Kim Davis, the county clerk who felt it was against God’s law to follow the constitution, now has one more high-profile supporter on her side. Pope Francis, who recently earned the moniker of “cool pope,” says it’s totally okay for government workers not to do their jobs if they interfere with their religious beliefs. In fact, he says, conscientious objection must enter every ‘juridical structure’ because it’s a fundamental right. Even when one is an elected official whose job is to uphold the laws.
Here’s the Pope’s full statement on the matter:
“Conscientious objection must enter into every juridical structure because it is a right,” said the pope. “I can’t have in mind all cases that can exist about conscientious objection but, yes, I can say that conscientious objection is a right that is a part of every human right. And if someone does not allow others to be a conscientious objector, he denies a right.”
There’s a lot going on here, but the most important part is that neither Kim Davis nor her contemporaries in other counties are conscientious objectors. Conscientious objectors just wouldn’t participate, Davis is not allowing others to do their jobs, nor is she doing the job she was elected and is still being paid to do. No one asked the Pope whether he meant that those people should resign or just stop doing their work, but it’s a little hard to think that someone who’s been so progressive would suggest that LGBT-identifying individuals should stop fighting intolerance because God said so. Good thing he doesn’t make the laws, right?
(Via Reuters, h/t Death and Taxes)