Although gay marriage is now supported in legislature nationwide, many people who feel that it is immoral still attempt to find their way around the law. Kimberly Davis is one of these people.

Davis resides in Rowan County, Ky., and is employed as a county clerk.

Just weeks after the Supreme Court passed a bill making gay marriage legal in all states, Davis turned away lesbian and gay couples wishing to receive a marriage licesne. After several of these incidences she was consequently arrested and placed in jail. For this she has received national attention and has been shamed by thousands of people.

One of the foremost responsibilities of a county clerk is to issue county licenses and maintain records. Listed in their job conditions is issuing licenses to get married, and as a county clerk, one must marry couples that come in to legally get married.

Before June 2015, people were not held to standards about how to treat gay and lesbian people. Though people are still entitled to their opinions, they are no longer able to infringe on gay people’s right to marry, and seeing as though Davis holds a position in government she must carry out and abide to the law.

Noting that she did not exercise this right proves that Davis was rightly put in jail. Davis broke the law; however, she was released from jail on Sept. 8 after only a couple of days in jail. Davis’ punishment fit her crime; she did not act with violence or extremism, yet still broke the law, so she should have been put in jail for at least a short time.

Davis let her conservative and religious views come in the way of her carrying out her duties as a county clerk. The Constitution allows Christians the right to hold negative opinions about LGBT people, but they cannot intertwine their faith with their jobs if they work for the government. The separation of church and state was implemented by the Founding Fathers for a reason, and Americans should remember to keep these two matters apart from one another.

Religion is up to the individual and is based upon faith, not law or fact. Contrastingly, the foundations of government are not up to the individual, and are made up of laws and regulations that are supported by bodies of government. Therefore, intertwining religion with politics will oftentimes cloud the individual into making choices that may go against his or her duty.

It would have been different if Davis was not employed by a government institution. Still, privately owned restaurants and other businesses are allowed to discriminate against LGBT people. For example, back in June 2013 a bakery in Colorado refused to bake a wedding cake for a same-sex marriage, and this is allowed. Another example of the same nature includes people refusing to sell their houses to gay couples.

The Establishment Clause prohibits the government from aiding or assisting any religion. Davis said that it is against God’s law what she has been asked to carry out, and thereby violated the Establishment Clause.

All in all, Davis’ beliefs can still be carried out in her personal life. It is Davis’ choice to marry who she wants, and what occurs within her life is her choice. The relationships of other people, and the relationships of gay people hoping to get married, should not affect Davis on a personal level. Moreover, she does not have the legal jurisdiction to choose what gay people can and cannot do.

If Davis still refuses to give out marriage licenses, she should be removed from her position as county clerk, and a more suitable person should be hired who can keep their job separate from their personal views. David has rigid morals and beliefs. If she wishes to act out against LGBT people and show her beliefs, she should open up a bakery instead.