US county to fly flags half mast for a year to ‘mourn’ same-sex marriage

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A county commission in Missouri has actually voted to make a show of “mourning” the legalisation of same-sex marriage.

The Dent County Commission voted on Monday to lower the flags at the county courthouse.

The event will take place not only once, but on the 26th day of every month for a year.

According to County Commissioner Gary Larson, the Supreme Court’s ruling that all couples, straight or gay, have a constitutional right to marriage, is “just one step backward”.

Despite officials having thrown their toys out of the pram, the county is still issuing marriage licences to same-sex couples.

One couple has applied for a marriage licence so far, reports the Associated Press.

One resident of the county, Alex Sellers, has started a petition to stop the act of mourning.

In the online petition, the 26-year-old said he wanted to send a message that not everyone in Dent County is opposed to gay rights.