Category: Iowa

Being gay — like recalled peanut butter — is harmful

LGBTQ Nation • Tuesday, August 3, 2010 • Filed under: Iowa • Comments (5)

About 100 anti-gay marriage activists gathered at the Iowa state capital Sunday for another hate rally organized by the National Organization for Marriage (NOM).

Tamara Scott

But according to Tamara Scott, state director for Concerned Women for America, the anti-gay marriage movement is not about hate, instead, she said, being gay was as dangerous as using products that have been recalled.

This is not about hate. Let me ask you this. Recently, there was a series of cars that were recalled by a manufacturer because gas pedals would supposedly take off, and people were injured.

Would it be hateful to tell someone they may have a car that was recalled even though they might be embarrassed? … Or is it more loving to tell them, ‘Man, I hate to tell you bad news, but you might want to have that checked. You’re in danger.’ Seems more loving to me.

We recalled peanut butter because it’s dangerous. If you were sitting across the table from someone and you knew they were eating contaminated food that would do them bodily harm, would it be more loving to keep your mouth shut or to speak up? You know the truth, and so do I. What we’re talking about today is not hateful. Stopping someone from hurting themselves and hurting society is not hateful.

Continue reading…

Previously from LGBTQ Nation:

Iowa polls: Republicans want gay marriage vote; majority of Iowans say let’s move on

LGBTQ Nation • Saturday, June 5, 2010 • Filed under: Iowa • Comments (0)

It’s no surprise that a large majority of Iowa Republican primary voters say Iowans should have a chance to vote on a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, according to the latest Des Moines Register Iowa Poll.

More than three-quarters of Iowans planning to vote in Tuesday’s Republican primary say Iowans should have a chance to vote on changing the constitution specifically to ban gay marriage, although a third of the poll respondents also said that some Iowans have overreacted on the issue, and that gay marriage in the state is just not that big a deal.

Meanwhile, another poll, released on Thursday by KCCI-TV, said that a majority of Iowans now support the freedom to marry for gay and lesbian couples.

Fourteen months after the Iowa Supreme Court cleared the way for gay and lesbian couples to marry, 53% of Iowans favor marriage rights for same-sex couples, while 41% are opposed and 6% are unsure, according to the KCCI poll. Continue reading…

Previously from LGBTQ Nation:

Iowa legislator wants to exclude gays from family campsite policy

LGBTQ Nation • Friday, May 7, 2010 • Filed under: Iowa • Comments (0)

An Iowa state lawmaker said Thursday that he wants to be “vigilant” and keep state agencies from writing rules that extend new benefits to gay couples.

Bartz

His latest target: camping rules in the state park system.

State Sen. Merlin Bartz, R-Grafton, told Radio Iowa that he wants Iowa Department of Natural Resources officials to explain a proposed policy change that would include gay couples in its definition of “families,” making them eligible for family camping at state parks.

The rates or fees for camp sites are the same, whether you’re a family or a non-family, but the state allows families to put up more than one tent on a camp site.

“They’re changing their language even though the state legislature has not had a debate on this particular issue,” Bartz says.

The DNR is changing “husband and wife” in its campsite rules to “spouse,” which would allow same-sex families, legally recognized in the state, to erect additional tents for for their children or friends.

The Iowa Supreme Court overturned the state’s Defense of Marriage Act last year, legalizing same-sex marriage.

The anti-gay legislator previously attempted to insert language into a bill that would have allowed county recorders to refuse to issue a marriage license as a “matter of conscience” without fear of prosecution. The language was ruled out of order.

Previously from LGBTQ Nation:

Iowa Republicans fail in two attempts to force vote on gay marriage ban

LGBTQ Nation • Tuesday, February 9, 2010 • Filed under: Iowa • Comments (0)

Two Democrats and all 62 Republicans in the Iowa state legislature failed Tuesday in their bid to bring up a resolution that would set up a statewide vote on a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.

The first attempt came shortly before nine o’clock in the Senate. All 18 Republicans, and one Democrat, signed a document called a “discharge petition” to bring the resolution out of committee and make it eligible for Senate debate. The effort failed as it required at least 26 signatures.

