# Fuck you, Rowan County (KY) Clerk Kim Davis **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 13, 2015, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-rowan-county-ky-clerk-kim-davis/727757 "2015-08-13T18:09:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2015, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-rowan-county-ky-clerk-kim-davis/727757/21 "2015-08-13T23:44:17Z")
The law firm is probably setting Kim Davis up for some jail time. The judge issued the order, and so far has not stayed it. If he agrees to stay it pending appeals then she’ll be fine to keep refusing to issue licenses. But, and I believe this is likely, if he doesn’t stay his ruling she’ll be found in contempt the first time the court has a chance to rule on the further refusals. Given this is the type of contempt in which the person “holds the keys to their cell” (i.e. they’ve been ordered to do something in their power that they refuse to do), she will then be jailed indefinitely until she complies. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2015, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-rowan-county-ky-clerk-kim-davis/727757/22 "2015-08-14T00:00:05Z")
> [@Enderw24](#): > > FYI, County clerk is an elected position. > > Kim Davis won her bid for election in Nov 2014 with 53.16% of the vote. And I’m scratching my head at this one, but she’s a Democrat. So, hey! I guess we finally have something legitimate to post in the Stupid Liberal Idea of the Day thread. Democratic party ≠ liberal But I see your point… I’ve always though it was kinda stupid of **Clothahump** (I know, that’s redundant) to call a thread meant to be the antithesis of “Stupid Republican Idea of the day” the “Stupid Liberal Idea of the day”, but hey, Republicans aren’t noted for their fantastic mental prowess (and **Clothy** even less so). ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2015, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-rowan-county-ky-clerk-kim-davis/727757/23 "2015-08-14T00:42:38Z")
I’d like to see another county clerk deny marriage licenses to those marrying outside their faith or someone marrying after divorce or even an interracial couple. Would the good people of Kentucky and Liberty Counsel defend such a person on the basis of personal belief? ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2015, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-rowan-county-ky-clerk-kim-davis/727757/24 "2015-08-14T00:46:00Z")
> [@Martin\_Hyde](#): > > … Given this is the type of contempt in which the person “holds the keys to their cell” (i.e. they’ve been ordered to do something in their power that they refuse to do), she will then be jailed indefinitely until she complies. _Fingers crossed_ ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2015, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-rowan-county-ky-clerk-kim-davis/727757/25 "2015-08-14T01:48:15Z")
> [@Human\_Action](#): > > Dammit, when Kentucky makes the news, it’s always shit like this. 114 (or more, my cite’s from July) of our counties are issuing licenses. Feel free to visit, it’s a lovely place! Come for the bourbon, stay for the rule of law. Don’t sweat it. Compared to Florida, Alabama and Texas, you guys are just amateurs. ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2015, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-rowan-county-ky-clerk-kim-davis/727757/26 "2015-08-14T02:01:15Z")
> [@Martin\_Hyde](#): > > The law firm is probably setting Kim Davis up for some jail time. The judge issued the order, and so far has not stayed it. If he agrees to stay it pending appeals then she’ll be fine to keep refusing to issue licenses. But, and I believe this is likely, if he doesn’t stay his ruling she’ll be found in contempt the first time the court has a chance to rule on the further refusals. Given this is the type of contempt in which the person “holds the keys to their cell” (i.e. they’ve been ordered to do something in their power that they refuse to do), she will then be jailed indefinitely until she complies. That will be a win for Davis. She’s the type of Christian who only lives to be martyred. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2015, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-rowan-county-ky-clerk-kim-davis/727757/27 "2015-08-14T02:06:50Z")
> [@74westy](#): > > That will be a win for Davis. She’s the type of Christian who only lives to be martyred. The AP article in the OP said she could be fined, rather than imprisoned, for contempt. That’s what I’d hope for - that way, she couldn’t present herself as another Martin Luther King Jr in the Birmingham Jail. Being led away in handcuffs makes for a good photo; writing a check doesn’t. ---
**Author:** ![tenacious\_j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/439d5e/32.png) [@tenacious\_j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tenacious_j)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2015, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-rowan-county-ky-clerk-kim-davis/727757/28 "2015-08-14T02:37:26Z")
What pisses me off is that this asshole is going to come out of this somebody’s hero. I HATE when that happens. If you can’t or won’t do the job then leave, don’t grandstand and use your pseudo-Christian values to try to make you a star while people are being denied basic rights. Fuck her. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2015, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-rowan-county-ky-clerk-kim-davis/727757/29 "2015-08-14T11:44:01Z")
> [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](#): > > The AP article in the OP said she could be fined, rather than imprisoned, for contempt. That’s what I’d hope for - that way, she couldn’t present herself as another Martin Luther King Jr in the Birmingham Jail. Being led away in handcuffs makes for a good photo; writing a check doesn’t. Some right-wingers will start a Go Fund Me to raise the money to pay her fines. Or some organization will write the check for her. There’s no way she can lose because either she becomes a martyr for the cause by going to jail, or she won’t have to pay any fines out of her own pocket and she’ll still be a martyr for the cause and allow her contributors to feel good about themselves. The only way she can possibly lose is if she’s removed from office and barred from holding any other elected or civil service position. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2015, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-rowan-county-ky-clerk-kim-davis/727757/30 "2015-08-14T12:18:41Z")
> [@Human\_Action](#): > > County clerks in Kentucky are elected. Elect a new one, this one’s broken. ---
