Roy S. Moore has been campaigning for years, and has finally been awarded the title of “Most Homophobic Man in America.” Moore is the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the state of Alabama, so it is not a big surprise. A judiciary committee has filed charges against Moore claiming he “flagrantly disregarded and abused his authority” in ordering the state’s probate judges to refuse applications for marriage licenses by same-sex couples. Moore had previously been ordered to comply with the decision of the Supreme Court of the United States; he refused, and has now been suspended.

Moore will likely face a hearing before the Court of the Judiciary, and faces the possibility of being removed from office.

“We intend to fight this agenda vigorously and expect to prevail,” Chief Justice Moore said in a statement.

My difficulty with this situation is multi-level. Moore is holding his personal beliefs above the law of the land. He is an elected official who swore an oath to support the Constitution, and the laws of the state of Alabama. If he chooses to ignore his ‘job description,’ he must resign or be removed from office.

Moore claims that his refusal to allow same-sex marriage is based on his religious beliefs. Really? If you truly believe in the teachings of Jesus Christ, you cannot be judgmental or express hatred towards your fellow man. More importantly, religion must be eliminated from our governments at all levels. The Christian religious right has been allowed to influence our laws, and is in direct opposition to our Constitution.

Moore is simply a criminal. His support of the few and denial of the rights of the majority is against many laws. He must be severely punished.

Seldom do corrupt politicians receive sufficient punishment for their crimes; they are considered ‘above the law.’ Our nation’s judicial system needs reform. Our laws must apply equally to all of our nation’s people, regardless of their status or wealth. Leniency must be the exception, and not the rule for those who live lives of privilege.

Our elected officials must serve the people, not rule over them. Moore is a prime example of the worst of America. Time for him to go.

Op-Ed

By James Turnage

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Photo Courtesy of JDHRosewater

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