Family Council Applauds Van Buren County Clerk
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, July 8, 2015
On Wednesday Family Council President Jerry Cox released a statement applauding Van Buren County clerk Pam Bradford for declining to issue same-sex marriage licenses in her county.
“No one loses their First Amendment freedoms by becoming a public official,” Cox said. “The First Amendment prevents the government from forcing people to violate their deeply-held religious convictions. A person does not lose any freedom by serving as a county clerk.
“It is good to know there are competent legal advocacy organizations that are ready and willing, at no charge, to defend county clerks and others who do not want to violate their conscience by issuing a same-sex marriage license.”
Cox said he believes it is up to each individual county clerk to decide whether he or she will issue same-sex marriage licenses. “This boils down to personal conviction. I realize not every person in Arkansas shares the same convictions, but we all share a right to live according to our convictions. America has shown a great deal of respect for that right in the past, and I hope we continue to do so in the future.”
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