**Author:** ![ailetha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c0e974/32.png) [@ailetha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ailetha)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2015, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-rowan-county-ky-clerk-kim-davis/727757/31 "2015-08-14T12:41:09Z")
Hope it’s worth it to her to be on the wrong side of history. Now she’s permanently in the books forever in history as a bigot, officially recorded, no spinning, no take-backs. I’m sure it’s no solace now, but in 50 or 100 years, nobody is going to remember the gofundme or the religious objection or whatever. People will point to her as an example involving systemic racism in their textbooks of our time. They’ll remember a bigot refused to do her job and was then punished for it. Nobody is going to remember it as if she took a stand against something un-American, haha, nobody. Hope it was worth it! ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2015, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-rowan-county-ky-clerk-kim-davis/727757/32 "2015-08-14T12:51:43Z")
> [@Martin\_Hyde](#): > > The law firm is probably setting Kim Davis up for some jail time. The judge issued the order, and so far has not stayed it. If he agrees to stay it pending appeals then she’ll be fine to keep refusing to issue licenses. But, and I believe this is likely, if he doesn’t stay his ruling she’ll be found in contempt the first time the court has a chance to rule on the further refusals. Given this is the type of contempt in which the person “holds the keys to their cell” (i.e. they’ve been ordered to do something in their power that they refuse to do), she will then be jailed indefinitely until she complies. Yeah, that was my first thought. Contempt of federal court ought to change her tune right quick. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2015, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-rowan-county-ky-clerk-kim-davis/727757/33 "2015-08-14T12:54:07Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Elect a new one, this one’s broken. I think there are way too many political officers who are democratically elected. Clerks, judges, school officials should be appointed, not elected. ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2015, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-rowan-county-ky-clerk-kim-davis/727757/34 "2015-08-14T13:08:05Z")
Hey, it just occurred to me that the County Clerk was an **elected** official. It’s a good thing I’m so fucking observant. Otherwise you all might be making the wrong assumptions. No…no…don’t thank me. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2015, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-rowan-county-ky-clerk-kim-davis/727757/35 "2015-08-14T14:06:19Z")
> [@ailetha](#): > > Hope it’s worth it to her to be on the wrong side of history. Now she’s permanently in the books forever in history as a bigot, officially recorded, no spinning, no take-backs. I’m sure it’s no solace now, but in 50 or 100 years, nobody is going to remember the gofundme or the religious objection or whatever. People will point to her as an example involving systemic racism in their textbooks of our time. They’ll remember a bigot refused to do her job and was then punished for it. Nobody is going to remember it as if she took a stand against something un-American, haha, nobody. Hope it was worth it! In her mind’s history book she will be a principled martyr. And that’s the only history book that matters to any of us, really. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2015, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-rowan-county-ky-clerk-kim-davis/727757/36 "2015-08-14T15:04:25Z")
> [@Human\_Action](#): > > Also, the bullshit law firm that’s propping all this up is based in [Florida](http://www.lc.org/index.cfm?pid=14097), not the Commonwealth. At least there’s that. Nitpick: Liberty Counsel isn’t a law firm. It’s an advocacy group that provides pro bono legal assistance, like the ACLU or Cato Institute. Except that unlike the ACLU it’s full of assholes. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2015, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-rowan-county-ky-clerk-kim-davis/727757/37 "2015-08-14T15:16:01Z")
Unfortunately, I expect that if she is jailed indefinitely on contempt charges, this will be a _CHRISTIAN HORROR STORY OF OPPRESSION AND TERROR_ and she’ll be held up as a martyr for her beliefs by those who call themselves “Christian” but don’t actually follow Christ. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2015, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-rowan-county-ky-clerk-kim-davis/727757/38 "2015-08-14T15:27:30Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > Clerks, judges, school officials should be appointed, not elected. Awesome idea. Then when some Republicans get in power they can appoint for life good Christian Republicans who will show them gays what for. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2015, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-rowan-county-ky-clerk-kim-davis/727757/39 "2015-08-14T15:28:28Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Unfortunately, I expect that if she is jailed indefinitely on contempt charges, this will be a _CHRISTIAN HORROR STORY OF OPPRESSION AND TERROR_ and she’ll be held up as a martyr for her beliefs by those who call themselves “Christian” but don’t actually follow Christ. “What part of ‘render unto Caesar’ don’t you understand, bitches” - Jesus ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2015, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-rowan-county-ky-clerk-kim-davis/727757/40 "2015-08-14T17:36:49Z")
> [@MsRobyn](#): > > Some right-wingers will start a Go Fund Me to raise the money to pay her fines. Or some organization will write the check for her. There’s no way she can lose because either she becomes a martyr for the cause by going to jail, or she won’t have to pay any fines out of her own pocket and she’ll still be a martyr for the cause and allow her contributors to feel good about themselves. > > The only way she can possibly lose is if she’s removed from office and barred from holding any other elected or civil service position. No doubt. But the what I had in mind was: > [@Chimera](#): > > Unfortunately, I expect that if she is jailed indefinitely on contempt charges, this will be a _CHRISTIAN HORROR STORY OF OPPRESSION AND TERROR_ and she’ll be held up as a martyr for her beliefs by those who call themselves “Christian” but don’t actually follow Christ. I’m thinking in terms of spin, here. “CAST INTO PRISON FOR HER BELIEFS!” makes for a better CBN headline than “FORCED TO START A GOFUNDME CAMPAIGN FOR HER BELIEFS!” A persecution narrative is inevitable; a fine rather than jail time makes it less impressive. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-rowan-county-ky-clerk-kim-davis/727757.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-you-rowan-county-ky-clerk-kim-davis/727757.md?page=3)