Kentucky may be one the most crimson-laden states on the political map but a new ruling from a federal judge is giving the land of bluegrass and KFC and heavy dose of liberalism, welcomed or not.
Their state ban of same-sex marriages is being billed as “unconstitutional” and will be lifted as of today, February 12.
Reports the AP:
In a 23-page ruling, U.S. District Judge John G. Heyburn II concluded that the government may define marriage and attach benefits to it, but cannot “impose a traditional or faith-based limitation” without a sufficient justification for it.”
“Assigning a religious or traditional rationale for a law does not make it constitutional when that law discriminates against a class of people without other reasons,” Heyburn wrote.
The decision came in lawsuits brought by three gay couples and one lesbian couple seeking to force the state to recognize their out-of-state marriages.
Naturally there was opposition, namely the Kentucky Baptist Convention, a 750K congregation whose leader Paul Chitwood called the ruling, “tragic and disappointing,” but the law is here to stay.
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Photo: Aaron Borton/The (Louisville, Ky.) Courier-Journal
