisible beings, archaic ramblings and often incoherent texts! Oh, it's a great life.

[hifiguy]

7. Seriously, how does this human loaf

count to 21 without taking his pants off?

[closeupready]

8. I think this entire freak show is useful in demonstrating to outsiders how gay people

in these places continue to be hated and discriminated against, EVEN AFTER THE HIGHEST COURT IN THE COUNTRY HAS RULED DEFINITIVELY that jurisdictions may not discriminate.

It's just one county in Kentucky, and a small one, but I think every single gay person I know could tell you stories about how shitty officials and other locals treated them in their rural villages in the Midwest, Deep South, West, etc. And thus, why places like San Francisco and New York have LONG served as places of refuge for gay people from small towns all over the US.

[RKP5637]

11. Most people really don't get it unless they have lived it. Some stories are horrific. n/t

[closeupready]

13. Yes. I think so, too.

Tangentially, don't you find that straight people take everything so personally? Meaning, every cold shoulder given to a sensual display (particularly in hot weather) from the opposite gender is taken as a personal indictment of their self-worth as sexual beings, and somehow you, the gay person, are a bad person for failing to respond as a straight person is expected to respond according to popular mythology.

In other words, everyone will say they think it's okay to be gay, but on a personal level when interacting with others in society, they don't really subscribe to that idea. This whole Kim Davis story shows, even on DU, that straight people are prepared to place the blame for any ensuing political fallout (which could favor Republicans) on gay people generally, and specifically the gay people in Rowan County who are seeking marriage licenses. Same shit, different day.

[RKP5637]

14. If gays knew their place, none of this would be happening!

That's surely what some are thinking. Persecution in the US has always been a favorite sport for some people, often justifying it with religion as we well know.

[abelenkpe]

10. Wow

That's a whole lot of crazy.

[uppityperson]

12. bwahahahahahahahahahahhaha