Demand the right to love
Tyler Vogler
Issue date: 4/8/09 Section: Opinion
When I think of Iowa, I picture small, rural towns dwarfed by massive cornfields. In fact, I picture agriculture in general. It's one of those states you drive through to get somewhere - part of the path, not the destination.
Not exactly "fabulous," right?
Last week, however, the Iowa Supreme Court wrote the state into the history books, handing down landmark legislation that declared a ban on gay marriage unconstitutional.
In another move championing equal rights, the Vermont legislature passed a bill (previously vetoed by the state's governor) to allow same-sex marriages. The decision marks the first time same-sex marriage was won through legislation, and not legal litigation.
For those who are counting, Iowa and Vermont total four states nationwide that allow gay marriage, not counting California's 2008 bait-and-switch. That's 0.08 percent of the states in the country. Massachusetts legalized same-sex marriage in 2003, and Connecticut in 2008.
During the 2008 elections, there was a lot of publicity over Proposition 8, California's constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. Popular opinion held the measure would fail. After all, California is liberal leaning and home to San Francisco and Los Angeles, virtual gay meccas on the west coast.
When the amendment passed, however, it was met with cheers from the religious right and angry nationwide protests from homosexuals asking, "Why? Why can't we have equal rights?"
Iowa's Supreme Court answered that question, basing their decision in equal, across-the-board protection.
"This class of people asks a simple and direct question," the ruling stated. "How can a state premised on the constitutional principle of equal protection justify exclusion of a class of Iowans from civil marriage?"
The situation in Iowa was everything the failed Prop 8 battle was not.
The decision in Iowa was handed down with a solid, unanimous 7-0 vote as opposed to California's indecisive and cowardly split 4-3 vote. Leading up to the decision saw little fanfare in Iowa, while California's tug-of-war rights battle was all over state and national papers.
Not exactly "fabulous," right?
Last week, however, the Iowa Supreme Court wrote the state into the history books, handing down landmark legislation that declared a ban on gay marriage unconstitutional.
In another move championing equal rights, the Vermont legislature passed a bill (previously vetoed by the state's governor) to allow same-sex marriages. The decision marks the first time same-sex marriage was won through legislation, and not legal litigation.
For those who are counting, Iowa and Vermont total four states nationwide that allow gay marriage, not counting California's 2008 bait-and-switch. That's 0.08 percent of the states in the country. Massachusetts legalized same-sex marriage in 2003, and Connecticut in 2008.
During the 2008 elections, there was a lot of publicity over Proposition 8, California's constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. Popular opinion held the measure would fail. After all, California is liberal leaning and home to San Francisco and Los Angeles, virtual gay meccas on the west coast.
When the amendment passed, however, it was met with cheers from the religious right and angry nationwide protests from homosexuals asking, "Why? Why can't we have equal rights?"
Iowa's Supreme Court answered that question, basing their decision in equal, across-the-board protection.
"This class of people asks a simple and direct question," the ruling stated. "How can a state premised on the constitutional principle of equal protection justify exclusion of a class of Iowans from civil marriage?"
The situation in Iowa was everything the failed Prop 8 battle was not.
The decision in Iowa was handed down with a solid, unanimous 7-0 vote as opposed to California's indecisive and cowardly split 4-3 vote. Leading up to the decision saw little fanfare in Iowa, while California's tug-of-war rights battle was all over state and national papers.
Viewing Comments 1 - 5 of 8
TM
posted 4/08/09 @ 11:28 AM CST
ummm... 4 out of 50 states is actually 8 percent, not 0.08 percent.
K in Illinois
posted 4/08/09 @ 4:33 PM CST
Who says you always have to write 8% as 8%. Why can't you write it as .08%? You people miss the point. Stop discriminating!
K in Illinois
K in Illinois
posted 4/08/09 @ 4:36 PM CST
Who says you always have to write 8% as 8%. Why can't you write it as .08%? You people miss the point. Stop discriminating! Open your minds!
Lyndon
posted 4/09/09 @ 9:14 AM CST
K in Illinois you have to write 8% as 8% because if write it as .08% it is completely different actually 1/100th the percent of 8%. Take a math class. (Continued…)
I love Tyler!
posted 4/10/09 @ 9:56 AM CST
Tyler rocks, as usual!
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