Public officials in Tennessee can now refuse to grant a marriage license to anyone at their own discretion, for any reason.

Republican Gov. Bill Lee signed into law House Bill 878 on Wednesday, which took effect immediately. The bill — just a few sentences in length — only states that “a person shall not be required to solemnize a marriage.” Only state notary publics, government officials, and religious figures can “solemnize” a marriage in Tennessee, according to state code.

None of the sponsors behind the bill have been made public statements on its introduction or passage, nor have they given comment to media organizations. The only known remarks regarding the law from state Rep. Monty Fritts (take a guess), who sponsored it in the House, are from February of last year, when he spoke to the state Subcommittee on Children and Family Affairs.

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    74 months ago

    Is it innocent collect and parade around only things that conservatives have been conditioned to hate? To provide no public service but to generate a distorted image and fan the flames? Note: I know nothing about the bank part (but WTF, is she getting paid for her rabble rousing?)

    In the notorious Nazi tabloid “The Sturmer” (published in Germany from 1923 to 1945), every issue had a similarly “innocent” page:

    This page had a headline at the top: “We the People Want to Know…”

    And below it was a list of statements: “- why company owner X.Y. is employing the Jew A.B. in city C,” or “- why person Y.X. smiled and shook hands with former communist party member Y.Z. in Saturday in C.” or “- why baker B.A. in city W. hung off their Fuhrer portrait from the wall opposite the entrance.”

    And just so people could view it, the latest issue including these “harmless facts” would be shown in public town squares: