Myrtle Beach gay columnist tells haters not to worry where he hangs his Xmas balls
One of my favorite detractors, known only as Gil, sent me an e-mail after my last column that stated “Fuck you faggot. You need to get right with Jesus.” First of all, nobody likes a poor loser. Next, if Gil is trying to upset me, he needs to step up his game a bit. That’s pretty much the way my grandmother signed all of my birthday cards, which always included a two dollar bill. I’m assuming she included the two-dollar bill because she couldn’t find the three dollar variety.
Anyhow, while marriage moves forward in our state, the legal drama isn’t quite over yet. S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson is still consumed with his quest to put some sort of purity ring on the finger of the state that will limit marriage to a definition that does not threaten his comfort zone.
Wilson stated that he will continue to defend the state’s ban on marriage equality. However, at the same time, he is making a classic cover your ass legal move.
Wilson filed a motion with the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday asking the justices to stay or continue his appeal of a Charleston-based lawsuit that opened the doors to marriage equality. In that case, U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel ruled that the state's same-sex marriage ban was unconstitutional, and a Charleston probate judge issued the state's first licenses to gay couples on Nov. 19.
This new request wouldn't stop same-sex marriages in South Carolina. Instead, it would put Wilson’s appeal of the Charleston case on hold. This could potentially save the taxpayers money if the U.S. Supreme Court hears a different case that will set a national precedent. I hate to give a shout out to someone who has opposed equality in our state for so long, but I think this move does fall under the umbrella of sanity, which in this case is progress.
Attorneys involved in the case have until Dec. 10 to file their requests for legal fees in the Charleston case. Given that Wilson has lost that legal battle at every step, Gergel could order the Attorney General's Office to pay the legal fees of opposing attorneys. In other lawsuits, these legal fees have topped out in the millions.
Seriously, how awesome would it be to see Wilson both defeated and on the hook for several million dollars in legal fees? Just think how many weddings David Tutera could design with that kind of cash. That’s a lot of two-dollar-bills.
Malissa Burnette of the Columbia law firm of Callison Tighe is one of the lead attorneys in the case for marriage equality. She is also on the Board of Directors for South Carolina Equality.
Burnette stated, "We have won at every point." She added that she is hopeful the Attorney General's Office will have to pay her firm's legal fees. While they haven’t been tallied at this point, fees are based on established hourly rates, the experience levels of attorneys and complexity of the case.
Burnette said she won't oppose Wilson's request to pause his appeal partly "in the spirit of judicial economy and not wasting taxpayers' money." Attorneys are scheduled to begin work on the appeal which would result in even more fees while the case could become moot based on a case that could be decided by the SCOTUS.
"It also doesn't harm our clients because same-sex marriage will continue in South Carolina," Burnette said.
Parties on both sides of this issue, including Wilson and Burnette, want the U.S. Supreme Court to hear a 6th Circuit case and put much-needed closure to the marriage issue.
Justices of the Sixth Circuit upheld Michigan’s ban on marriage equality last month. This made them the first to do so and created disagreement among the circuits. Other circuits have struck down the bans as unconstitutional, including the 4th Circuit, which has jurisdiction over South Carolina.
In the 6th Circuit case, Michigan nurses April DeBoer and Jayne Rowse are challenging their state's ban on same-sex marriage.
"If the Supreme Court grants the DeBoer petitions, that Court may reach a decision applicable nationally regarding the constitutionality of same-sex marriage bans," Wilson's new motion says. I’ll take that as a ray of hope that Wilson may finally accept what is almost certainly defeat on this issue and move on.
So for all of the people who are angry, threatened or otherwise perplexed by the fact that our state is being dragged kicking and screaming out of the dark age of marriage discrimination, I have but one plea of my own. Chill out. It’s the holidays. Decorate your own tree and don’t worry about where I choose to hang my balls.
Out and About
• Friday, Dec. 5 – Takeover Grand Strand hosts a holiday-themed First Friday Happy Hour featuring a four course Christmas dinner at Martin's Restaurant, 7200 North Ocean Boulevard, Myrtle Beach. Tickets available at www.takeovergrandstrand.com.
• Friday, Dec. 5 – Pulse Ultra Club hosts a Happy Hour event to celebrate the birthday of drag performer Morgan Richards at 7 p.m. Performers include Imani DeVour, Breonna Tenae, Ausia Lee Berger and Guadalupe Vanity. Pulse Ultra Club is at 2701 S. Kings Highway, Myrtle Beach. For additional details, see www.facebook.com/PulseUltraClub.
This story was originally published December 8, 2014 at 11:33 PM with the headline "Myrtle Beach gay columnist tells haters not to worry where he hangs his Xmas balls."