So, my gay friends. While you are picketing the Mormon Church in New York as a result of an amendment that has already passed in California, there is an actual state Supreme Court hearing in less than a month in the state of Iowa. You know... the state that just swung hard for Barack Obama. And while this is not something that requires a vote by the people that we need to campaign for, it certainly seems like a more advantageous use of our time and effort to bring forth visibility there.Same-sex marriage in the U.S. state of Iowa was allowed for a short time from August 30 to August 31, 2007, in Polk County as a result of a ruling by Robert Hanson, a judge in the Polk County District Court, in Varnum v. Brien.
The ruling was made as a result of a suit brought against Polk County by six same-sex couples who had been denied marriage licenses. Hanson's ruling states, in part, thatCouples, such as plaintiffs, who are otherwise qualified to marry one another may not be denied licenses to marry or certificates of marriage or in any other way prevented from entering into a civil marriage... by reason of the fact that both person comprising such a couple are of the same sex.
Polk County has appealed the decision to the Iowa Supreme Court, which will hear arguments in the case on December 9, 2008.
Don't let this opportunity slip through the fingers because we were too busy being dramatic about Prop 8!
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3 comments:
i'm not sure what you're suggesting. the gays should picket the IA supreme court?
I'm saying if the gays are gonna have rallies and want to show visibility, they should do it in Iowa.
I read a comment on one of Joey's status' or postings about how protesting and marching in just the beginning. It's an easy way to get your voice heard, and it's worked in the past on several occasions. And Prop 8, as heinous as it is and should be overturned, it WILL. But I do believe that it would be smart for the gay community to spread themselves around. Take a group to Iowa, like the Utah Mormons did when they were rallying to take away your rights. I know its not the easiest thing to do. To travel that far for a small incident. But the support would create media buzz. Keep informed about incidents like this around the country. Pull together to make these small events big ones. If this continues, we will move on to bigger and better things.
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