Indiana lawmakers have revamped a 1997 law that makes furnishing false information on a marriage license a class D felony. Beginning July 1, 2014, a same-sex couple applying for a marriage license in the state of Indiana will be guilty of a Level 6 felony, punishable by 18 months in prison and a $10,000 fine. The new law also makes it a Class B Misdemeanor for a clergyman, judge, mayor, city clerk or town clerk-treasurer to perform a same-sex marriage, punishable by up to 180 days in jail and a fine of up to $1,000. Any clerk who issues a license to a same-sex couple would also be guilty of a Class B Misdemeanor.
While many other states are reevaluating their laws concerning marriage equality in the light of the Supreme Court decision that struck down a key part of the Defense of Marriage Act, Indiana lawmakers are considering doubling down on their anti-equality posture. Although same-sex marriages are currently banned by state law, the Republican controlled General Assembly is considering submitting an amendment to the state constitution for a vote of the people next year. The decision will be made in the January-March 2014 legislative session. It is unclear whether such an amendment would survive a popular vote, as recent polling finds a majority of Indiana residents are now against a constitutional amendment forbidding marriage equality.
Damn! Threatening to throw clergymen into jail for marrying same sex couples. THAT is hard core!
You know these people are simply wasting their time and identifying themselves as intolerant assholes. Marriage equality IS coming and they might be able to slow it down, but they will NOT be able to stop it.
G, your headline has a typo it should be 18 MONTHS not 18 years
ReplyDelete18 months in prison
Oops, you are right.
DeleteFixed now.
Unbelievable! Gay people can fight in wars and pay tax but not have equal rights? So sick of this asswipes!
ReplyDeleteWell, threatening to lock up clergy for performing a service is a violation of Freedom of Speech...
ReplyDeleteYeah where are the Catholics bishops?
DeleteY'know, if people are going to throw their religious beliefs into the political ring, i.e. intolerance of same sex marriages, then religions should NOT be tax exempt anymore. Tax the churches if they want to play politics with people's rights.
ReplyDeleteI am soooo sick of the mouth breathers.
I see a whole lot of civil disobedience cases clogging up Indiana's courts. Bring it on!
ReplyDeleteOn a brighter note, at least one Federal agency sent out an all-hands email today, letting employees know that benefits are now available for same-sex married couples. I was surprised to not see anything in the news about this.
ReplyDeleteI heard something about in on NPR a few days ago... On Wednesday or Friday, I think. Nothing since then, but I haven't watched TV in a week or so and we were out of town, so I suspended the paper delivery. Did I miss anything important? The world end? Sarah Palin tweet something accusing Pres Obama of playing a few holes of golf in Africa?
DeleteThis law will not stand up when challenged. It will cost the state of IN in the long run to defend plus the legal costs of the ones who challenge. Bad laws are expensive and a waste of resources.
ReplyDeleteThey simply say "It isn't OUR money, so...."
DeleteAnd they feel that if they just keep doing it eventually people will just get tired and let it go through.
NIBBLE NIBBLE NIBBLE
Fair and Balanced Fraud Exposed: 94% of Fox News Viewers Are Republicans
ReplyDeletehttp://www.politicususa.com/2013/07/08/fair-balanced-fraud-exposed-94-fox-news-viewers-republicans.html
exile in Bumfukistan, Indiana.
ReplyDeleteYes, the legislature(R) are all asswipes.
But this ought to be interesting - if they can force a clergy member NOT to perform a ceremony, then they can force them TO do so too.
Can't have it both ways - Mikie and Mitchie.
Sounds like religious freedom for Fundies to choose for others how they live. Small government in action in the pulpit and in women's vaginas. Republicans are practicing their *Big Tent* politics by bring tolerant of others and governing for ALL Americans.
DeleteS/off
At least gey marriage is no longer a hanging offense in Indiana.
ReplyDeleteOfficially, anyways....
