‘I deserve relief': County clerk wants taxpayers to help him avoid job duties on same-sex marriage

[DonViejo]

A county clerk asked Kentucky’s governor to call a special legislative session to solve his personal moral dilemma between his sworn governmental duties and his religious beliefs.

Casey Davis, the Casey County clerk, showed up without an appointment Monday at Gov. Steve Beshear’s office to discuss his problem, reported The State Journal.

The governor, however, was in Louisville for a meeting, so Davis described a possible taxpayer-funded workaround to his job duties to reporters at the capitol.

“I want (Beshear) to call a special session about it,” the county clerk said. “My solution would be, to what everyone else has called the law of the land, is have an online issuance for marriage licenses so that it takes it out of the hands of the individual.”

He said the state-run website — where couples could buy marriage licenses, which currently cost up to $37, as Kentuckians purchase hunting and fishing licenses — would allow him to perform his sworn duties at his taxpayer-funded job without compromising his religious beliefs.

“I think I deserve some sort of relief that I took my oath to do this job to the best of my ability so help me God,” Davis said. “I can’t go beyond what my conscience allows.”

more
http://www.rawstory.com/2015/07/i-deserve-relief-county-clerk-wants-taxpayers-to-help-him-avoid-job-duties-on-same-sex-marriage/

[restorefreedom]

1. i will quote david corn

"can i have two minutes just to laugh?"

corn was referencing something else, but it is a great line.

do the job or step aside. very simple.

[riversedge]

22. agree.

[restorefreedom]

30. i love agree moments with hillary supporters

helps to remind me why we are all here

[BlueJazz]

2. “I can’t go beyond what my conscience allows.” I can certainly sympathize with his feelings.

This DUer totally agrees with his point of view..if I were from the planet Bazzaro. ...otherwise please fuck you and do your damn job.

[BruceStern]

3. Then buh-bye!

[tazkcmo]

4. I like the idea

After all it's really a legal document with a fee. The only thing I would change would be him retaining his employed status as he refused to do his job that a computer would have no qualms over doing.

Added on edit: Love how he's ready to stand up for his religious convictions without suffering any consequences.

[hobbit709]

5. Either do the job you swore to do, or STFU and resign.

You can't have it both ways.

[dixiegrrrrl]

19. "to do this job to the best of my ability "

That says it all.
Now his ability is exceeded.

Just how hard is it for the courthouse to grab a sane clerk for the licenses and give the poor martyred clerk a job filling out forms in another office?

[xmas74]

25. There are plenty of people out there looking for jobs.

I'm sure someone would jump at the chance. County job, maybe not high paying but probably has decent benefits. Heck, I'm sure they would be flooded with applications the moment there's even a sniff of a possible position, unless this is a position that is elected.

[brooklynite]

6. Would it be a religious burden to program the computer?

Scan the marriage license form into an electronic document?

[marym625]

7. I'm sorry,

But just fuck these asswipes. Every single one of them

[City Lights]

8. If it's too much for you, Davis, quit.

I'm sure someone else will appreciate having your job.

[HughBeaumont]

9. Your conscience doesn't allow legally recognized due human rights, Casey?

I see.

Iiiiiiiiiiiiis . . . . your book holding you hostage or something?

[Coventina]

10. You need to do your job. End of story.

[B Calm]

11. If the person can't do their job, they need to quit.

[Orrex]

13. Or be fired.

If I refused to answer the phone because of "moral concerns," I'd last about three minutes before they dragged me to HR for my exit interview.

[B Calm]

15. Is the county clerk an elected office?

[Orrex]

16. Oh, that's a good point. Hadn't thought of that.

Still, if an elected official doesn't do the job (like all of the GOP legislature, for instance), it would be nice to have a way to oust them.

[dixiegrrrrl]

23. Not in our state..they are just ...clerks. The probate judge is elected tho.

Said Judge runs the office of licenses.
Our Probate Judge announced he would no longer perform any civil marriages due to the law.
The clerks here ARE selling marriage licenses, but you have to leave the county if you want a civil marriage,
and I know of no county clergy who will perform a gay marriage.

Personally, I feel they need to just abolish licenses. The Supreme Court used the term "right to marry" over 50 times in the decision.

Privileges need permission, rights do not.

[xmas74]

27. You should do what I'm thinking of doing.

I'm thinking of applying for one of those 5 minute ordinations into the Church of Whatever (pick the one you like, as long as it's recognized in your state) and then advertising on facebook how I'd be glad to perform a ceremony for same-sex couples, or any other couples-for free.

Someone might just change their tune when they realize that there are people willing to perform ceremonies for free in the area.

[Tom_Foolery]

28. Yes, it is in Kentucky. n/t

[ileus]

12. Should religious folks even be allowed to hold government jobs???

[CajunBlazer]

26. That's a bit much don't you think...

Are you advocating discrimination against religious folks? Why should we discriminate against anyone willing and able to do a job.

[City Lights]

31. Sure, but they should not be allowed to let their beliefs prevent them from

carrying out the duties of their jobs. If they can't separate their beliefs from their jobs, they should find other employment.

[Ino]

14. Perhaps the website can perform ALL his duties...

then God can find him another job.

[Fresh_Start]

17. sounds like the best solution....

website so that he never ever in the future has to worry about his ability to perform his job

[GoneOffShore]

18. The governor made an excellent point in the body of the story:

The governor said Monday that he understood their concerns, but he reminded the state’s 120 county clerks that they had taken an oath to uphold constitutions of both Kentucky and the United States.

These fuckwits just don't get it.

[lame54]

20. which begs the question...

Can Ted Nugent be denied a hunting license?

[truebluegreen]

21. If your job requires that you go beyond what your conscience allows, QUIT. nt

[xmas74]

24. Sounds like he cannot perform the simple functions of his position

as pertaining to his job description. Know what happens when you can't perform your duties? You are usually terminated.

If I said to my boss that I couldn't do something because of my beliefs you bet your wallet he'd find someone who could ASAP and then I'd be out in the cold.

[Adrahil]

29. I sympathize with his point of view.

He certainly can't go beyond what his conscience allows.

So he should quit.

He can't do the job he was hired to do, so quit. Or he should realize that he, personally, is not approving these marriages, but merely executing an administrative function.

Mr Davis, you're a clerk. You hand out, and accept forms. You serve as a cog in the wheel of administration. You don't "approve" anything, except that the legal requirements have been met.

FFS, the narcissism of these people.