Gay Texas Judge Won’t Be Marrying Straights Until Same-Sex Marriage is Legal

Here’s a twist on a classic tale for you: Normally, you see dozens of new ways to protest the illegality of same-sex marriage (why, I myself just wrote about one yesterday). Some are more fetching than others, but none of them ever really seem to make a big bang in the fight for homosexual marital union. We’ve seen countless judges, priests, and political figures say that they will not allow same-sex marriage in their state. This time, it’s exactly the other way around. A homosexual judge has decided that until all can marry, none can marry. That’s right. She’s unofficially outlawed marriage… for straight folk.

Dallas, Texas judge Tonya Parker has said that she’s not conducting another marriage ceremony until she and every other homosexual couple in the state has the same right to marry. When it comes time to turn away the bright-eyed heterosexual couple, Parker simply tells them, “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.” Parker then passes the duties to another judge.

“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,” she said.

But wait, can’t she get in some serious trouble for neglecting her duties as judge? Not at all, actually. The Texas Committee on Judicial Ethics describes officiating weddings as a “discretionary function” that can’t interfere with “mandatory judicial duties”. Parker, elected in 2010 to preside over Dallas’ 116th Civil District Court, can’t be accused of neglecting her duties as judge and can go about business as usual.

What do you think? Effective?