Saturday, October 11, 2014

It's Over, and Good Riddance

U.S. District Court Judge Max O. Cogburn Jr. in Asheville issued a ruling shortly after 5 p.m. Friday declaring unconstitutional North Carolina's Amendment One, the gay-marriage ban approved by state voters in 2012.

Cogburn's ruling followed Monday's announcement by the U.S. Supreme Court that it would not hear any appeal of a July ruling by the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond striking down Virginia's gay-marriage ban. Judge Cogburn's ruling allowed the first same-sex weddings in the state to begin immediately, and they did.

Buncombe County Register of Deeds Drew Reisinger kept his Asheville office upon until 7 p.m., issuing some 19 marriage licenses to same-sex couple, several of whom were married within the hour.

"It wasn't until I issued the second license that the tears came," Reisinger said shortly after issuing the last license of the day. "It has been heartbreaking to decline these marriage licenses for three and a half years based on discriminatory laws. It was an honor to be able to say yes." (Asheville Citizen-Times)

Meanwhile, in Watauga County, the Register of Deeds office in Boone refused to issue a license to the first same-sex couple who came in. That will have to change, and fast.

Goodbye, Amendment One, it's been no pleasure at all knowing you. Wonder how much you cost the state, how much you're still costing the state in high-priced lawyers hired by Speaker Thom Tillis and Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger? They need to get a grip and stop playing to the bigots.

It's over. Thank God, it's over.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Way to go Judge Cogburn!!! and what a great person the Register of Deeds is in Asheville!!

KC said...

What can be done to force Watauga to start issuing licenses? It seems like a toddler throwing a tantrum at this point.