Wanted: True Friends of Religious Liberty
William Penn once said, "A true friend freely, advises justly, assists readily, adventures boldly, takes all patiently, defends courageously, and continues a friend unchangeably."
People of faith that have sincere religious objections to same-sex marriage have every reason to question whether they have a friend in the Governor's office, and, perhaps in certain lawmakers.
Recently, North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory vetoed SB 2 – Magistrates Recusal for Civil Ceremonies. The bill simply establishes procedures that magistrates may recuse themselves from performing all lawful marriages, based upon a sincerely held religious objection. The same accommodation would be made for assistant register of deeds and deputy register of deeds. The recusal would be for a minimum of six months and would continue until rescinded in writing. Officials recusing themselves would not be subject to disciplinary actions or prosecution.
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The legislation became necessary after federal court rulings knocked down the state's constitutional amendment defining marriage as one man and one woman, forcing same-sex marriage on a citizenry that voted to uphold the traditional understanding of the sacred institution by 61 percent.
Subsequently, at least sixteen magistrates resigned their posts. Eight were known to have resigned because they felt their faith prohibited them from performing gay nuptials. Time Warner Cable News reported more resigned for the same reason, but didn't want to publicly admit to it for fear of retribution.
The state's Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) could have easily remedied the situation by simply providing a religious accommodation. Instead, the AOC sent out a memo to magistrates and register of deeds that if they were unwilling to conform, they could be subject to suspension, firing, or even criminal prosecution.
SB 2 passed in the N.C. Senate by a wide margin of 32-16. In the House the vote was 67-43. The governor's reasoning he said for vetoing the measure was, "We are a nation and a state of laws. Whether it is the president, governor, mayor, a law enforcement officer or magistrate, no public official who voluntarily swears to support and defend the Constitution and to discharge all duties of their office should be exempt from upholding that oath."
But that's just it, the Governor's veto brings into question whether he is a friend of the law, the U.S. Constitution, or the state's constitution.
