Equal marriage plaintiff wouldn’t mind sitting next to Kim Davis
Jim Obergefell, the lead plaintiff in the same-sex marriage case Obergefell v. Hodges, the case that could determine the constitutionality of marriage for same-sex couples, smiles as he walks out of the US Supreme Court in Washington, DC, June 18, 2015. (JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty)
The plaintiff in the Supreme Court equal marriage case says he has no problem sharing a room with Kim Davis.
Awkwardly, both equal marriage pioneer Jim Obergefell and anti-gay marriage Kentucky clerk Kim Davis are set to attend Barack Obama’s final State of the Union address today.
The Democratic President is set to deliver his final State of the Union address this evening before he leaves office in January 2017.
Obama has invited a number of poignant guests, including equal marriage plaintiff Jim Obergefell – who fought the battle that led to equal marriage becoming a reality in all 50 states.
However, not all of the guests will be so esteemed – the Republicans are believed to have invited Kentucky clerk Kim Davis, alongside her extremist Christian lawyer.
Many have suggested the move is an insult to Obama – who regards equal marriage as a matter of pride – and have raised comments by Davis’ lawyer Mat Staver likening him to a Nazi.
However, Mr Obergefell isn’t among those outraged by the decision.
He told The Hill: “To me it doesn’t seem the right venue to promote divisiveness or to support or encourage a public official refusing to serve the entire public, especially when they’ve taken an oath to uphold the laws of their state and the Constitution, but again it’s the United States and she has as much right to be in that chamber as I do or anyone else does.
“I can agree to disagree with her position and those who support her, but she has the right to be there.
“The great thing about the United States is everyone has a right to their own opinion and has the right to speak their mind and fight for their beliefs, for their opinions.
“All I will say is for me the State of the Union is about celebrating the accomplishments and the successes of an administration and this administration has made it their goal in everything they do to fight for the rights of all Americans, the rights, the protections and the dignity for all Americans.”
However, the pair are unlikely to meet – Obergefell is among select guests who will be with the First Lady, while Davis will be consigned to the cheap seats.
