Dum Spiro Spero
November 19, 2014 7:05 AM Subscribe
South Carolina saw its first same-sex marriages today, in Charleston. The first license was issued to Colleen Condon and Nichols Bleckley; the first ceremony saw Kayla Bennett and Kristin Anderson married (vine). Licenses were issued last month, but a stay was issued by the state Supreme Court after a move by the governor and attorney general. An order by 4th circuit judge Richard Gergel yesterday was not stayed.
In a related decision, a judge in Columbia ruled in favor of a couple fighting to have their existing marriage, from Washington, D.C., recognized in South Carolina.
South Carolina marks the last state in the 4th district to begin marrying same-sex couples. This is not the Palmetto State's first time being fashionably late to a marriage equality debate; the state passed a referendum removing its interracial marriage ban from the books in 1998 with a 61.9% majority.
In a related decision, a judge in Columbia ruled in favor of a couple fighting to have their existing marriage, from Washington, D.C., recognized in South Carolina.
South Carolina marks the last state in the 4th district to begin marrying same-sex couples. This is not the Palmetto State's first time being fashionably late to a marriage equality debate; the state passed a referendum removing its interracial marriage ban from the books in 1998 with a 61.9% majority.
It amuses me that this is in the sidebar of the "Meanwhile in Kansas" link.
WE MUST DENY SAME-SEX PARTNERS TO PRESERVE THE SANCTITY OF HETEROSEXUAL MARRIAGES LIKE... er... um...
posted by delfin at 8:05 AM on November 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
WE MUST DENY SAME-SEX PARTNERS TO PRESERVE THE SANCTITY OF HETEROSEXUAL MARRIAGES LIKE... er... um...
posted by delfin at 8:05 AM on November 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
It's a great day in South Carolina!
posted by octobersurprise at 8:11 AM on November 19, 2014 [4 favorites]
posted by octobersurprise at 8:11 AM on November 19, 2014 [4 favorites]
It's a great day in South Carolina!
True that, and despite the record cold this mornin'.
Can anyone help me understand how it works that the statute/constitution gets changed in the wake of a decision like this? I suppose that if the state simply stops enforcing, nobody has any standing to bring any kind of lawsuit and so the law doesn't change until people get around to removing the language for its own sake? I ask because I had been thinking it would be nice when the ugly (and repetitive!) exclusionary language is gone from the statute, but I guess that might take 30 years.
posted by ftm at 8:23 AM on November 19, 2014
True that, and despite the record cold this mornin'.
Can anyone help me understand how it works that the statute/constitution gets changed in the wake of a decision like this? I suppose that if the state simply stops enforcing, nobody has any standing to bring any kind of lawsuit and so the law doesn't change until people get around to removing the language for its own sake? I ask because I had been thinking it would be nice when the ugly (and repetitive!) exclusionary language is gone from the statute, but I guess that might take 30 years.
posted by ftm at 8:23 AM on November 19, 2014
To my fellow Kansans who are wasting our state's dwindling resources trying to delay the advent of marriage equality here:
History is going to blow past you like you weren't even there. Because you weren't.
posted by S'Tella Fabula at 8:53 AM on November 19, 2014 [2 favorites]
History is going to blow past you like you weren't even there. Because you weren't.
posted by S'Tella Fabula at 8:53 AM on November 19, 2014 [2 favorites]
Welp, I can get married now. This is a weird feeling. I have to figure out when the mister and I can both get off work to make it down to the courthouse.
Also, fuck Nikki Haley and (especially) AG Alan Wilson. They've vowed to keep fighting all the way to the Supreme Court, because that will do so much good for so many people in the state.
Also: Hey that's my friend officiating in that vine! I'd heard he was going down there but didn't know what was going to happen.
posted by This Guy at 9:11 AM on November 19, 2014 [11 favorites]
Also, fuck Nikki Haley and (especially) AG Alan Wilson. They've vowed to keep fighting all the way to the Supreme Court, because that will do so much good for so many people in the state.
Also: Hey that's my friend officiating in that vine! I'd heard he was going down there but didn't know what was going to happen.
posted by This Guy at 9:11 AM on November 19, 2014 [11 favorites]
That vine video is adorable. Congratulations to the happy couple! This warms up a wintry morning very nicely.
posted by arcticseal at 9:13 AM on November 19, 2014
posted by arcticseal at 9:13 AM on November 19, 2014
I remain in shock that we got the right before Georgia did. I mean, I know it wasn't us--lord knows you do not want the people of SC voting on basic human rights issues--but still, take that, my stuck-up neighbors to the west!
posted by mittens at 9:16 AM on November 19, 2014 [5 favorites]
posted by mittens at 9:16 AM on November 19, 2014 [5 favorites]
Heck, mittens, I'm still surprised that SSM was legalized here in Virginia! (I'm just glad we came in well ahead of Texas.... coming after Texas would have been embarrassing, for sure.)
