Thousands rally in support of Rowan clerk

FRANKFORT, Ky. A fiery crowd of thousands poured onto the Capitol lawn Saturday, espousing Bible verses and roaring praise for three Kentucky county clerks who have refused marriage licenses for same-sex couples despite the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling.

Christian supporters apparently traveled from across the state – many arriving on buses – as conservative advocates and lawmakers pledged to back efforts that would shield county clerks who have denied licenses on religious grounds.

Among them is Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis, who, in a tearful but fervid voice, urged the crowd to pray and “continue to stand firm in what we believe."

"God is alive, and he is on the throne,” she shouted to cheers.

Casey County Clerk Casey Davis vowed that he is not ready to quit office and called on supporters to fight at the ballot box.

“I believe that there is enough power and voice in these people right here that we can put God back in government where he belongs,” he said. “Some people would argue about the separation of church and state. … When did our state need more church in it than it does today?”

Both clerks, who are unrelated, have denied licenses to all couples since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June that same-gender partners have a fundamental right to marry. Whitley County Clerk Kay Schwartz has adopted a similar stance.

A federal judge has issued an injunction against Kim Davis, ruling that clerks are only asked to verify that information on the license is correct, not approve the marriages on religious grounds. The judge wrote that Davis' religious beliefs have no bearing on the task, but Davis is appealing the decision.

Meanwhile, Chris Hartman, director of the Fairness Campaign, called Saturday’s rally “political saber rattling” and said groups like The Family Foundation, which organized the event, have done a good job of convincing people that their rights are under attack.

“It’s hurtful,” he said. “Separate has never been equal, and to be denied the same right that other folks enjoy … makes us feel attacked and makes Kentucky look very bad. The Kentucky of Kim Davis is not the Kentucky that the majority of folks live in and call home.”

Hartman argued that elected officials have sworn an oath to uphold the constitution and must treat everyone equally under the law.

But for two hours Saturday, speakers took shots at Gov. Steve Beshear and charged that religious liberty and freedom of conscience are at stake if clerks are required to issue the forms. Several Republican lawmakers promised to support legislation next year to change the licensing process or exempt clerks.

“Clerks' lives matter. Christian lives matter. Religious liberty matters. The inalienable rights of every single American matter,” Republican gubernatorial candidate Matt Bevin said at one point.

He warned that religious liberties are facing oppression and “the limit of what they will accomplish is determined by your willingness to resist.”

Norman Bledsoe was one of many who stood in the crowd holding a sign with a Bible verse. He said he traveled with a group from Whitley County because he believes that it’s time for Christians to stand up for the faith. Same-sex marriage “is sin, and it’s wrong, and our government has made a law against God,” he said.

One man dressed in a sack cloth tried to proselytize in the middle of the crowd about divorce, and a car parked near the Capitol was decorated with both a Christian flag and an upside-down American flag. Others waved signs that simply read “freedom of religion.”

Kent Ostrander, head of The Family Foundation, said that the rally was not intended to bash the Supreme Court or spread anti-gay messages, but rather to uphold the First Amendment and freedom of conscience.

“We are not perfect, but we are a light to the nations, and our light grows dim when we allow the First Amendment to be infringed in any way,” he told the crowd.

However, Hartman said the foundation and similar groups are in a desperate attempt to remain relevant in a world that has become more inclusive. And he challenged the idea that the rally was not anti-gay.

“You can’t advocate for disparate treatment of LGBT people and then claim that you love and respect them in the same light,” he said. “That’s not logic.”

At the same time as the Capitol rally, some were attending the Frankfort Fairness Celebration to mark the second anniversary of a local ordinance that prohibits discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals in employment, housing and public accommodations.

Hartman said about 200 people showed up, with kids dancing in the park with families. He called it “an ironic juxtaposition that there were angry protesters less than a mile away exposing beliefs that people should be discriminated against.”

Reporter Mike Wynn can be reached at (502) 875-5136. Follow him on Twitter at @MikeWynn_CJ.