Entire Tennessee county clerk’s office resign over same-sex marriage
The entire staff of Decatur County clerk’s office has resigned over same-sex marriage.
They remain the only county clerk’s office in Tennessee that is refusing to issue same-sex marriage licenses – although they have not yet had a request for one.
Clerk Gwen Pope and her employees Sharon Bell and Mickey Butler have all declared they will resign after the Supreme Court ruling that brought same-sex marriage to all 50 states.
Ms Pope told the Jackson Sun she didn’t make the decision for publicity.
She said: “It’s kind of like you don’t want to draw attention to yourself for any reason. That’s not why we’re doing this. Not doing it in any way to draw attention to us.
“It’s for the glory of God. He’s going to get all the glory.”
She has been the county clerk since 2008.
Drew Baker of the Tennessee Equality Project said clerks refusing to issue same-sex marriage licenses was “unfortunate” but “also against the law.”
He went on: “They’re opening themselves up to litigation. However, I admire them for the strength of their convictions.”
Local resident Carlton Sanders agreed. He said: “If they were elected, and it’s the law and they don’t want to do what the law says of course you should step down.
“It went to the top. We go by a justice system and that’s how it is.”
A clerk in Kentucky is currently refusing to issue any marriage licenses at all.
