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June 11, 2008

California Clerk to Refuse All Marriages

A California county clerk says she'll stop performing all marriage ceremonies shortly before a state supreme court order legalizing same-sex marriage takes effect.

A newspaper says the move came after the clerk received advice from Kern County lawyers who said marriages cannot be performed in a discriminatory fashion.

The Bakersfield Californian says clerk Ann Barnett said Wednesday she would not have the staff or space to deal with an increase in licenses and ceremonies. She plans to stop all ceremonies starting June 13 -- three days before gay couples may legally wed.

The newspaper reports she asked county counsel to file a brief with the California supreme court opposing implementation of its May 15 ruling allowing gay marriage. (AP) 

Reader Comments

These comments are reproduced as written by visitors to this Web site. They have not been edited for content, grammar, or spelling. The viewpoints appearing here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or views of advocate.com, The Advocate, or its affiliates.

  • Name: Sandy
    Date posted: 2008-07-03 7:46 PM
    Hometown: Edison

    Comment:

    Must be somehow related to Sally Kern...the bigot from OK.


  • Name: Alex
    Date posted: 2008-06-12 12:18 AM
    Hometown: Scottsdale, AZ

    Comment:

    I agree with Lou of North Hollywood. If Ms. Barnett is an elected official, she should step down and allow a competent official of Kern County take her place. If she is a county employee, she should be fired for refusing to perform the duties she was hired to do. This is what so called "christians", for which she will be a poster child, are all about. Love thy neighbor, unless they are LGBT. Indeed!


  • Name: Walter Achtert
    Date posted: 2008-06-11 10:22 PM
    Hometown: Bangor, Butte County, CA

    Comment:

    The clerk of Butte County has also announced that her office will no longer conduct any marriages. She did say that this was planned long before the original court decision. She also said that she would appoint as a Deputy Clerk for Civil Marriages (or something like that: I got this from a TV interview) anyone who requested to be appointed. I personally do not think her action had anything to do with same-sex marriages becoming legal.


  • Name: Gary Mitchener
    Date posted: 2008-06-11 8:08 PM
    Hometown: Cleveland Heights, Ohio

    Comment:

    In a weird way, I've chosen a path similar to Ms.Barnett but for opposite reasons: as a pastor of a church, I've stopped officiating at all weddings until such time as ALL God's children can be married in the church without discrimination.


  • Name: Doug Johnson
    Date posted: 2008-06-11 6:23 PM
    Hometown: Sioux Falls, SD

    Comment:

    I believe the only way she gets away with this is because there are other homophobes and bigots, such as she, who have the authority to back her up and do so. Hold back all their paychecks until they comply. Oh, I wish it were so easy!


  • Name: Red Seven
    Date posted: 2008-06-11 5:04 PM
    Hometown: Washington, DC

    Comment:

    Personally, I think this is great. I'll take her at her word that she assumes that the number of weddings she's asked to perform will SPIKE as soon as same-sex marriage is legalized. Makes a certain amount of sense, given that you don't get married every year and there are likely thousands of gay/lesbian couples in the county who've been together for 5, 10, 15, 20, 40, even 60 years or more who will want to tie the knot before the November ballot initiative. So ... what happens? The straight people of Kern County get to feel a little bit of what it feels like to have marriage denied to them as well. If the LGBT community there spins this correctly, we might actually be able to win over some hearts and minds. Homophobes won't be swayed, but some well-meaning straight folks who just "never thought about it before" might be enlightened as a result of this.


  • Name: Lou
    Date posted: 2008-06-11 4:47 PM
    Hometown: North Hollywood

    Comment:

    If this woman is an elected offcial, then the voters will have to replace her. Otherwise, a legal suit will have to be filed forcing her to perform her job. The article does not explain if she is one of others who refuses to do this or if she is the one who performs weddings. If so, then she needs to be replaced because she cannot arbitrarily decide which parts of her job she will perform or not.


  • Name: Jeff Duteil
    Date posted: 2008-06-11 4:39 PM
    Hometown: Glendale, AZ

    Comment:

    Someone needs to fire the bitch.


  • Name: David Akridge
    Date posted: 2008-06-11 4:12 PM
    Hometown: Washington DC

    Comment:

    The sad thing is that this woman will become the poster child for the religious right. I'm sure somewhere she will be thought of as a "hero" for family values. And if she's fired, she'll be a "martyr".


  • Name: Denise Odom
    Date posted: 2008-06-11 4:05 PM
    Hometown: Benton , Louisiana

    Comment:

    Ms. Barnett is being very nieve if she believes she can stop people in love from getting married. It is time for all the close minded people of the world to either step aside and let the rest of us have the civil rights we are entitled to as human beings or get with the program and celebrate the greatness of both our sameness and diversity that makes man and woman kind so wonderful. Shame on you Ms. Barnett....God is watching you.. Denise Odom


  • Name: Cindy
    Date posted: 2008-06-11 1:57 PM
    Hometown: Rancho Cucamonga

    Comment:

    I guess we the taxpayers that pay her wages have no say as to wheather she can do this. I say that she should be fired without any serverence or unemployment benefits. Since she is being insubordinate the county has just cause to get rid of her.


  • Name: James
    Date posted: 2008-06-11 12:01 PM
    Hometown: Ventura, CA

    Comment:

    I think that anyone who lives in Kern County or wants to come to Califortnia should simply not go to Kern County to get married. It will be thier loss. They will be losing big money at the county office by not selling licenses, and also in the business community where the after parties and receptions may have been. The woman in questions puts her personal bigotry ahead of the good of the county. She should be replaced. Come to Ventura to get married! Have your Honeymoon here too! We are on the beach, and we are so much cooler than Kern County! We have great restaurants, hip shops (and thrift stores) to buy wedding presents, romantic sunsets...everything you need for a beautiful wedding! And I do not work for the Chamber of Commerce. I would not do that.


  • Name: Holly McDuffie
    Date posted: 2008-06-11 10:57 AM
    Hometown: Los Angeles

    Comment:

    This woman should be relieved of her duties.


  • Name: herpecommunity
    Date posted: 2008-06-11 3:04 AM
    Hometown: http://www.stdpal.com

    Comment:

    Yes, many poz friends i met on stdpal.com said that marriages cannot be performed in a discriminatory fashion.


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