Shortly thereafter, House Republicans tried to bring a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage up for a vote — it too failed by a 54-45 vote. Continue reading…

Previously from LGBTQ Nation:

Iowa lawmakers seek to exclude gay students from anti-bullying law

LGBTQ Nation • Tuesday, February 9, 2010 • Filed under: Iowa • Comments (4)

Two Iowa state legislators have introduced a bill that would remove protections for gay, lesbian and transgender students from an anti-bullying law passed in 2007.

Reps. Windschitl (left) and Schultz

Republican Reps. Jason Schultz and Matt Windschitl want to remove protection to lesbians, gay and transgender students from the Safe Schools Law, in and effort to reverse the Iowa’s Supreme Court decision to legalize same-sex marriage.

Schultz says he’s not doing this to hurt gay, lesbian and transgender students, he’s just trying to forward his agenda to make same sex marriage illegal in Iowa. Continue reading…

Previously from LGBTQ Nation:

Iowa Republicans expected to force House vote on gay marriage ban

LGBTQ Nation • Sunday, February 7, 2010 • Filed under: Iowa, Marriage Equality • Comments (0)

A legislative push to overturn the Iowa Supreme Court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage is likely to begin Monday, according to the state’s largest gay-rights organization.

According to The Iowa Independent:

After numerous meetings at the Capitol Thursday, Brad Clark, campaign director for One Iowa, told The Iowa Independent that he expects Republican lawmakers in the Iowa House to attempt to bring about a vote on a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage by invoking Rule 60, which allows a majority vote on the floor of the House to pull a bill out of a committee even if the committee has not approved it.

Democratic leadership has repeatedly promised that the legislature would not discuss gay marriage this session. Gay-rights advocates have long believed conservative lawmakers would attempt some procedural move to force a vote on the issue in spite of Democratic opposition.

Democrats have successfully blocked Republican efforts to force a vote on a constitutional ban on gay marriage, including attaching it to a tax proposal and the state’s Health and Human Services budget during the 2009 session.

Clark said he is optimistic this latest effort will fail, saying Republicans need 51 votes to bring the bill to the House floor. There are 56 Democrats in the Iowa House and only 44 Republicans, meaning at least seven Democrats would have to support the move for the effort to succeed.

“And in theory, Democrats could just not vote,” Clark said, denying the GOP the majority it needs and the symbolic victory of getting Democrats on record as casting a vote on gay marriage.

The Iowa Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage last April in a unanimous decision.

Earlier this month, Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal said there will be no vote on a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage during this legislative session.

“I will not write discrimination into the constitution of the State of Iowa,” Gronstal said. “I’m going to block that at every opportunity. There will be no vote on the constitutional amendment.”

Previously from LGBTQ Nation:

Iowa republicans face uphill battle on resolution to ban gay marriage

LGBTQ Nation • Friday, January 15, 2010 • Filed under: Iowa, Marriage Equality • Comments (0)

A bill that would start the process towards outlawing same-sex marriage was introduced in the Iowa state Senate Thursday, but one of the main sponsors admits it’s unlikely to go anywhere.


According to
The Iowa Independent:

The legislation, Senate Joint Resolution 2001, would amend the state’s constitution to say “marriage between one man and one woman shall be the only legal union valid or recognized in this state.”

In order to amend the constitution, the legislature must pass the resolution in two separate General Assemblies. The measure would then go to a public vote. If advocates of a same-sex marriage ban are unsuccessful in 2010, it would likely be 2014 at the earliest before the public would weigh in.

The resolution was sponsored by all 18 Republican members of the Iowa Senate. There are 32 Democrats.

The Iowa Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage last April in a unanimous decision. During the closing weeks of the 2009 General Assembly, Republicans attempted numerous procedural moves to force a vote on a constitutional ban on gay marriage, all of which were thwarted by Democrats.

Earlier this month, Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal said there will be no vote on a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage during this legislative session.

“I will not write discrimination into the constitution of the State of Iowa,” