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Davis’ arrest justifiable

Shannon Wampler-Collins, left, and Carmen Wampler-Collins speak to the media after obtaining a marriage license at the Rowan County Courthouse on Sept. 14, 2015 in Morehead, Ky. Carmen Wampler-Collins and Shannon Wamper-Collins were the first couple to marry while Kim Davis was back at work. (Pablo Alcala/Lexington Herald-Leader/TNS)

Written by Austin Wells, Staff Editor

As many of you already know, Kim Davis, a county clerk of Rowan County in Kentucky, was arrested for refusing to issue any marriage licenses to any couple because of the Supreme Court decision to allow same-sex couples to be married. Did she deserve to get arrested for it, though?

The answer is a resounding yes. Now, it doesn’t matter what religion you choose to believe in, if you choose to believe one at all. That’s one of the beauties of the first amendment—freedom of religion.

However, a religion or belief should never have to impact someone else’s beliefs or their lives, and Kim Davis’s decision to act “under God’s authority” is doing just that. By refusing to give out marriage licenses to any couple because of one type of couple that she didn’t agree with, she not only infringed upon same-sex couples’ rights to get married, but the rights of opposite-sex couples as well, all because she was unhappy about a new law.

A religion or belief should never interfere with a person’s job or duty either, especially when that person (Kim Davis) is an elected government official. While I don’t agree with her views, Davis has the right to express her belief that same-sex marriage should not be allowed.

However, she is an elected county clerk working for the government which means that she must follow all laws. Davis allowed her personal beliefs to interfere with her job and ultimately interfere with all people’s right to marry.

It was right for her to get arrested for contempt of court, and by refusing to do one of the duties she was elected to do, it would be right for her to lose her job as well.

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