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Sunday, January 3
One Iowa to Host Free Public Forums on Marriage Equality
by
Trish Nelson
on Sun 03 Jan 2010 05:00 AM CST
One Iowa to Host Free Public Forums on Marriage Equality
 OneIowa.org
Please join us at our first forum Monday, January 4th from 6:30 to 8:00 pm at Central Middle School (901 Cedar St.) in Muscatine
It has been six months since the Iowa Supreme Court issued their unanimous decision to allow same-sex couples the freedom to marry in the state of Iowa. But the struggle to protect marriage equality has only just begun. As we've seen in California and Maine, these freedoms are never as secure as we hope.
The Iowa legislative session is set to begin in January and now is the time to begin a respectful discussion of how the April 3rd decision has positively impacted the lives of Iowans. At this critical juncture, One Iowa will host a series of free public forums to continue our statewide conversation about marriage equality.
Please join us on Monday, January 4th from 6:30 to 8:00 pm at Central Middle School (901 Cedar St.) in Muscatine for a moderated discussion with the following panelists:
Reverend Teressa Clark
Faith United Church of Christ
Theresa Seeberger
Attorney at Seeberger Law
Cathy Gordon
Des Moines County Democratic Central Committee Chair and Straight Ally
We face a critical challenge in Iowa's long history of civil rights. Together, we can protect civil marriage and equality in America's Heartland.
Please join us for our public forum!
Monday, January 4th
6:30 PM - 8:00 pm
Central Middle School
901 Cedar St., Muscatine, IA
www.oneiowa.org
Sunday, November 1
One Iowa To Hold Public Forums on Marriage Equality
by
Trish Nelson
on Sun 01 Nov 2009 07:10 AM CST
One Iowa To Hold Public Forums on Marriage Equality
OneIowa.Org
One Iowa will host a series of public forums to continue the statewide conversation about marriage equality. Below is the schedule through December 2009. To find out more, visit OneIowa.Org
Nov. 5 | Washington
Nov. 12 | Cedar Rapids
Nov. 16 | Council Bluffs
Nov. 18 | Ottumwa
Dec. 1 | Sioux City
Dec. 3 | Waterloo
Dec. 9 | Muscatine
Dec. 10 | Newton
Dec. 10 | West Burlington
Dec. 10 | Webster City
Find out more!
Thursday, April 9
Call to Action: Don't Let The Haters Bully Us re Gay Marriage!
by
Linda Thieman
on Thu 09 Apr 2009 08:34 AM CDT
Call to Action: Don't Let The Haters Bully Us re Gay Marriage!
You've probably received a robocall from Iowa's former Lt. Gov. Sally Pederson about One Iowa's campaign to fight the lobbyists/haters who are trying to bully the Iowa legislature into allowing a vote on an anti-gay marriage constitutional amendment.
Don't let the haters bully those of us who are socially tolerant!
Please contact your legislators now. Here's a quick and easy webform set up by One Iowa. Just enter your name and address and your Iowa legislators names will pop up for you. Thank you.
Click here.
Saturday, April 4
Iowa Continues To Be A Leader In Guaranteeing Civil Rights
by
Trish Nelson
on Sat 04 Apr 2009 05:00 AM CDT
Iowa Continues To Be A Leader In Guaranteeing Civil Rights
 Friends,
We are at the forefront of history not only in Iowa but in the country. Please join me today in celebrating equal rights for all Iowans.
Senator Mike Gronstal, Iowa Senate Majority LeaderApril 3, 2009
This is a joint statement from Iowa Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal and Iowa House Speaker Pat Murphy on [Friday's] Supreme Court decision:
"Thanks to today's decision, Iowa continues to be a leader in guaranteeing all of our citizens' equal rights.
"The court has ruled today that when two Iowans promise to share their lives together, state law will respect that commitment, regardless of whether the couple is gay or straight.
"When all is said and done, we believe the only lasting question about today's events will be why it took us so long. It is a tough question to answer because treating everyone fairly is really a matter of Iowa common sense and Iowa common decency.
"Today, the Iowa Supreme Court has reaffirmed those Iowa values by ruling that gay and lesbian Iowans have all the same rights and responsibilities of citizenship as any other Iowan.
"Iowa has always been a leader in the area of civil rights.
"In 1839, the Iowa Supreme Court rejected slavery in a decision that found that a slave named Ralph became free when he stepped on Iowa soil, 26 years before the end of the Civil War decided the issue.
"In 1868, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled that racially segregated "separate but equal" schools had no place in Iowa, 85 years before the U.S. Supreme Court reached the same decision.
"In 1873, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled against racial discrimination in public accommodations, 91 years before the U.S. Supreme Court reached the same decision.
"In 1869, Iowa became the first state in the union to admit women to the practice of law.
"In the case of recognizing loving relationships between two adults, the Iowa Supreme Court is once again taking a leadership position on civil rights.
"Today, we congratulate the thousands of Iowans who now can express their love for each other and have it recognized by our laws."
Peace and Progress,
Senator Mike Gronstal
Friday, April 3
Iowa Supreme Court Declares Gay Marriage Ban Unconstitutional
by
Linda Thieman
on Fri 03 Apr 2009 11:50 AM CDT
Iowa Supreme Court Declares Gay Marriage Ban Unconstitutional
 Dear Iowa, You Make Us Proud!
