Wisconsin Gays Face Fine, Jail Time for Marrying in California  | News | Advocate.com

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July 16, 2008
Wisconsin Gays Face Fine, Jail Time for Marrying in California

Same-sex couples from Wisconsin who marry in California can face nine months in jail and a $10,000 fine on returning home, CNN reported last Tuesday.

The penalty, based on a 1915 law originally enacted to prevent interracial marriages performed in other states, is being revived to persecute same-sex couples who tie the knot in California. “If you leave the state to get married with the intent of coming back to the state, you can be subject to imprisonment for nine months and up to a $10,000 fine,” Glenn Carlson of the LGBT advocacy group Fair Wisconsin told CNN in a video interview.

The Wisconsin law states that “if any person residing and intending to continue to reside in this state who is disabled or prohibited from contracting marriage under the laws of this state goes into another state or country and there contracts a marriage prohibited or declared void under the laws of this state, such marriage shall be void for all purposes in this state with the same effect as though it had been entered into in this state.”

However, not only will the marriage be void, but couples can also be punished to the full extent of the law.

The penalties sound fair to Julaine Appling of the Wisconsin Family Council. Appling told CNN that same-sex couples who break the Wisconsin law should be charged with fraud. “It’s a defrauding of the government,” she said. (The Advocate)

Reader Comments

These comments are reproduced as written by visitors to this Web site. They have not been edited for content, grammar, or spelling. The viewpoints appearing here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or views of advocate.com, The Advocate, or its affiliates.

  • Name: April Powers
    Date posted: 2008-08-22 1:52 PM
    Hometown: Modesto

    Comment:

    Just when I think Ive herd enough crazy Some full of hate bigot right winger dose it agin!


  • Name: Carol Cox
    Date posted: 2008-07-17 8:30 PM
    Hometown: Los Angeles, CA

    Comment:

    I'm a straight little old lady, age 74, and I have several gay friends who are dear to me. To say that this Wisconsin law is outrageous and insane would be a gross understatement. How can any society, especially an American state, punish people just for loving one another so much that they want to be married? Carol Los Angeles


  • Name: Jim
    Date posted: 2008-07-16 3:47 PM
    Hometown: San Jose

    Comment:

    This has to be the Bluest of the Blue Laws. These are silly laws enacted, generally speaking, in the early 1900s to control people's behavior. They are usually overturned or scrapped as soon as they are applied to modern society.


  • Name: Clark
    Date posted: 2008-07-16 2:06 PM
    Hometown: Los Angeles

    Comment:

    How can one state void the marriage performed from another state? Is this Wisconsin law legal? So they are revising a law created out of racism from 1913. Does anyone see a problem with this?


  • Name: Bob
    Date posted: 2008-07-16 10:24 AM
    Hometown: Las Vegas

    Comment:

    Stop the madness! If this country is going to allow city, state or federal laws to persecute any citizen of the United States in direct violation of the Federal Constitution's 14th Amendment which states; "Equal Protection Under the Law", then it is also time we hold true to IRS laws that forbid political posturing under the color of non-profit. Take away tax breaks from all organized religion or so called non-profit organizations that try to turn poltical culture to their advantage and then claim tax exemptions using my GAY TAX DOLLARS.


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