EqKS' Tom Witt: Kansas should relent on marriage

(Topeka, KS) Equality Kansas Executive Director Tom Witt said Friday that he's hoping Gov. Sam Brownback and Attorney General Derek Schmidt, in his words, "do the right thing." Witt is calling on the state to drop its defense of its ban on gay marriage following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision saying same-sex couples have the right to marry anywhere in the country. “They can stop the legal obstruction that they have going on in federal court. Just get out of the way and implement marriage equality for everyone.”

“I am 100 percent in agreement. Want the Governor and Attorney General to stop pushing their personal agendas. We have too many things that we should be focusing on,” said Kerry Wilks, one of the plaintiffs in the Kansas federal court suit.

Governor Sam Brownback issued a two sentence statement expressing disappointment with the court’s ruling. Wilks addressed the Governor’s statement, saying, “I’m extremely disappointed with the Governor’s press release expressing hate instead of love. He didn’t use those words, but as a plaintiff in the case, that’s how it feels to me. That is hate and discrimination. Those are not Kansas values. And they are not Christian values, which the governor professes to be,” Wilks said.

The U.S. Supreme Court's decision is expected to spur a swift final ruling in an ongoing case over the Kansas bay marriage ban.

Asked what’s next, Witt said, “We have spent the past 10 years ever since the ban was passed working for equal rights. We’ve been working with local school districts to fight for the inclusion of LGBT students in policies, and to get non-discrimination ordinances passed in towns and cities. Because we have marriage equality does not end the need for that work. We are already hearing that legislators are planning to introduce religious freedom bills that will allow people to discriminate against LGBT people and couples.”

Wilks added, “Even though we want to take the time to celebrate, we are fully aware that some people will get married this weekend, and go to work Monday and have to hide it. Or go to work Monday and get fired for it. We are not going to stop working until we have 100 percent equality for all citizens in this state.”

An American Civil Liberties Union attorney representing the Kansas couples said Friday the U.S. Supreme Court ruling "means that we win" in the ongoing case in Kansas.

U.S. District Judge Daniel Crabtree had previously already issued a preliminary ruling that gay couples could marry in Kansas, but not all counties have been issuing them. He ruled in November that the state couldn't enforce the ban while the lawsuit was heard.

Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback is decrying the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling declaring that gay couples have a right to marry anywhere in the country. The Republican governor issued a statement Friday. He has been a strong supporter of the state's ban on gay marriage. Voters approved an amendment to the Kansas Constitution in 2005 to reinforce that policy.

Brownback said in his statement, "Activist courts should not overrule the people of this state, who have clearly supported the Kansas Constitution's definition of marriage as being between one man and one woman."

Both Brownback and Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said the state will study the ruling further before making any moves. Schmidt's office said it is reviewing that decision and consulting with its clients.

Compiled from AP Dispatches and by The Gayly staff participating in a press conference with Equality Kansas. Copyright 2015 The Gayly and The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

The Gayly – June 26, 2015 @ 12:25am.