Beldar, we got plans you opulently don't got any idees we dun throat of:
DeleteThe replacement law for the hanging sentences being suspended is Phase Two witch is a new, more godly law, which orta slow down these queares, lispians, and the ambidextrous boy-girl-beastials that aint shure if they's goin or cummin.
Phase two, for them particler hard nuts to crack that can actually pay there fines an can Aford lawyers and shit, we tea-baggers got sumthin for em, curtsy of God's 2nd Amendment, which was on that rock that Moses dropped but forgot when he re-done em.
Here's were the fun starts: All-volunteer squads consisting of three good Christian men will exact justice in a much more economical way of dealing with teh geys, and it also RE-deuces them needin attorneys to defend the law in court.
Smaller government will result. Yay. Fewer defendants after the firing squads dole out the proper sentences reduces caseload for courts, resulting in fewer judges and fewer employees in the court system like bailiffs, parole officers, clerks, attorneys, paralegals, and other admin staff. Fewer prisoners means fewer prisoners so there's less overhead like food and water, guards, medical staff, admin people, warden, program directors, security, vehicles, handcuffs & guns, riot gear, psychiatric services and equip, etc. Then we can drown the rest of the judicial system in the bath tubs. Everbody got a bathtub, so that's easy rite their. Just need a few good hands to chase down all them ivy league lawyers. Cuz you can't get em to go fishin and Luca Brazi em. It'll mess up teh good fishin holes by stinking em up.
Hence, clearly this is a more efficient way of dealing with teh geys, and the program can be expanded in the future to include other undesirable groups like Atheists, College Professors who don't want to teach creationism alongside engineering and med school curriculum. Muslims, blacks, Mexicans, East coast E-leets, West coast hippies and Obama-supporting Hollywood-types, gypsies, Jews, Libruls, certain in-laws, demmicrats, science & physics teachers, Methodists, Eskimo peoples, Canadians, French people, Indians, Injuns, Russians, socialist Marxists, fascist commies and some northerners that have those attitudes. Oh, and male porn acters. We'll save the little ladies to teach our old ladies summa them gym-nasty-cal moves, if ya no whut I meen.
Wheel call it the "Kill the Queers First an Then the Restuvtha Heathen Next". Then we won't hafta move to Glen Beck's Texas Utopia in a fort to keepa way from teh geys. Problem solved. Then Saruh Plain gets elected Preezydent and we all live happylee evah after once we nook a few dem furriners.
Palin/Nugent 2016 Vote for the Bitter Quitter & The Shitter. They'll make this shit happen!
Speshull thanks to RAM fer writin' this fer me an then I added a few werds ta make it sound a little smarter. ---SP How bout them Hoosiers?!
Hey 614am I think we met in Terre Haute that one time!
DeleteDid you ever get those teef fixed?
614am, if you are not joking or being sarcastic, then I openly weep for the pathetic state of your small mind.
DeleteLet's all go to Indiana and apply for licenses!
ReplyDeleteReciprocity of state laws? What if two gays are legally married in one state ... and then foolishly move to Indiana for some reason known only to God ... are they still married?
ReplyDeleteNo.
DeleteAt least, not recognized by the state.
That may be their next step - to penalize those who ARE legally married by attempting to litigate against them for BEING married.
Toll roads. $5 to come into Indiana, and you get $2 back when ya leave if you ain't queer. If you're gay, it costs $10,000 cover charge to get into IN, and $10,000 fine and incarceration and state legal expenses when you get out of prison 18 months later. Ain't gonna be no problems with teh gays here in Indiana. Only the rich ones are gonna get in, and they'll be poor when we get through with em.
DeleteThis legislation can be summed up in a nutshell: Asinine.
ReplyDeleteThe fundies are behaving like bullies.
They have no chance.
America always punches bullies in the nose.
It's not that the fundies are behaving like bullies; they are bullies. And, like most bullies, if they are called what they are, they scream that they are victims. I don't care anymore; Christian fundamentalists in this country today are bullies, pure and simple.
DeleteBeaglemom
It parallels the recent trend in abortion laws in states. How ridiculous.
ReplyDelete