The Police Told Us To Leave Or Be Arrested By Zeek Taylor

The Police Told Us To Leave Or Be Arrested By Zeek Taylor

Dick and I had been together 42 years when on May 9th, 2014, Circuit Judge Chris Piazza ruled the Arkansas ban on same-sex marriage invalid. The ruling came late in the day on a Friday after courthouses in the state had closed. I was attending an art reception when I heard the news. 

I immediately called Dick, told him about the ruling, and said, “Do you want to get married in the morning?” He asked, “Is this a proposal?” I laughed and said, “Hell yes.” He then said,  ”Yes, I will marry you.”

 The Eureka Springs’ courthouse was the only one in Arkansas that would be open the next day, a Saturday. The resort town is a marriage destination and our courthouse opens for four hours on Saturdays to accommodate tourists wanting a license. I knew folks from all over the state and beyond would be flocking to town the next day. I told Dick that we would get to the courthouse bright and early the next morning. 

The evening following the ruling, a representative from the Human Rights Campaign called and asked if one of their reporters could follow us through the licensing process and the marriage ceremony. I thought it would be nice to have the historical day documented and I said, “Yes.”

I planned for us to get the license, have a nice luncheon, and then have an outdoor wedding on our patio. Prior to getting too far along with the plans, I was notified that a stay would probably be issued that could put the judge’s ruling on hold. I called our town’s former mayor who had agreed to officiate at our ceremony, and asked him to be at the courthouse early the next morning. I told him “if” we were able to secure the license, we would be married immediately and have the marriage recorded on the spot.

We did get to the courthouse early the next morning. There were two female couples there ahead of us. Soon many more couples arrived and the line was getting very long. The Human Rights Campaign reporter and camera person found us. We waited for the clerk to show up. We soon learned that the county clerk was “out of town,” and she was sending the deputy clerk to issue marriage licenses. 

When the deputy clerk arrived at 9 a.m., she said that she would not issue licenses to same sex couples but would issue them only to “normal couples.” She said she did not have the proper authority. Knowing this was a possibility, I came prepared. I had printed out the judge’s fourteen page ruling. I said, “Here is the ruling.” She still refused. The female couples were crying. I was angry that I was having my rights denied.
     

The deputy clerk opened the door. I told everyone to get in line. We filed in and lined up at the window to get our licenses. The clerk still refused. She called the police. Several policemen arrived. The clerk shut the window in our face. The police told us to leave or that we would be arrested.

The Human Rights Campaign’s camera continued to roll and the reporter continued to interview me. Dick, my friends, and I were the last ones standing our ground inside the courthouse, but eventually we too were forced to leave. Dick and a friend of mine, Cyd King, went to our home to take care of the food and drink that Cyd had brought with her from Fayetteville. It was food and drink that was to be our wedding feast.
     

About the time I got to my car, the police notified everyone that the courthouse would reopen. Another deputy clerk who came to the courthouse to conduct early voting, had kindly stepped forward and said she would issue the licenses. I called Dick and told him to come back to the courthouse. We got back in line in the same order that we were in hours earlier. Dick and I were the third couple in line behind the two female couples. We were the first male couple to receive a marriage license in Arkansas, or in any Southern state.
     

We immediately walked down a hallway to a bay window. We were joined by several of our close friends. The HRC cameras were still rolling. Our friend Beau conducted a beautiful ceremony. There were many tears. We immediately had the license recorded. We were married.

Dick and I are honored to have been the first male couple to be married in the South. We are forever a part of history. We were finally able to gain the rights, our civil rights, and the legal protections that marriage offers. 

After more than four decades together, our loving, committed relationship is recognized as “equal.” We knew it was all along.