You kids probably aren’t old enough to remember when Alabama Governor George Wallace stood in a schoolhouse doorway to prevent African-American students from entering, way back in 1963. But good news: now you don’t have to remember, because Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore is re-enacting that standoff!
Marriage was supposed to start today in Alabama. But late Sunday night, Moore startled everyone by ordering the state’s judges to refuse to issue licenses to gay and lesbian couples, in defiance of a federal order.
So what happens now? Nobody’s really sure. According to HRC and the Southern Poverty Law Center, Moore’s order has no authority and the marriages should go ahead as the federal court has explicitly ordered. But a bunch of judges have already said that they’re planning to refuse. They could be charged with contempt of court for doing so.
Moore was already kicked out of office once for violating a federal order, and now we’re probably going to see it happen again. But in the mean time, it’s anyone’s guess whether gay and lesbian couples will be able to marry without an escort of federal marshals.
How about we take this to the next level?
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MacAdvisor
Moore’s order is hardly causing a Constitutional crisis. A few of the judges in the state have threatened to obey Moore and disobey the Federal district court, but most are issuing licenses without a hitch. The few stragglers will likely fold by the end of the week as they discover the financial cost of paying for representation for a losing battle. By Friday, I suggest, there won’t be a hold out in the state.
Ladbrook
And as another site pointed out over the weekend… This is ALABAMA, a state that was refusing to issue marriage certificates to mixed-race couples as late as 1970(!!)
Moore has been channeling George Wallace for months. I’d bet there’s a shrine to him in Moore’s bedroom closet. The man is deranged and should be arrested by Eric Holder.
polarisfashion
This State allows first cousin marriages. Why no uproar over that? To be fair, they aren’t the only State that allows that, and not all first cousin marriage States are in the South. But still, I have yet to see anyone anywhere bring this up.
hyhybt
“The main takeaway from all this is that Mike Huckabee is very bad at analogies”—perfect!
MacAdvisor
@Ladbrook: Several things:
First, despite Wallace’s early support for segregation, he was last elected governor of Alabama as a integrationist. He changed his mind. As a symbol of steadfast opposition (despite the famous quote, “segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever) at the time, Wallace “evolved” on this subject. That makes him a figure unlikely to be admired by the likes of Moore. Hence, I doubt the closet shrine.
Second, Eric Holder does not have the power to arrest (or, he doesn’t have any more power to arrest than every citizen has, that is, a citizen’s arrest, but to do so, Holder would need to actually witness the crime).
Third, Judge Moore has not broken any Federal law. Thus, AG Holder can’t even lawfully order Moore’s arrest. Moore has told others to violate a Federal court order and, if someone is stupid enough to follow his advice, THEY may face a contempt of court matter, but not Moore.
Lastly, we are all making too big a deal out of Moore’s nonsense and giving the attention-seeking manic exactly what he wants: attention. Ignore him, as are the probate judges in Alabama, and enjoy your day. Stop feeding the beast.
Jim Guinnessey
Alabama’s self-appointed Supreme Being, Justice Roy”Asshole” Moore,thinks the Confederate States of America won the Civil War. Authorities should throw this moron in a jail, solitary confinement, and toss out the key.
GG
Congrats to all the newlyweds!
scotshot
At least four Gay couples were married in Alabama today.
robho3
I love how all these Southern states say that the federal government shouldn’t be telling them what to do and that the individual state should make their own decisions. The federal government is evil and blah blah blah. Meanwhile ALL these states readily take federal subsidies. So if they want to do their own thing then we should let them and take away all their federal funding. I was told the good old red state of Texas takes more federal $$$ than any other state. God how I wish the South would have stayed succeeded from the union.
MacAdvisor
@robho3: If the South had succeed in their succession, slavery would have undoubtedly continued, leaving hundreds of thousand in chains. As both Texas and Mississippi joined the Confederacy, the important waterway of the Mississippi river would have been cut off for much of the middle states in the still remaining union. Given the lack of technological investment in things like railroads, combined with the reliance on agricultural economies, the South would have likely remained an economically backward, slave nation for decades to come.
I think progressive Presidents, such a Teddy Roosevelt, would have eventually invaded and forced the South back into the Union to end slavery, but assuming that did not happen, we could well still have a slave nation in the Western hemisphere. I shudder at the thought.
MinnesotaNotNice
Alabama is home to Edmund Pettus, George Wallace and Judge Roy Moore. Three of the biggest sons of bitches that ever walked the earth. Pettus and Wallace already have their lamentable places in our nation’s history and Judge Moore is well on his way to joining them.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
Yet another reason why we need an organized movement to target these hatefilled noxious, abhorrent smcubag pigs like Moore to descend like locusts on their lives and backgrounds to turn over every filthy rock they have hidden under and expose each and every skeleton in their vile closets and drag them out and expose them for the world to see………….
jwtraveler
@robho3: “seceded”
jwtraveler
@MacAdvisor: “secession”
@robho3: @MacAdvisor: The South “seceded” from the Union, meaning “separated from”. This was an act of “secession”.
