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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!
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