Muhammad Ali was a conscientious objector to the Viet Nam war.
He once famously said, “I ain’t got nothing against no Viet Cong; no Viet Cong never called me ni**er.”
His stance against the war made him a counter-culture icon.
Now Kim Davis, the Kentucky clerk who refused to issue same sex marriage licenses, is saying she too is a conscientious objector.
“We are not issuing marriage licenses today so I would ask you all to go ahead and… under God’s authority… You are interrupting my business.”
Well days later U.S. Marshalls arrested Davis for contempt of court.
As of this writing she is still in jail.
She’s been there almost a week.
According to court documents her lawyers have asked a judge to free her and today they will appeal the contempt of court charges that landed her behind bars.
Davis has her detractors but believe it or not she’s garnered many supporters, some of whom held a rally for her after they traveled to Kentucky from all over the country.
Davis spoke at one of those rallies before she went to jail.
“I am totally overwhelmed by this show of support. I first must give thanks and praise to God Almighty. He is my strength. He is my comfort.”
What Davis and the people who support her fail to recognize is that this really isn’t about religion or her God.
This is about the law and no one is above it, especially an elected official who was elected by the people to follow the law.
When I first heard about Kim Davis it reminded me of a famous scene in The West Wing where fictional president Josh Bartlet takes on anti-gay radio host.
Dr. Jenna Jacobs: I don’t say homosexuality is an abomination, Mr. President. The Bible does.
President Josiah Bartlet: Yes, it does. Leviticus.
Dr. Jenna Jacobs<: 18:22.
President Josiah Bartlet: Chapter and verse. I wanted to ask you a couple of questions while I had you here. I’m interested in selling my youngest daughter into slavery as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. She’s a Georgetown sophomore, speaks fluent Italian, always cleared the table when it was her turn. What would a good price for her be? While thinking about that, can I ask another? My Chief of Staff Leo McGarry insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly says he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself, or is it okay to call the police? Here’s one that’s really important ’cause we’ve got a lot of sports fans in this town: Touching the skin of a dead pig makes one unclean. Leviticus 11:7. If they promise to wear gloves, can the Washington Washington Football Team still play football? Can Notre Dame? Can West Point? Does the whole town really have to be together to stone my brother John for planting different crops side by side? Can I burn my mother in a small family gathering for wearing garments made from two different threads? Think about those questions, would you?
We should all think about those questions, especially those who take the Bible literally instead of the way it was intended to be taken, as a book of lessons, one of which is the Golden Rule, Luke 6:31, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
Don Lemon: Clerk Who Refused Gay Couples Should Read The Bible was originally published on blackamericaweb.com
