09 November 2015

New Kentucky governor accepts a proposal made by Kim Davis

When Kim Davis, the now famous County Clerk of Rowan County in the state of Kentucky, stopped signing and issuing marriage licenses many people told her to resign her office if she insisted on discriminating against homosexual couples. I suggested then that the situation might not be quite what it seemed, as, in fact, it wasn't (because she was not issuing marriage licenses at all, even for heterosexual couples).

Davis herself had put forth several suggestions as to how she could issue marriage licenses without violating her conscience, including the simple removal of her name from the marriage license, as was done in other states. However, the then-Governor of Kentucky, Steve Beshear (D) refused to do so by calling for a special session of the state legislature even though the House Speaker, Greg Stumbo (D), called for such a session to consider Davis' requests and find a simple and civil way to reach a compromise.

How we can finally see an end to this conflict.

The new Governor-elect of the state of Kentucky, Matt Bevin (R), announced this past Friday that "one thing I will take care of right away is we will remove the names of the county clerks from the marriage form." As soon as this is done, Kim Davis' objections to the issuing of marriage licenses in Rowan County will no longer exist and she will be able to perform the functions for which she was elected to her office without violating her conscience.

This is how a civilized people works together to find a reasonable compromise and a resolution of differences. It really is not too difficult.

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