First court case in France over gay marriage

[Askold]

http://www.euronews.com/2013/06/26/gay-couple-sues-french-mayor-over-refusal-to-wed-them/

In France weddings are either conducted by the mayor or his/her deputies at the city hall. Now one mayor had refused to marry a gay couple and is preventing the ceremony from happening. As a result the couple have taken him to court over the matter.

A refusal to comply with the gay marriage law could mean Colo faced up to five years in jail and a fine of up to 75,000 euros ($98,000).

Another mayor of a small town has also refused to marry gay couples but he does not try to stop them from happening, he merely delegates them to his deputies. (I actually think that this is a good compromise from him. At least he is willing to obey the law even if he disagrees with it.)

[mellenORL]

The couples' local tax payments also help supply his salary. If the fiddler is paid, but just won't play, let the piper take over the gig.

He clearly just wants to look like a "hero" or a "martyr" to the conservatives there.

[shykid]

http://www.euronews.com/2013/06/26/gay-couple-sues-french-mayor-over-refusal-to-wed-them/

In France weddings are either conducted by the mayor or his/her deputies at the city hall. Now one mayor had refused to marry a gay couple and is preventing the ceremony from happening. As a result the couple have taken him to court over the matter.

A refusal to comply with the gay marriage law could mean Colo faced up to five years in jail and a fine of up to 75,000 euros ($98,000).

Another mayor of a small town has also refused to marry gay couples but he does not try to stop them from happening, he merely delegates them to his deputies. (I actually think that this is a good compromise from him. At least he is willing to obey the law even if he disagrees with it.)

Cue "Ils m'ont mis à la porte à cause de mes croyances religieuses!!" in trois, deux...

At least the virtues of their language makes French fundies sound mildly classier.

...on second thought, no. It doesn't.

[Sylvana]

Another mayor of a small town has also refused to marry gay couples but he does not try to stop them from happening, he merely delegates them to his deputies. (I actually think that this is a good compromise from him. At least he is willing to obey the law even if he disagrees with it.)

I have never understood that compromise. What if the mayor and the deputies refuse? Who is the one who is ultimately going to get stuck with violating the marriage act? I personally believe that if it is your job as a civil servant to do something, then you have to do it regardless of your personal beliefs. If not, then then you should be forced to resign.

[Canadian Mojo]

Another mayor of a small town has also refused to marry gay couples but he does not try to stop them from happening, he merely delegates them to his deputies. (I actually think that this is a good compromise from him. At least he is willing to obey the law even if he disagrees with it.)

I have never understood that compromise. What if the mayor and the deputies refuse? Who is the one who is ultimately going to get stuck with violating the marriage act? I personally believe that if it is your job as a civil servant to do something, then you have to do it regardless of your personal beliefs. If not, then then you should be forced to resign.

Look at it like requiring government services in different languages; you have to ensure that the organization has to have the ability to but not everyone in the office needs to be bilingual. If the mayor can provide a surrogate then everything is fine, but ultimately it should be the mayor's responsibility to ensure that the service will be provided and will face the music alone if they aren't. (How the law actually views this, I don't know)