Congrats to SC!
posted by easily confused at 9:20 AM on November 19, 2014
Congrats to SC!
posted by easily confused at 9:20 AM on November 19, 2014
Whooo hoooo! Anybody want to get married? I'm armed with a notary's license and determined to use it soon.
posted by lesli212 at 9:29 AM on November 19, 2014 [6 favorites]
posted by lesli212 at 9:29 AM on November 19, 2014 [6 favorites]
Wait, can I do weddings with my notary license? Why was I not informed of this additional superpower of the notary public?
posted by sonascope at 9:38 AM on November 19, 2014
posted by sonascope at 9:38 AM on November 19, 2014
Oh, dang. This is not a superpower of Maryland notaries. Boo.
posted by sonascope at 9:39 AM on November 19, 2014
posted by sonascope at 9:39 AM on November 19, 2014
Yeah... there's only 3 states where notaries can marry people. I'm not sure if that makes SC ahead of the curve or, well... I'll just note that one of the other states is FL.
posted by lesli212 at 9:41 AM on November 19, 2014
posted by lesli212 at 9:41 AM on November 19, 2014
Ah, South Carolina, place of my birth, dragged kickin' and screamin' into the 21st century. It's about fucking time! I hope every courthouse in the state is overrun for months with happy same sex couples exercising their long overdue right.
posted by hangingbyathread at 9:56 AM on November 19, 2014
posted by hangingbyathread at 9:56 AM on November 19, 2014
I'm not sure if that makes SC ahead of the curve or, well...
In addition to your note, the statute is very oddly restrictive:
Only ministers of the Gospel, Jewish rabbis, officers authorized to administer oaths in this State, and the chief or spiritual leader of a Native American Indian entity recognized by the South Carolina Commission for Minority Affairs pursuant to Section 1-31-40 are authorized to administer a marriage ceremony in this State.
It's also hilarious that it notes that: a man can't marry another man; a woman can't marry another woman; oh, and you also can't marry someone of the same sex, in case that wasn't clear. Don't try marrying you're wife's mother, either.
My wife is a notary as well, as an admin at the court. In fact I had the privilege to be married by a state supreme court justice who then dropped a princess bride reference in his speech.
posted by ftm at 10:08 AM on November 19, 2014 [2 favorites]
In addition to your note, the statute is very oddly restrictive:
Only ministers of the Gospel, Jewish rabbis, officers authorized to administer oaths in this State, and the chief or spiritual leader of a Native American Indian entity recognized by the South Carolina Commission for Minority Affairs pursuant to Section 1-31-40 are authorized to administer a marriage ceremony in this State.
It's also hilarious that it notes that: a man can't marry another man; a woman can't marry another woman; oh, and you also can't marry someone of the same sex, in case that wasn't clear. Don't try marrying you're wife's mother, either.
My wife is a notary as well, as an admin at the court. In fact I had the privilege to be married by a state supreme court justice who then dropped a princess bride reference in his speech.
posted by ftm at 10:08 AM on November 19, 2014 [2 favorites]
Was your mawwiage a bwessed event?
posted by sonascope at 10:11 AM on November 19, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by sonascope at 10:11 AM on November 19, 2014 [3 favorites]
I assume you had da wing.
posted by Twain Device at 10:27 AM on November 19, 2014
posted by Twain Device at 10:27 AM on November 19, 2014
ftm: Only ministers of the Gospel, Jewish rabbis, officers authorized to administer oaths in this State, and the chief or spiritual leader of a Native American Indian entity recognized by the South Carolina Commission for Minority Affairs pursuant to Section 1-31-40 are authorized to administer a marriage ceremony in this State.Forget "oddly restrictive", that's blatantly violating the Second Amendment.
I'm not surprised, sadly, but it is stupidly worded by stupid people who stupid stupid stupid.
posted by IAmBroom at 12:09 PM on November 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
Wait, what? If you're not Christian (or Christian enough), Jewish, or Native American, you can't use religious authority to perform a civilly recognized wedding in SC? Wow, that's BS. Do Unitarians count? I'm sure Universal Life ministers don't. Probably no Imams either.
posted by lesli212 at 12:12 PM on November 19, 2014
posted by lesli212 at 12:12 PM on November 19, 2014
Forget "oddly restrictive", that's blatantly violating the Second Amendment.
