An entirely Republican county commission in Dent County, Missouri voted unanimously to put flags at half mast for a whole year, to “mourn” gay marriage becoming legalised in the United States.

To mark the day that the Supreme Court handed down the ruling that same-sex couples could get married in all 50 states, American flags at various official buildings in the area will be lowered to half mast on the 26th of every month until July 2016.

Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said the “the U.S. high court’s [sic] stamp of approval” is what “God speaks of as an abomination.”

The reason behind it? Skiles wants “all who see these flags at this lowered position [to] be reminded of this despicable Supreme Court travesty”.

On July 1, James W. Cotner and Gary E. Cotner, who have been in a relationship for 31 years, made Dent County history by becoming the first gay couple to apply for a marriage licence.