Sad to see it’s happening here, but that makes it even more important to mention that in Prince Albert:
Marriage Commissioner Orville Nichols is suing the Saskatchewan government after being fined $2,500 by a Saskatchewan human rights tribunal for refusing to perform a same-sex “marriage.”
First off, I hate those quotes around marriage. May as well put them around phrases like gay “rights” too. Like they’re all pretend, or a joke.
Mr. Nichols has been a marriage commissioner since 1983 and his belief in the importance of marriage has led him in the past to refuse some couples seeking even natural marriage who, he said, did not take it seriously enough. He has argued that those commissioners appointed before same-sex “marriage” became legal should be exempted from performing homosexual “wedding” ceremonies.
There are those fucking quotes again. Using his logic, then anyone who became a judge before certain laws were passed wouldn’t have to consider them in the court room. Imagine the mess that would cause.
When two men asked him to “marry” them in 2005, Mr. Nichols told them that he could not perform a same-sex ceremony because it conflicted with his religious beliefs; he instead referred them to another commissioner who performed the ceremony on the same date the homosexuals requested of Mr. Nichols.
Okay, so at least he didn’t denounce them as sinners and then stone them to death.
The tribunal said in its ruling in May that Mr. Nichols had contravened section 31.4(b) of the Saskatchewan Human Rights Code and that his refusal based on religious belief conflicted with his duties as a public officer. “The Commission stands by its position that to allow public officials to insert their personal morality when determining who should and who should not receive the benefit of law undermines human rights in Saskatchewan beyond the issue of same-sex marriages.“
I added the emphasis. I think that’s important to uphold, and I’m glad the guy got dinged for it. Of course, he doesn’t think that’s fair. They’re stomping on all of his precious bigoted beliefs by insisting he do his job no matter who hires him. His lawyer, Philip Fourie, thinks he should be allowed to pass over the gays and just do the marriage ceremonies he likes.
It’s cliche to compare homosexuality to race or ethnicity, but it works. He’d never dare pass on a marriage because people were “of colour” or something. But he wants a pass because he’s devout.
Fourie criticized Premier Brad Wall and the Saskatchewan Party for at first condemning the former NDP government’s position in favor of same-sex “marriage” and stating they would support marriage commissioners in refusing to perform homosexual “weddings,” and then doing nothing when they came to power in the last election.
“The government promised to be different but they are not acting any differently at all on this issue,” Fourie said in a Canwest report. “The pendulum has swung too far in favour of same-sex people and against people of faith. What is next? Will the government be invading churches … and forcing pastors and ministers and priests in churches to perform same-sex marriage ceremonies?”
Yeah, well, I’m sure Brad Wall promised all sorts of things to get into power. Isn’t that what politicians do? They’ll promise anything for votes. Doesn’t mean they could actually do any of it.
I don’t like the pendulum analogy because the very nature of a pendulum is to swing back and that’s the last thing we need. Avalanches of support? No, better to think of something that doesn’t sound like the fight for gay rights is akin to a natural disaster. I’m at a loss to think of something right now, though.
The case goes to court in Prince Albert on December 23rd. I’ll post about this again when there’s an update.
