If you refuse to do your job, you should be forced out of it

[Big Don]

[h=2]Judge Tonya Parker says she will not perform marriages in court[/h][h=5]By Greg Janda[/h][h=6]| Friday, Feb 24, 2012 | Updated 10:49 AM Scott Gordon, NBC 5 News EXCERPT:[/h]

A Dallas County judge says she does not officiate marriage ceremonies because gay couples in Texas are not allowed to wed.

Dallas County Judge Tonya Parker says she won't perform marriage ceremonies until gay couples can wed.
During a Feb. 21 meeting, Parker told the Stonewall Democrats of Dallas that while she has the power to perform legal marriage ceremonies in her court, she will not.
“I use it as my opportunity to give them a lesson about marriage inequality in this state because I feel like I have to tell them why I’m turning them away,” Parker said. “So I usually will offer them something along the lines of, ‘I’m sorry. I don’t perform marriage ceremonies because we are in a state that does not have marriage equality, and until it does, I am not going to partially apply the law to one group of people that doesn’t apply to another group of people.’ And it’s kind of oxymoronic for me to perform ceremonies that can’t be performed for me, so I’m not going to do it."
END EXCERPT
If you refuse to perform the duties of your position, you do not deserve to keep that position. If it means so much to her, the honorable thing to do would be to resign in protest, not refuse to do her job.

 

[Xue Sheng]

So couples that want to get married, that have nothnig to do with the issue, have to pay for it..... yup ain't politics wonderful.

 

[elder999]

Performing marriages isn't one of her duties-it's a privilege and a right accorded to her office. If she's refusing to marry anyone, that's not only her prerogative, it's also her privilege and right.

 

[Josh Oakley]

And here is the wonder of a democratic republic: if you take issue with this, she eventually goes up for re-election.

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[Empty Hands]

If you refuse to perform the duties of your position, you do not deserve to keep that position.

How do you feel about religious pharmacists who refuse to fill birth control prescriptions or religious Ob/Gyns who refuse to perform even medically necessary abortions?

 

[Touch Of Death]

Bliss. LOL

 

[Josh Oakley]

How do you feel about religious pharmacists who refuse to fill birth control prescriptions or religious Ob/Gyns who refuse to perform even medically necessary abortions?

Somewhat different situation there, as a judge is a publicly elected official.

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[Big Don]

How do you feel about religious pharmacists who refuse to fill birth control prescriptions or religious Ob/Gyns who refuse to perform even medically necessary abortions?

This is the first I have ever heard of OB/GYNs refusing to perform medically necessary abortions, can you name one who refused? That would be malpractice if the abortion were truly medically necessary.
As Mr Oakley pointed out, we don't elect pharmacists or doctors.
She isn't refusing because it violates the tenets of her religion, she refuses because she can't get her own way. You cannot honestly not see the difference.

 

[Empty Hands]

This is the first I have ever heard of OB/GYNs refusing to perform medically necessary abortions, can you name one who refused? That would be malpractice if the abortion were truly medically necessary.

Abortions are prohibited in Catholic hospitals under all circumstances. The document which governs them is the "Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services" from the US Conference of Catholic Bishops. Directive 45 states "Abortion (that is, the directly intended termination of pregnancy before viability or the directly intended destruction of a viable fetus) is never permitted." Directive 48 states clearly "In case of extrauterine pregnancy, no intervention is morally licit which constitutes a direct abortion." Note, all extrauterine pregnancies are life threatening. Quick googling will show the stories of multiple women denied abortions in the cases of ectopic pregnancy or miscarriage.

As Mr Oakley pointed out, we don't elect pharmacists or doctors.

I'm not sure what that has to do with your statement that "if you refuse to do your job, you should be forced out of it."

She isn't refusing because it violates the tenets of her religion, she refuses because she can't get her own way. You cannot honestly not see the difference.

It's a moral stand to her. Of course, you disagree, so it becomes "can't get her own way." I'm not sure why one class of moral stand should be protected because someone wrote it down in a book thousands of years ago and other moral stands should not be.

 

[MA-Caver]

Performing marriages isn't one of her duties-it's a privilege and a right accorded to her office. If she's refusing to marry anyone, that's not only her prerogative, it's also her privilege and right.

