- Oct 29, 2003
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http://www.the33tv.com/news/kdaf-lesbian-wedding-controversy-in-rural-texas-20120716,0,658864.story
There is nothing illegal, unethical, or impractical about a lesbian wedding ceremony that the state was never asked to sanction.
Marriage ceremonies can involve lots of people, lots of drinking, and the potential for unrest... but that's true of all weddings, not just homosexual ones. The public safety argument is ridiculous, given that heterosexual weddings have been permitted in this exact same venue.
GRAHAM, Texas Graham, Texas is home to nearly 9,000 people. It's the heart of Young County, and, now, also, a big controversy.
It's all over one word: wedding.
"If they had called it something different, it probably would have been all right," Golden Elkins, of Graham.
"If two people want to stand up and pledge their love for each other, whether it has any legal standing in Texas or not, why do you get to decide that they can't do that?" said Kay Berru, of Graham.
In June, the county received an application to rent out a part of Fort Belknap. The application said it was for a wedding.
"There's been weddings out there, heterosexual weddings," said Young County Judge John Bullock.
The application was from a lesbian couple. Because Texas does not recognize marriage between same-sex couples, the 'wedding' would not have been considered a legal marriage. Even so, once Bullock found out the application was from two women, he denied the request.
"I didn't think it was in the best interest of the fort or of Young County," said Bullock.
He says he was trying to avoid a controversy, but in a 4-to-1 vote the commissioners overturned his decision.
"We all know that marriage is between one man and one woman. Even though it may say wedding, this is just a ceremonial process. It's nothing legally binding. It's just like a group of family or friends going out there, and you're denying access to public property," said commissioner Stacey Rogers.
"The court basically said, 'have whatever ceremony you want out there,'" said Bullock.
At the next commissioners meeting, Bullock submitted, for a vote, policy changes to allow the commissioners' court to restrict the use of county-owned buildings.
It said, in part, the county could deny access if the use or activity is not "legal, ethical, or practical" or "in conflict with the Constitutions of this Nation or the great State of Texas." Another policy change would require a copy of Marriage License to reserve Fort Belknap for "ceremonies involving weddings, marriages, or any other nuptial activity."
Monday, the commissioners said the proposed changes were vague, and would leave the county open to a lawsuit.
"You shouldn't create policy as law with vague terminology like that. That's why it was voted down," said Rogers.
"Anything the county judge wants, they oppose. and that's just wrong," said Elkins.
In the end, the couple decided to have their ceremony elsewhere. They asked that we not identify them for this story.
There is nothing illegal, unethical, or impractical about a lesbian wedding ceremony that the state was never asked to sanction.
Marriage ceremonies can involve lots of people, lots of drinking, and the potential for unrest... but that's true of all weddings, not just homosexual ones. The public safety argument is ridiculous, given that heterosexual weddings have been permitted in this exact same venue.