Ministers Charged for Marrying N.Y. Gays

[rodbarnett]

KINGSTON, N.Y. (AP)--Two Unitarian Universalist ministers were charged Monday for marrying 13 same-sex couples, thrusting the clergy into the legal battle over gay marriage in New York.

Ministers Kay Greenleaf and Dawn Sangrey were charged with multiple counts of solemnizing a marriage without a license, the same charges leveled against New Paltz Mayor Jason West who last month drew the state into the widening national debate over same-sex unions.

Ulster County District Attorney Donald Williams had said before Monday's charges were announced that it would be more difficult considering charges against clergy because the clergy had not sworn to uphold the law. The pair performed the weddings March 6.

Williams said last week that the deciding factor would be whether the weddings were simple religious ceremonies, such as Unitarian ministers had been performing for same-sex couples for years, or an attempt to solemnize civil marriages without a license.

http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/ap/ap_story.html/National/AP.V2370.AP-Gay-Marriage-NY.html

[Bertha Venation]

1. If these charges aren't thrown out, we had better start

the move to Canada or elsewhere en masse. They're going to have to start arresting and charging clergy of all faiths all across the country, because we've been married in churches for decades.

[saigon68]

2. No crime in Ulster County?

Ulster County District Attorney Donald Williams is a cretin. I wonder if he's more concerned with a PNAC position or "Real Justice"?

What an idiot.

[POed_Ex_Repub]

3. Looks like the civil rights movement all over again... n/t

[Dogmudgeon]

4. Felony solemnization?

I seem to recall reading something about not respecting an establishment of religion in one of our laws.

The Bill of Rights. Yeah, that's it.

--bkl

[saigon68]

5. Oh you mean the Amendments that actually confer rights?

Not like the Amendment CHIMPANZEE McSHRUB has in mind to restrict rights and freedoms !!!

[skippysmom]

6. I never thought I'd see the day

when marrying people was an arrestable offense.

[kayell]

7. Did they finally repeal the First Amendment and I missed it?

:nuke: :wtf: