Local Justice of the Peace to Stop Performing Weddings
A local Justice of the Peace has declared he will stop doing weddings as a result of the Supreme Court’s recent ruling to allow same-sex marriage across the country.
Jim Hansen released a statement on Monday, June 29, to KAMC news that said in part:
"My understanding of the Supreme Court decision regarding same sex marriage is that I have two options. I can either perform all weddings, including same sex marriages, or I can no longer perform any weddings. The statutes say a Justice of the Peace may perform marriages, it does not say shall. For personal religious reasons, I have decided to no longer perform wedding ceremonies effective immediately."
Hansen would go on to say this is not a decision he is making out of anger, hate, or fear of the homosexual community, but rather a decision influenced by his religious rights protected under the U.S. Constitution.