According to the New York Times, Iowa has become just the third state in the nation to approve same-sex marriage. The decision came down today when the Iowa Supreme Court unanimously ruled that a 1998 law prohibiting gay marriage was unconstitutional.
From the New York Times:
“The Iowa statute limiting civil marriage to a union between a man and a woman violates the equal protection clause of the Iowa Constitution,” the justices said in a summary of their decision.
And later in the ruling, they said: “Equal protection under the Iowa Constitution is essentially a direction that all persons similarly situated should be treated alike. Since territorial times, Iowa has given meaning to this constitutional provision, striking blows to slavery and segregation, and recognizing women’s rights. The court found the issue of same-sex marriage comes to it with the same importance as the landmark cases of the past.”
Read the complete story here.
And from the Chicago Tribune:
Bryan English, a spokesman for the Iowa Family Policy Center, which opposes same-sex marriage, said many Iowans are disappointed with the ruling.
"I would say the mood is one of mourning right now in a lot of ways," English said.
Yes, if you don't count all that jubilation!
Iowa is now officially more progressive than California.
Take THAT, California!
And to think, we launched the national campaign of Barack Obama, too!
Is there nothing we can't do? We have the power!
Tuesday, February 3
Blog for Iowa's Lead Balloon Award Goes to . . . The Sioux City City Council
by
Linda Thieman
on Tue 03 Feb 2009 05:00 AM CST
Blog for Iowa's Lead Balloon Award Goes to . . . The Sioux City City Council
 by Linda Thieman
According to the Sioux City Journal, the Sioux City city council has taken a vote on whether or not marriage should be defined as a union between two individuals of the opposite sex and determined that yes, this anti-gay resolution should be included as part of the overwhelming number of things that prevent people and businesses from moving to the likes of this stinky town.
In honor of the anti-gay-marriage vote's passing 3 to 2, Blog for Iowa is awarding only our second Lead Balloon Award ever--the first going to those massive polluters over at MidAmerican Energy Company. Come to think of it, they stink up Sioux City, too.
Thursday, January 29
Can't Let this Hot Potato Drop: Sioux City vs. Gay Marriage
by
Linda Thieman
on Thu 29 Jan 2009 05:00 AM CST
Can't Let this Hot Potato Drop: Sioux City vs. Gay Marriage
 KCAUTV.com
A Sioux City city council member is once again raising the hot topic of gay marriage.
This comes a month after an attempt to define marriage as a union between a man and a women.
On December 15th, the Sioux City City Council voted to defer a same-sex marriage resolution proposed by Councilman Brent Hoffman. Now, Councilman Dave Ferris has vowed to give the discussion a second chance, [saying he will bring up the issue at this Monday's council meeting.]
First deferred to seek the Attorney General's opinion on whether the council could take such an action, Ferris says he doubts that motion will see any follow through.
Therefore, he's taking action to make sure the issue doesn't fade away.
"I think in all fairness, it was brought up and it needs to be voted on. It can't get pushed under the table and dodged because no one wants to talk about it," says Ferris.
Blog for Iowa begs to differ. With the five-member council split 2-2 on the issue, Ferris is, and always has been, the deciding vote. It was Ferris whose vote tabled the ridiculous waste-of-time motion in the first place. And now he seems hell-bent on bringing this massively intrusive and divisive issue back to the city council--a governing body that has no jurisdiction over the issue whatsoever. Blog for Iowa calls on Mr. Ferris and Mr. Hoffman to table this shockingly intolerant behavior and get back to doing the job they were elected to do.
Monday, December 15
UPDATE: Sioux City Council to Waste Time Spazzing Out over Gay Marriage
by
Linda Thieman
on Mon 15 Dec 2008 05:00 AM CST
UPDATE: Sioux City Council to Waste Time Spazzing Out over Gay Marriage
by Jared Strong, Des Moines Register
 A [wingnut] city councilman in Sioux City is pushing his colleagues to adopt a resolution [today] that opposes gay marriage.
"The resolution is fairly clear and straightforward: You're either going to support traditional marriage, or you are not," said Councilman Brent Hoffman, the author of the resolution. [Translation: You're either for us or you're again' us, and if you're again' us, by all that is mighty, you're evil!]
The move is mostly symbolic [and a total waste of time and money] because the city lacks legal authority over the issue, but Hoffman said the resolution is important because it clarifies the council's position [as an intolerant, discriminatory body] and directs city departments, boards and commissions to stay in line with that position [although without any authority to enforce said intolerance]. It also asks for a statewide vote on whether gay marriage should be allowed. [Well, I think the horse is out of the barn on that one, Hoff-baby.]
Council members and observers said that four of the council votes will split 2-2 and that Councilman Dave Ferris will cast the deciding vote. [Ferris is just hoping the whole bloody thing will go away.]
The City Council will meet at 4 p.m. Monday. The meeting can be watched online at www.sioux-city.org.
You can read the complete and very well-written article here. Thank you to Jared Strong for tolerating Blog for Iowa's incensed inserts.
Update: Amidst a huge turnout, the Sioux City Council ultimately voted 3-2 to table the measure, with Councilman Dave Ferris, Mayor Mike Hobart, and Mayor Pro-Tem Jim Rixner showing enough common sense to realize that this was a potential policy decision for which the council had no authority, but citing "legal implications." Hoffman, the instigator of the discriminatory measure, now considers it to be defeated since only one of the three members who voted to table it can reintroduce it.
Source: KCAU-TV
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