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News and commentary about the anti-gay lobbyMay 19th, 2015
A minister in Prattville, AL, has been fined and sentenced to jail time for trying to uphold religious beliefs about same-sex marriage. But neither the Alliance Defending Freedom nor the Family Research Counsel nor any other defender of religious freedom has come to her aid or spoke in her defense.
On February 9, 2015, marriage equality came to Alabama. And on that day Autauga Probate Judge Al Booth decided that he wasn’t going to allow marriages to be conducted in his office anymore.
Unitarian Universalists have a long history of social justice activism, and Anne Susan DiPrizio, as a Unitarian minister, believed it to be within the practice of her faith to offer matrimony services to two women who had just received a marriage license. When told that she could not conduct same-sex marriages in the Probate Office, DiPrizio refused to leave. So she was hauled to jail.
Yesterday she heard her sentence. (Montgomery Advertiser)
Anne Susan DiPrizio, 44, of the 300 block of Cambridge Street, entered the plea before Judge Ben Fuller, but not before some delays and judicial wrangling. He gave her 30 days in the Autauga Metro Jail, and then suspended the sentence in place of 6 months unsupervised probation. Fuller also ordered her to pay a $250 fine and other associated court costs.
I’m not suggesting that DiPrizio should have defied the probate judge or sought to perform religious services where they were not allowed or welcomed. But it’s worth noting that amidst all the hue and cry turning cake bakers into martyrs in the name of religious freedom, here is an actual ordained minister who was jailed and fined for seeking to practice her faith and support same-sex marriage.
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BJohnM
May 19th, 2015
I’ll be right over here in the corner holding my breath in anticipation of the very strongly worded statement denouncing this action by NOM, AFA and FRC for violating this person’s religious freedom.
Neil
May 19th, 2015
But of course. It’s only bullying when it happens to someone with precisely the right form of sincerely held religious beliefs. Doctrinal purity makes the martyr.
Stephen
May 20th, 2015
We were married in Canada by Unitarian minister before the JPs had worked out how they were going to proceed. Under these circumstances I suppose even an atheist like me can say ‘God bless Ms DiPrizio’ with conviction.
NancyP
May 20th, 2015
Do ministers normally marry opposite-sex couples in the judge’s office? If not, then this minister is out of line.
Nathaniel
May 20th, 2015
That’s part of the point, though, NancyP. The AL probate judges who refused to permit same-sex marriages are being praised for defying the rule of law in the name of their religious freedom. But the minister, who was likely out of line, and certainly in violation of an order to leave, is not afforded the same forgiving attitude. Indeed, she will not be raised up as an example of why “religious freedom” bills/laws are “needed.”
Timothy Kincaid
May 20th, 2015
NancyP, couples could marry in the judge’s office until the day that same-sex marriage was legal.
SharonB
May 20th, 2015
This demonstrates how much of a canard the RW sincerely held religious beliefs objection is, since, hypocritically, it only benefits them.
Bernie
May 23rd, 2015
This article makes me so sad and so angry! It shows the insanity and meanness of the right wing….What happened to the sincerely held religious beliefs?!??!??????????????
Bill
May 23rd, 2015
SOOO.., if this Alabama minister is performing a same-gender marriage according to her conscience, how is this not a violation of her 1st Amendment religious rights? This is a religious issue WHY is the state of Alabama sticking their nose in it? Why does someone else decide who gets religious rights and who doesn’t? Of course, this IS Alabama!
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