Posted on 11/22/2014 5:58:23 PM PST by SeekAndFind
Sixteen North Carolina judges have either resigned or retired after gay marriage became legal in the state last month when a judge ruled that an amendment to the state's constitution banning same-sex marriage was unconstitutional.
In October, U.S. District Judge Max Cogburn of Asheville struck down the ban and ruled the amendment unconstitutional in response to a Charlotte-based lawsuit.
Reports from the administrative office of the courts note that "between the ruling on Oct. 10 and the end of the month, 16 magistrates left their jobs, but the state wouldn't release why they left," Time Warner Cable News-Charlotte reports.
The cable network added that it's "been able to determine that at least 10 of the 16 magistrates who left last month, did so because they will not perform same-sex marriages."
"The number of North Carolina magistrates who have resigned or retired early because of their opposition to performing same-sex marriages is higher than previously reported," TWC-Charlotte reports, adding that the judges are now required by law to perform same-sex marriages. ... "The court system reports there are 672 magistrates across the state, so only about 1.5 percent have left because of the same-sex marriage ruling."
In May 2012, North Carolina voters overwhelmingly passed a ballot initiative that added an amendment to their state constitution defining marriage as being between one man and one woman.
The New York Times reported in 2012 that the amendment passed by a margin of more than 20 percentage points with 500,000 people voting early, which was a "record for a primary in the state."
North Carolina's Republican Gov. Pat McCrory has said his administration is "moving forward with the execution of the court's ruling [lifting the ban on gay marriage] and will continue to do so unless otherwise notified by the courts," according to the CharlotteObserver.
Judges quitting over the striking down of the gay marriage ban is not the only example of resistance or stated opposition to the court decision. A few North Carolina counties have passed resolutions in support of the former ban and have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to hear an appeal.
Despite the Supreme Court's refusal to hear a wave of appeals in October, many believe that with the Sixth Circuit's recent upholding of multiple state level amendments banning gay marriage, the Court will have to rule on the issue.
Unfortunately they will replaced by judges who lack their integrity and moral compass.
God bless these judges. They will be judged accordingly by God.
Let me get this straight.
Instead of refusing to conduct gay marriages, the judges quit so that they can be replaced by judges who will perform gay marriages?
So state senate leader Phil Berger and state house leader Thom Tillis (Republicans) plan on appealing the ruling.
When federal judges breach their oaths, rule against the laws of nature and nature’s God, and attempt to legislate from the bench, these state judges shouldn’t be quitting, they should be informing the feds that their opinions are null and void.
I agree. The judges should refuse to do gay weddings and force somebody to fire them.
Libs get all orgasmic about “choice” - except when it is somebody else’s choice.
Nothing escapes you. jk
I find the use of the rainbow flag to promote sodomy extremely offensive. God gave the rainbow as a sign of His promise to never destroy the earth by flood again and they use it to promote godless and abominable behavior.
Uganda had the right idea
Yep. That isn’t courage that is surrender. Courage would’ve been refusal. If Obama can ignore the law we can sure as hell ignore what is a total violation and corruption of the law and the constitution. Conservatives need to stand up and if necessary carry their cross.
Let us not forget that most of the world and the largest populations in the world do not endorse gay marriage nor do they support lgbt in any fashion.
” they should be informing the feds that their opinions are null and void.”
Exactly.
Cowards. With a confused conscience.
NO, instead of retiring they need to fight this in state court!
I agree simply bowing out is what they want you to do so they can replace you with someone entirely corrupt. Maintain feldility to the law(as written) and God by simply refusing to bow to the lawless edicts of tyrants.
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