99counties.org

Until today, Iowa law said marriage could only be between one man and one woman.

From the Gazzette.  The link contains an embedded version of the ruling.

In a precedent-setting ruling, the Iowa Supreme Court today upheld a lower court decision legalizing same-sex marriages in Iowa.

The unanimous court decision is expected to carry national implications as Iowa becomes the first Midwest state to grant full legal standing to gay and lesbian couples and only the third state nationally to confer marital status beyond traditional one-man, one woman unions.

“We are firmly convinced the exclusion of gay and lesbian people from the institution of civil marriage does not substantially further any important governmental objective,” the opinion stated. “The Legislature has excluded a historically disfavored class of people from a supremely important civil institution without a constitutionally sufficient justification.”

Gov. Chet Culver

“The decision released this morning by Supreme Court addresses a complicated and emotional issue, one on which Iowans have strong views and opinions on both sides. The next responsible step is to thoroughly review this decision, which I am doing with my legal counsel and the attorney general, before reacting to what it means for Iowa.”

Democratic Sen. Matt McCoy of Des Moines, who is openly gay.

“I’m off the wall. I’m very pleased to be an Iowan.”
Then, as he saw a stream of grim-faced activists from the Supreme Court passing through security at the Iowa Capitol, he said: “The God squad’s coming in the door now.”

Tags: courts, culture, Judicial Activism, law

From the Register:

Cindy and James Dacus should know by early December the outcome of their months-long fight to restrict elementary students’ access to a book about two male penguins that raise a chick together.

Officials at Ankeny’s East Elementary School, where in late February the couple’s kindergartner found the book, “And Tango Makes Three,” denied the couple’s request to remove the book or move it to a parents-only section. The couple’s appeal to the school board is expected to be acted on next month.

“And Tango Makes Three” topped the American Library Association’s list of the 10 most challenged books in 2006 and 2007.

Point:

Nate Monson is project coordinator for Iowa Safe Schools, which promotes safe learning environments for all children, especially those who are gay, lesbian or transgender, as well as those whose parents are gay or lesbian couples.

Monson said putting a book such as “And Tango Makes Three” in a restricted area sends students the wrong message – that homosexuality is different and not OK. “Libraries are a place of diverse discussion, of all viewpoints,” he said. “That’s why we have libraries. It’s important to have literature such as this on the shelf.” [Emphasis added.]

It should go without saying that kindergarten is probably not the best place to have “diverse discussions,”  but apparently it actually needs to be said.    I’m not sure when Mr. Monson was last in a kindergarten classroom but he may be surprised to learn that these are not sophisticated houses of Socratic dialog.  Kindergartners are more interested in construction paper and Elmer’s glue than the big social injustices of the day.  And rightly so.

This, of course, is not an isolated incident.  For many nervous observers, the public school system seems more interested in creating activists rather than creating knowledge.  Its not difficult to find school policies that are explicitly hostile to traditional family values in the name of diversity.

Counterpoint:

Chuck Hurley, president of the Iowa Family Policy Center, which opposes gay marriage, said educators should heed parents’ concerns over what their children are exposed to in schools.

“If not, the parent needs to look for a school setting where the parents’ worldview will be respected,” he said.

“Thank God there’s some parents who have the care and love of their children to such a degree that they would stick their neck out in a PC world and ask that this agenda not be promoted in their child’s school,” he said.

Tags: culture, education, polk

Activists from Iowa City, Des Moines and Decorah have joined what same-sex marriage advocates have marked as a “National Day of Protest.”  They are planning marches around the country to rally against California’s Proposition 8, a voter initiative that passed on Election Day, defining marriage in the state as strictly between one man and one woman.

Protests in California were widespread immediately following election day and some incidents have shown that there is not much tolerance for those who oppose state-endorsed same-sex marriage.  Protest actions have been aimed directly at religious organizations, particularly the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints for its vocal opposition to California’s proposition 8.   Radicals in Lansing, Michigan went so far as to invade a church during Sunday service.

On Dec. 9, the Iowa Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments in Varnum vs. Brien, which will determine the legal status of gay marriage in Iowa.

Tags: culture, radicals

Does “two” constitute a trend?

For the second time this year, a University of Iowa professor accused of sexual misconduct has taken his own life.  Iowa City police found the body of music professor Mark Weiger in his garaged car at his home on Wednesday afternoon — and say it’s an apparent suicide.

In August, another U-of-I professor, Arthur Miller, killed himself after being charged with with bribery for allegedly trading sexual favors from students for better grades.

Tags: academia, culture