The South did not “succeed”, meaning to “achieve a desired aim or result”. They were NOT “successful”, which means they failed.
jwtraveler
So now gay people in Alabama have a right to get married, but no right to a job or a home. If a couple gets married and their homophobic bosses and landlords find out, they can legally be fired and evicted. They’d be homeless and unemployed, but at least they can live on love.
MarionPaige
I sees the anti-gay marriage AL Judge and Rob Reiner touring the south together in a gay marriage debate / musical.
http://youtu.be/zZ3fjQa5Hls
hyhybt
Why am I getting a notification telling me to tell the site administrator that WordPress 4.1 is available? Weird. Anyway…
@jwtraveler: The other is coming, and can get more effort once this is finished. There are good reasons marriage has gotten more focus; just a few of them are that 1) it affects more people, as *most* landlords and businesses aren’t interested in keeping gay people out anyway; 2) it’s helped change people’s mindsets about gay people for the better in general; 3) “the government has to treat us like anyone else” is easier and firmer than “everybody else has to as well.” Especially since the former can be done through the courts using existing documents and precedents, while the latter requires legislative action Congress has shown little to no interest in taking (and the Alabama legislature even less.)
greyhound1954
@MacAdvisor: The latest report has 51 of 67 counties refusing to issue marriage licenses. Sounds like some federal follow-up is necessary.
MarionPaige
@jwtraveler: “So now gay people in Alabama have a right to get married, but no right to a job or a home.”
the two most important factors experienced litigators always consider when deciding on lawsuit strategies are: ( a ) are the judges liberal, conservative, hard-nosed etc.; and ( b ) where is the likely jury pool most likely to come from. When the judges hate you and the likely jury pool hates you, you pretty much have no rights.
SteveDenver
I hope people are collecting video evidence of refusal and attorneys are prepared to represent them. Throw Moore out PERMANENTLY, and let the settlement money roll in for those who are wronged.
MarionPaige
for reference: it is pretty much acknowledged by all that Title 42 Section 1981 was ineffective in combating racial discrimination for over 100 years because the federal judicialy pretty much didn’t enforce the law. So, if the federal circuit can ignore a federal law for 100 years …
1EqualityUSA
When Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore does the same thing regarding divorce, I’ll know he is serious, until then, this is animus.
1EqualityUSA
MarionPaige, are you pants-shitting again? Don’t blow all over the ambulance this time. “When the judges hate you and the likely jury pool hates you, you pretty much have no rights.” Are you serious? My dog’s squeaky-toy is easier to listen to than this drivel.
Kangol
@jwtraveler: Exactly. Secession, not “success[ion].” Thankfully the Confederacy was defeated, and its attitudes are slowly dying out too, as this current battle shows.
And as@greyhound1954: pointed out, a majority of Alabama counties are defying federal law. I doubt President Obama will activate the National Guard as JFK had to do with George Wallace, but this does point to how one notorious figure like Judge Moore can defy federal law and get away with it, even if only temporarily.
GayEGO
Well Moore is a loser and he and his ilk are losing, just like the two Supreme court justices Scab-lia and Tom-ass. The confusion Moore has infected the Alabama legal system with will be demolished with good sensible vaccination! :>)
Dawson
What will be the reaction come June when the U.S. Supreme Court issues their opinion? Will they say the courts have gone against the people of Alabama and that the Federal Government no longer speaks to the will of the people of Alabama?
More important is where are all the people of Alabama who are supporting us right now? Boy I hear silence. You get what or who you vote for. Alabama hasn’t really changed. You can hide your bigotry and hate from some but they have had 300 years to evolve. This hasn’t happened and frankly I don’t think it can happen in Alabama.
It is easy to play the victim and we know they will use their religious base for their beliefs. It is hard to argue religion in the South so the hatred will continue. I am sure there will be talk of succession after June and I am sure Mississippi will follow. Will it happen? Doubtful but I think we will hear this during the summer.
Let us start addressing Alabama for what the voters have time and time again voted for. Until we start seeing the people of Alabama standing on the right side of equality they are all part of the problem. 300 years is too long to wait and frankly I hope you do secede as then we can take all the Federal dollars out of your State. May I help you with your new name–The United States of Stupid.
MarionPaige
Chief Justice Moore was a nationally unknown Alabama nut job, now he’s The Symbol For The People’s Resistance to Gay Marriage. Already there are commentators saying that Moore is acting out what most people feel. Again, the number of delusional fucktards in Ala-fing-bama who want to marry someone of the same sex has to be as insignificant as the number of same-sex married everyone else in North America. However,
On The State of The War of Bigots vs Gay People, anti-gay bigots are at this point in time are undeniably more organized AND MORE PUBLIC – all thanks to an issue that only a handful of lesbians are interested in.
bobmister250
WTF happened to Matt Baume’s arms? Are those biceps new? They’re new to me and I’m liking them!
1EqualityUSA
Even if one person is denied equality, that is one too many, MarionPants-shitter. Even if nobody chooses to get married, it is we who are making that decision for ourselves, and not some politician or pastor. You just keep beating your NOM-skull message. Who pays you?