How did guns get dragged into this?
posted by dortmunder at 12:19 PM on November 19, 2014 [2 favorites]
How did guns get dragged into this?
posted by dortmunder at 12:19 PM on November 19, 2014 [2 favorites]
I think it's probably not enforced as such, just as the part about not marrying someone of the same gender is no longer enforceable. This isn't quite as cute or funny as those laws about not playing marbles in the town square before noon on Sunday, but I suspect - without much basis - that it's in the same state of obsolescence.
posted by ftm at 1:30 PM on November 19, 2014
posted by ftm at 1:30 PM on November 19, 2014
Federal judge strikes down Montana same-sex marriage ban
No stay, ruling takes effect immediately
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 1:52 PM on November 19, 2014 [4 favorites]
No stay, ruling takes effect immediately
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 1:52 PM on November 19, 2014 [4 favorites]
In other splendid news: The National Organization for Marriage Has Collapsed Into Debt
On Wednesday, the viciously anti-gay National Organization for Marriage finally released its 2013 tax filings—two days late, in direct violation of federal law. The results are nothing short of brutal. NOM raised $5.1 million last year—a 50 percent drop-off from its 2012 earnings. Two donors accounted for more than half of that money. And the group’s “Education Fund,” which churns out anti-gay propaganda and homophobic calumny, raised less than $1.7 million, a 70 percent decline from 2012. NOM closed out the year more than $2.5 million in debt.posted by rtha at 7:18 PM on November 19, 2014 [3 favorites]
I do so enjoy SC's one (of two!) official mottos: Dum Spiro Spero -- While I breathe, I hope. I have many times considered getting it emblazoned under my skin as a pleasant reminder of my one-time home state and I'm happy to see you wove it into this post that includes some long-awaited news that also makes me happy.
posted by 1f2frfbf at 8:27 PM on November 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by 1f2frfbf at 8:27 PM on November 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
We need to ban gay rights in Georgia to protect the sanctity of Newt Gingrich's third marriage.
posted by PenDevil at 10:35 PM on November 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by PenDevil at 10:35 PM on November 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
Come on, Georgia! It's looking like Mississippi might even beat you to it.
Whatev. Getting married next October even if we have to do it in North Augusta. *shudder*
posted by robstercraw at 10:22 AM on November 20, 2014 [1 favorite]
Whatev. Getting married next October even if we have to do it in North Augusta. *shudder*
posted by robstercraw at 10:22 AM on November 20, 2014 [1 favorite]
Update time!
We went down to the courthouse to fill out our marriage license application this morning. It was wholly unremarkable for what felt like such an historic moment. The only weirdness was grabbing the clipboard filled with applications (which still had "Groom" and "Bride" sections), filling it out with some cross outs, and going up to the counter. At which point, the woman behind the desk looked at us like we were idiots and said "oh you filled out the wrong one" and gave us the EXACT SAME APPLICATION to fill out again, except this one had "Applicant #1" and "Applicant #2". So we dutifully went back to fill out the same information in the same spots on a different piece of paper. Then when we had to actually sign the printed up application thing to get notarized or whatever, it still had "Bride" and "Groom" so I'm not really clear on what the purpose was of the different handwritten application forms.
posted by This Guy at 11:32 AM on November 24, 2014 [2 favorites]
We went down to the courthouse to fill out our marriage license application this morning. It was wholly unremarkable for what felt like such an historic moment. The only weirdness was grabbing the clipboard filled with applications (which still had "Groom" and "Bride" sections), filling it out with some cross outs, and going up to the counter. At which point, the woman behind the desk looked at us like we were idiots and said "oh you filled out the wrong one" and gave us the EXACT SAME APPLICATION to fill out again, except this one had "Applicant #1" and "Applicant #2". So we dutifully went back to fill out the same information in the same spots on a different piece of paper. Then when we had to actually sign the printed up application thing to get notarized or whatever, it still had "Bride" and "Groom" so I'm not really clear on what the purpose was of the different handwritten application forms.
posted by This Guy at 11:32 AM on November 24, 2014 [2 favorites]
Also there was a couple of guys who were apparently from the upstate who were waiting for somebody to actually perform the ceremony for them there. An older judge (or some other officiant, presumably) came out and looked just SO EXCITED AND HAPPY to be there doing this for them. It was great.
posted by This Guy at 11:34 AM on November 24, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by This Guy at 11:34 AM on November 24, 2014 [2 favorites]
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