County to issue same-sex marriage licenses (NEW MEXICO TODAY 2/20/04)

AP via News Channel 15 wane.com ^ | 2/20/2004

[cyncooper]

Bernalillo, New Mexico-AP -- A county clerk in New Mexico says it has nothing to do with "politics or morals."

Sandoval County Clerk Victoria Dunlap says the county plans to issue marriage licenses for same-sex couples.

She made the decision after asking for an opinion from the county attorney, who said New Mexico law isn't clear on the issue. He also says refusing to issue marriage licenses to gay couples could open the county to legal action.

State law defines marriage as a civil contract between contracting parties. It doesn't mention gender.

The issue of gay marriage has stirred controversy in other states. San Francisco granted hundreds of same-sex marriage licenses in defiance of California state law.

And lawmakers in Massachusetts expect to resume a debate on a constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage.

[KQQL]

I am not blaming him...

[nickcarraway]

ping

[templar]

This is the type of thinking we are facing.

This is the result of people deciding for themselves what the law means instead of having a legal authority determine such (preferably legislative, usually the Courts).

Gevernment officials, particularly of County clerk status, should not be allowed to decide law in cases where there is any ambiguity. Since this is an obvious issue nationwide, every legislature in the Country should be addressing it ASAP. If the legislatures don't address it preemptively, it will be decided by the Courts, and I don't see any legal (14th ammendment) reasoning that would disallow gay marriage in absence of legislative law.

[Teacher317]

The more cities and idiots that single-handedly challenge the law, the more naitonal this issue becomes. A national referendum on November is a-comin'!

[barkingdog]

It would seem that, the only people left in america who have the guts to stand up, and fight for what they believe in, is the gay community. Whats wrong with the rest of us? If this is what we have become?

[MediaMole]

What is with New Mexico?

Gay marriage and mandated breathalyzer ignition interlocks on all cars.

[Brian_Baldwin]

This is spreading, and Bush isn’t doing crap. I figured the so-called Governor wouldn’t do anything anytime soon, but I expect the President to act, and he isn’t, instead we all hear about the plan. For some reason, there are some governors, neo-conservatives, and presidents, who think that we don’t have to directly, with forceful and immediate counterattack, confront the left, oppose the enemy, but somehow, all we need to do is accommodate them and then the extremes of their attack upon society will stop, or at least, take a vacation. My question is, the left is, outside of the law, assaulting society, raping it, with no respect for democracy or the will of the people, and therefore the enemy of society, and my question to Bush, who isn’t doing anything about it, is, how do we accommodate the left as enemy of society? I am told, Bush has a plan. I have been told that a lot in the last many, many months, that it’s a plan, a plan, master plan, the plan is being talked about, yes sir, it’s all part of the plan so just shut up, just go along with the plan, even though he won’t tell us what the plan is, but don’t ask questions, the plan is all about planning the left into it, planning the left into a situation, the plan is to do nothing but plan because the plan is to let the left do it to themself and the plan it to “let them plan themselves into it” because the plan is actually to simply let the enemy engage all their plans and we do nothing except say we also have a plan but maybe we won’t engage it because the plan is to let them engage all their plans and, “self destruct” if you will. And I am wondering, what is Bush doing for me? And I ask Bush, can you do something? Instead of the plan, why not just do something? I ask this so-called compassionate conservative President, if we plan the enemy “into it” are we likely to grant the enemy true privilege of refusal of everything? Refusal to obey the will of the people, to follow law?

So what’s going to happen is, our society, it’s future, will be determine by the aggression of the left. The future will be determined by unelected Maoists in court robes and the future will be determined by an aggressive minority which has a large enough constituency to hijack a city, in no different manner than twelve hijackers can take over planes and drive them into buildings, and then they will determine the future. Because we are all waiting to hear more about the plan.

Bush isn’t doing jack.

[AntiGuv]

You seem to forget perhaps that Democrats are exceedingly sneaky creatures. They'll inch along for decade after decade and then WHAM! they rush you all at once seemingly out of nowhere.. They seem to think it's time to make the leap on this one, and anyone who disagrees is so very, very deeply evil.

And I say that though I actually support permitting gays to marry to make them a bit more stable in society. LOL! But, I support doing it properly through the legislatures whenever there's a genuine consensus, not by judges, mayors, and county clerks rewriting the law to suit their whims.

[cyncooper]

This is spreading, and Bush isn’t doing crap. I figured the so-called Governor wouldn’t do anything anytime soon, but I expect the President to act,

What would you have him do?

He has stated many times that if these liberal activists engage in this behavior the solution is a Constitutional amendment.

[Brian_Baldwin]

He says, he says. He says, and I'm sick of it. Weak. That is what it's all about. We are letting them determine the future. We are letting the SPECTACLE determine our future. And you Bushies are always there. Doing nothing.

[cspackler]

Well it's porbably the right choice, since state law doesn't prohibit gay marriage.

It probably doesn't prohibit someone from marrying their sheep, either. Gonna start issuing those, too?

[Southack]

This is the 2nd part of the setup. New Mexico's governor, Clinton-crony Richardson, is the current odds-on bet for the Dems' 2004 VP slot.

He's going to come down hard on this same sex marriage license "outrage" in order to give Democrats "credibility" in being against same sex marriage (at least, against it during an election year).

Watch and learn. Professional politics are unfolding before our very eyes.

[Brian_Baldwin]

Very soon, our entire country will be viewed as a spectacle. Thanks. We will all wait for the constitutional "mendment".

[KQQL]

NM County to issue same-sex marriage licenses Today !

[Brian_Baldwin]

Bush is just being an audience to this spectacle. And pretty soon, that's all any of us will be. The audience.

[AntiGuv]

Actually, I misspoke that. I support giving gays the rights and responsibilities of marriage (civil unions, or whatever), not gay marriage itself. Especially not by judicial edict when there's nothing remotely resembling a national consensus on the matter.

[MississippiMan]

This nation is descending into anarchy.

Yup, and none of our leaders appear interested in stopping it.

MM

[AntiGuv]

Or by county clerk edict, as the case may be...

[ican'tbelieveit]

So are you saying you went in for "baths?"

[cyncooper]

I see you have no answer to my question: What would you have him do.

Typical. Huff and puff away Brian, and toss insults as you do it. Makes you feel all he-man like I would guess.