Saturday, May 10, 2014

Arkansas Enters The Century of the Anchovy


Kristin Seaton, Jennifer Rambo

Yesterday here in Arkansas, Judge Chris Piazza ruled our ban against Same-Sex marriage unconstitutional.

Not just no, Piazza said, but hells no.

"This is an unconstitutional attempt to narrow the definition of equality," he wrote. "The exclusion of a minority for no rational reason is a dangerous precedent."

And all through the land, there was much rejoicing.  We heard via FB that Eureka Springs would be issuing marriage licenses on Saturday morning*  and one of my students (Jennifer Rambo -- she's been featured in every news outlet in the country at this point, I believe) and her sweetie left Fort Smith right then, reaching Eureka Springs at two a.m. 

It was a bit tense for a while, I understand, as the first clerk on duty refused to issue them a license; but a second showed up and gave them one, and within an hour after the office opened, they were the first couple to gay-marry in the old South.

I gotta tell you, if you had told me even a year ago that Arkansas would be the first state in the South to make it across this line?  Nah.  Never.

Hot diggity!


*Most county office in Arkansas are only open week days, but Eureka Springs, being a big tourist town, has weekend hours for those who want to marry on the weekend.




2 comments:

Fie upon this quiet life! said...

Wow! Go Arkansas! If it can happen there, it can happen here and maybe anywhere! That's awesome!

Bardiac said...

Felicitations to your student, and congratulations to Arkansas!

I wish my state would follow!