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| 'His defense was word games': Alabama judge faces verdict in gay marriage case | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Lawyers and advocates leading the legal fight against same-sex marriage issued some of their last gasps around a Montgomery, Alabama courthouse on Wednesday. | Lawyers and advocates leading the legal fight against same-sex marriage issued some of their last gasps around a Montgomery, Alabama courthouse on Wednesday. |
| Inside, the lawyer for the Alabama supreme court chief justice, Roy Moore, argued that the judge did not really force anyone to do anything when he ordered county-level judges not to perform same-sex marriages even after the US supreme court had ruled the unions legal. | Inside, the lawyer for the Alabama supreme court chief justice, Roy Moore, argued that the judge did not really force anyone to do anything when he ordered county-level judges not to perform same-sex marriages even after the US supreme court had ruled the unions legal. |
| Outside, Ambrosia Starling, a drag queen who has been dubbed Moore’s nemesis, stood opposite a row of opponents and prepared to celebrate Moore’s ousting from the court should he be sanctioned with the ethics charges he is facing. | Outside, Ambrosia Starling, a drag queen who has been dubbed Moore’s nemesis, stood opposite a row of opponents and prepared to celebrate Moore’s ousting from the court should he be sanctioned with the ethics charges he is facing. |
| The court of judiciary will probably render a verdict in the next few days in Moore’s trial to decide whether his fight against gay marriage was an abuse of power and should cost him is seat on the court. After the US supreme court ruled same-sex marriage legal, Moore sent an administrative order to the county-level judges throughout Alabama, telling them not to go against the state of Alabama’s own rulings prohibiting such marriages. Moore was part of a last-ditch effort in some states to block the legalization of same-sex marriages around the country. And for him, it ended with ethics charges that could cost him his job, though it might actually help him in a martyred run for governor. | The court of judiciary will probably render a verdict in the next few days in Moore’s trial to decide whether his fight against gay marriage was an abuse of power and should cost him is seat on the court. After the US supreme court ruled same-sex marriage legal, Moore sent an administrative order to the county-level judges throughout Alabama, telling them not to go against the state of Alabama’s own rulings prohibiting such marriages. Moore was part of a last-ditch effort in some states to block the legalization of same-sex marriages around the country. And for him, it ended with ethics charges that could cost him his job, though it might actually help him in a martyred run for governor. |
| To issue a command against issuing same-sex marriage licenses would be a plain breach of the US constitution’s supremacy clause, which establishes the pre-eminence of federal courts. That left Moore’s lawyers in contortions to explain what exactly his administrative order was. | To issue a command against issuing same-sex marriage licenses would be a plain breach of the US constitution’s supremacy clause, which establishes the pre-eminence of federal courts. That left Moore’s lawyers in contortions to explain what exactly his administrative order was. |
| “It’s called an order, but – it can’t force anyone to do anything,” attorney Mat Staver said. | “It’s called an order, but – it can’t force anyone to do anything,” attorney Mat Staver said. |
| “He has convicted himself with his own words,” said Richard Cohen, president of the Southern Poverty Law Center, outside the courthouse. “so his defense was just word games.” | “He has convicted himself with his own words,” said Richard Cohen, president of the Southern Poverty Law Center, outside the courthouse. “so his defense was just word games.” |
| The two camps of protesters outside the courthouse grew throughout the day, both in size and volume, and eventually a cluster of Alabama state troopers came and positioned themselves in the center. On each side de facto leaders took up bullhorns and blasted the space with overlapping passions. | The two camps of protesters outside the courthouse grew throughout the day, both in size and volume, and eventually a cluster of Alabama state troopers came and positioned themselves in the center. On each side de facto leaders took up bullhorns and blasted the space with overlapping passions. |
| On the rainbow side, Starling led followers in a chant: “Sinners hate. God doesn’t.” | On the rainbow side, Starling led followers in a chant: “Sinners hate. God doesn’t.” |
| On the placard side, self-described evangelist Alan Hoyle broadcast a stream of graphic anatomical descriptions: “The vagina is moist and warm and fits the man’s penis. The anus gives no pleasure. These men bleed. They bleed.” | On the placard side, self-described evangelist Alan Hoyle broadcast a stream of graphic anatomical descriptions: “The vagina is moist and warm and fits the man’s penis. The anus gives no pleasure. These men bleed. They bleed.” |
| Starling has emerged over the past two years as a gay rights leader in Alabama, and has become Moore’s leading opponent. He has called her a “professed transvestite”, and once said: “In 2013, if this would’ve happened then, this person and the people around her, or some of the people around her – him – would have been said to have a mental disorder.” | Starling has emerged over the past two years as a gay rights leader in Alabama, and has become Moore’s leading opponent. He has called her a “professed transvestite”, and once said: “In 2013, if this would’ve happened then, this person and the people around her, or some of the people around her – him – would have been said to have a mental disorder.” |
| Wednesday on the courthouse steps, Starling said she knew Moore might parlay a loss in his trial into a run for governor. But she didn’t care. “He must go. Alabama deserves better than this. The rule of law deserves better than this.” | Wednesday on the courthouse steps, Starling said she knew Moore might parlay a loss in his trial into a run for governor. But she didn’t care. “He must go. Alabama deserves better than this. The rule of law deserves better than this.” |
| Starling, for all her flamboyance, feels awkward in her role as the voice of a movement, but said she continues because her striking hair, makeup and figure catch people’s attention. | Starling, for all her flamboyance, feels awkward in her role as the voice of a movement, but said she continues because her striking hair, makeup and figure catch people’s attention. |
| On the opposing side, Hoyle seemed to have mastered a similar approach. He wore the beard of a prophet and a dazzling collection of electronic devices, and he carried a full-size aluminum flagpole and flag, which was so tall he appeared to be hugging an official installation on the courthouse steps. | On the opposing side, Hoyle seemed to have mastered a similar approach. He wore the beard of a prophet and a dazzling collection of electronic devices, and he carried a full-size aluminum flagpole and flag, which was so tall he appeared to be hugging an official installation on the courthouse steps. |
| “I feel sorry for these people,” he said. “Their lifestyle is a perversion and the state should stay out of marriage law.” | “I feel sorry for these people,” he said. “Their lifestyle is a perversion and the state should stay out of marriage law.” |
| So would he agree to a separation of church marriages and state-sanctioned unions so that everyone has equal legal rights? | So would he agree to a separation of church marriages and state-sanctioned unions so that everyone has equal legal rights? |
| He thought a long time. “They could enter a contract …” he said. “It’s a perversion.” | He thought a long time. “They could enter a contract …” he said. “It’s a perversion.” |
| He took up his bullhorn again and re-entered the verbal battle: “There is no peace, says the Lord, for the wicked.” | He took up his bullhorn again and re-entered the verbal battle: “There is no peace, says the Lord, for the wicked.” |