Democratic presidential candidate
Hillary Clinton has criticized an attempt to block marriage equality
in Alabama.
On Wednesday, Alabama Chief Justice Roy
Moore issued an administrative order which stated that the state's
laws which exclude gay and lesbian couples from marriage remain in
effect and that probate judges have a “ministerial duty” to
enforce them despite a Supreme Court finding that gay couples have a
constitutional right to marry.
(Related: Alabama
Chief Justice Roy Moore calls on judges to enforce state's gay
marriage ban.)
Clinton criticized Moore's order,
saying in a statement that marriage equality is “ the law of the
land – including in Alabama.”
“Marriage equality is now the law of
the land – including in Alabama,” she wrote. “Today’s
unconstitutional order reminds us that, despite the Supreme Court's
ruling that all Americans have the right to marry the person they
love, our work is far from over. There are still judges who are
determined to stand in the way of people's rights. There are still
politicians who argue the Court got it wrong and states should ignore
its ruling. We need to ensure that marriage equality is guaranteed
and enforced nationwide. And we need to fight discrimination
against LGBT Americans wherever it occurs. There are places where
you can get married on Sunday and are at risk of being fired from
your job or evicted from your home on Monday because you're gay.
That's not how it should be in the United States of America.”
“As President, I'll fight for the
equal rights of all Americans, no matter who they are or who they
love,” Clinton added.