No doubt you have heard about the Supreme Court’s ruling on same-sex marriage. The Court has ruled that same-sex couples are entitled to all of the same rights as heterosexual couples, and that effective immediately, gay couples can legally get married in any state. Ever since the ruling on June 26, 2015, many gay couples have gotten legally married and have been able to enjoy the benefits of marriage that many have been waiting on for years.

Because of the controversy surrounding this issue, many people are unhappy about the ruling. The controversy is especially high within religious circles. Many Christians are upset with the ruling, while others believe that the law and religion should be separate. This has caused many debates that have torn apart friendships and have left many people arguing with those they love.

Ever since the ruling, most homosexual couples have been able to get a marriage license without any issue. However, this is not the case for all. A Kentucky county clerk’s office has refused to issue marriage licenses because the clerk of that office feels doing so violates her religious beliefs. Kim Davis is the clerk for Rowan County, and she has not issued a single marriage license since the ruling.

Defying Orders

The state governor has directly ordered Kim Davis to begin issuing marriage licenses again, but she has defied the order and refused to do so. In addition to the direct order from the governor, a judge has ruled that she does not have the right to refuse to issue marriage licenses. The judge made this ruling on behalf of four couples who were not able to receive their marriage licenses. Two of these couples were homosexual, and two of the couples were heterosexual.

Once Davis was ordered by the judge to begin issuing marriage licenses for all couples once again, her lawyer appealed the decision, and she has not shown up to work. A small number of protesters have been gathering outside of the county clerk’s office, saying that they feel humiliated with the way they have been treated. Protesters feel that Kim Davis’ refusal to issue these licenses is cruel and wrong.

Most officials around the country are issuing licenses to both same-sex and heterosexual couples, whether they agree with the Court decision personally or not. However, in Rowan County, many same-sex couples feel that they are being treated unfairly.

Other Resistors

While most areas around the country are complying with the Supreme Court decision, there are a few other areas where same-sex couples cannot get the marriage license they want.

• In Alabama, there are thirteen counties that will not issue same-sex marriage licenses. While this only represents 19% of the state, it is concerning for those who want equality.
• One other county in Kentucky will not issue same-sex licenses.

Conservatives Watching Closely

While some argue that these counties don’t have a leg to stand on legally, many conservatives are watching these cases closely to see how they play out. They think that these cases will determine whether or not anyone has the right to refuse marriage licenses. Because this is the first time anything like this has happened in this country, it is all quite unprecedented. Many conservatives feel that their religious freedom is being violated when they have to issue marriage licenses that go against what they believe in. Many gay couples argue that the religious views of another should not infringe on their rights, especially when the Supreme Court has ruled in their favor.

More likely than not, these bumps in the road won’t end well for the people who are causing the issues. Hopefully, before long, issuing marriage licenses won’t be an issue anywhere in the United States.