Alabama county judges using segregation-era law to avoid issuing licenses for same-sex marriages

[gollygee]

http://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2015/10/03/alabama-judges-use-segregation-era-law-to-avoid-gay-marriage

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — As Alabama's all-white Legislature tried to preserve racial segregation and worried about the possibility of mixed-race marriages in 1961, lawmakers rewrote state law to make it optional for counties to issue marriage licenses.

Now, some judges who oppose same-sex marriage are using the long-forgotten amendment to get out of the marriage business altogether rather than risk issuing even one wedding license to gays or lesbians. In at least nine of Alabama's 67 counties, judges have quit issuing any marriage licenses since the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex unions in June.

While the precise reason that lawmakers gave for making the 1961 change has been lost to time, the 54-year-old provision says probate courts "may" issue rather than "shall" issue wedding licenses.

[randys1]

1. Same people acting out bigotry and hate, second nature to them.

[Angry Dragon]

2. bigots love to hate

[Manifestor_of_Light]

3. Repeating all the crap that was supposed to be swept away by Loving v. Virginia.

The Supreme Court case that said that interracial marriage was legal under the right of privacy in personal life decisions.

[Solly Mack]

4. More bigots hiding behind their religion.

Dressing up your hate in a halo doesn't make you holy - it merely makes you more disgusting.

[NutmegYankee]

5. This should be publicized widely. A Racist law is being used to deny marriage equality.

Tar these faux Christian POS's with this forever. Make their descendants hide in shame at their behavior.