As a judge she IS obligated to follow the letter of the law. So far the law of Texas does not allow same sex marriages so she's doing her job! When it does then (from what I gathered from the article) she will. Until then, gay folks in Texas will have to travel to another state that does allow it. They can honeymoon there at the same time no? New Hampshire is a lovely place anyway for a honeymoon.

How do you feel about religious pharmacists who refuse to fill birth control prescriptions or religious Ob/Gyns who refuse to perform even medically necessary abortions?

Somewhat different situation there, as a judge is a publicly elected official.

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Exactly Josh. Pharmacists are privately employed individuals and thus have to follow company policy ... if they refuse on (personal) religious grounds then the company has to decide what to do with the pharmacists if they violated company policy if applicable. If not then it's still up to the company to make a decision or not.

There are rules/laws in society, want them changed, then lobby for it and vote for it. Some states have been successful in doing so. Texas should be no different.

 

[billc]

It should be up to the owner of the pharmacy to decide if the pharmacist can keep their job or not, it is their business, their property, if an employee, for whatever reason doesn't want to do the job, they should either find a different job or get fired. If a pharmacy does not want to sell contraception or abortion pills, then once again, it is their business, and their property and they should not be interfered with by the government.

If the pharmacy says, "You will have to have Harvey fill that out, George is catholic and can't fill that one..." and is fine with the individual pharmacists religious stand, then that is their business as well and shouldn't be interfered with by the government.

A doctor takes an oath to "First, do no harm." I don't think a judge does that.

 

[MA-Caver]

A doctor takes an oath to "First, do no harm." I don't think a judge does that.

If I'm not mistaken, a pharmacist is NOT a doctor/physician. They cannot just prescribe medication (controlled substance) that is behind their counters... but they can suggest whatever meds that are available along the shelves in the store, otherwise they would recommend going to a doctor to get a prescription.

Besides to me, the subject of pharmacists is going off topic and needs it's own thread. It has nothing to do with the legality of a judge's decision to deny same sex marriage.

 

[billc]

Is it a part of the judges job to marry people in that state, or is it, as Elder says, optional? If it is part of the job, and she refuses to do it, she should be impeached or voted out.

 

[billc]

Dear Parent/Guardian,

Due to new federal educational guidelines, this school district is now required to note the sexual orientation of your child before allowing them to enroll. The purpose of this identification is to track the needs of the community for differently, sexually oriented children. Non-compliance may hamper your ability to register your child for the upcoming school year, and local agencies will be contacted....

Coming to a school near you? That door is eventually going to be opened, and then what..?

 

[jks9199]

Somewhat different situation there, as a judge is a publicly elected official.

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Not always. For example, judges in virginia are appointed.

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[Xue Sheng]

Performing marriages isn't one of her duties-it's a privilege and a right accorded to her office. If she's refusing to marry anyone, that's not only her prerogative, it's also her privilege and right.

True, but she is using the position and title to make the point in the media.

 

[elder999]

True, but she is using the position and title to make the point in the media.

So? Just more politics......

 

[elder999]

Is it a part of the judges job to marry people in that state, or is it, as Elder says, optional? If it is part of the job, and she refuses to do it, she should be impeached or voted out.

The judge's statement, from an update in the original linked article:

I faithfully and fully perform all of my duties as the Presiding Judge of the 116th Civil District Court, where it is my honor to serve the citizens of Dallas County and the parties who have matters before the Court. Performing marriage ceremonies is not a duty that I have as the Presiding Judge of a civil district court. It is a right and privilege invested in me under the Family Code. I choose not to exercise it, as many other Judges do not exercise it. Because it is not part of our duties, some Judges even charge a fee to perform the ceremonies.
I do not, and would never, impede any person’s right to get married. In fact, when people wander into my courtroom, usually while I am presiding over other matters, I direct them to the Judges in the courthouse who do perform marriage ceremonies. If my deputy is not busy, I will even ask him to escort or help these individuals find another Judge who performs the ceremonies. I do this because I believe in the right of people to marry and pursue happiness.

 

[AnnunakiKungFu]

Performing marriages isn't one of her duties-it's a privilege and a right accorded to her office. If she's refusing to marry anyone, that's not only her prerogative, it's also her privilege and right.

Absolutely agreed.