BY LEANN DILBECK –
Polk County is among a growing list of Arkansas counties who will not be issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples following a decision handed down late Friday by Pulaski County Circuit Judge Chris Piazza that struck down the Arkansas ban on same-sex marriages, declaring the voter-approved ban as “unconstitutional.”
Polk County Clerk Terri Harrison released a statement Monday morning saying that her office would not be issuing any marriage licenses to same-sex couple based on the following:
- The timing of a Pulaski County Circuit Court ruling came late Friday in the middle of early voting for the May Primary that could possibly alter the issuance of marriage licenses in the State of Arkansas and has put Arkansas County Clerk’s in a cumbersome situation as they try to determine how best to both follow the law and serve all their citizens but to also manage their accessible infrastructure in doing so.
- It is our understanding that a motion for stay was filed and is pending before the Pulaski Circuit Court as well as the Arkansas Supreme Court and parties are awaiting a decision on a hearing to grant or deny the motion to stay.
- It is unclear if the Pulaski County Circuit Court’s decision on same sex marriage applies to Polk County, as Polk County was not sued in the case and it is questionable of the implications of this ruling on the other 69 counties that are non-parties. Polk County Clerk Terri Harrison, along with counsel will await ruling by the Arkansas Supreme Court. County Clerks across the State have been consulting with their legal counsel and will devise their own plan of action.
Harrison added, “Given all of these facts, I will continue to uphold state law as I am sworn to do so, however, if and when the law changes, so will the practices of the Polk County Clerk’s Office.”
About Author
Jeri Pearson
Jeri is the News Director for Pulse Multi-Media and Editor of The Polk County Pulse. She has 10 years of experience in community focused journalism and has won multiple press association awards.
Marriage is between one man and one woman, as ordained by God. This is an attack on traditional marriage and on the traditional Christian family, Christian values and beliefs…. This is not about equality but an agenda based upon moral decay of our great country. We have a duty as Christians to fight this by calling our congressman, supreme courts and judges and letting the word of God being our mouthpiece.
People who say that marriage is only between one man and one woman and that it is the only marriage “ordained by God” are the same types of narrowminded people who could believe in talking snakes and that God is the type of Supreme Being who would give all of humankind freewill and then extinguish humankind dor acting on freewill. Love at gunpoint is not love, just as love me because I am jealous and will destroy you is not love. The bible does not teach anything close to love. Now to my point about the issue at hand. America was not founded as a christian nation. Therefore we do not have laws based on what the bible says about something. If we did we would be just as awful to our people as some Middle Eastern countries. America was not founded on any religion (especially one such as a Middle Eastern religion as christianity). If you check your history books and the biographies of many of our founding fathers, you will see they wanted to keep religion out of the greatest nation in the world. Religion is only needed personally, not nationally. That is why you have the freedom to worship as you do instead of having a state sponsored religion. As far as gay marriage, ask yourself how it is bothering you. If you are of the mindset that marriage is about procreation to continue the species and homosexual relationships can not satisfy that requirement, then there are as many heterosexual relationships that don’t satisfy that requirement either. Maybe we shouldn’t let a man and woman who cannot have children to get married. If you are of the mindset that the homosexual act of sex is not natural, then we must look at nature and ensure that there are no cases of homosexuality in the Animal Kingdom (there are about 1500 species where homosexuality is known to happen). If you are of the mindset that you don’t want yourself or children subjected to seeing same sex couples, then in turn maybe people shouldn’t be subjected to seeing opposite sex couples. In closing, there is no one that has the right to tell another person who they may love as long as they are of sound mind and legal stature. We must not use our personal religion to fence in the liberties of others. Imagine how you would feel and live if your liberties were subjected to the will of someone’s personal religion. It happens all the time in nations that weren’t established with the common sense and love of freedoms and liberties as America. Those nations are definately supported by Middle Eastern Religions. Sorry, but America never should be. America should be the last great hope for liberties and freedoms.
How many wives was God’s anointed King Solomon allowed to have? King David? Wasn’t that nice Jewish girl Esther one of many wives of the King of Persia? Where are you getting your commandments from, lady?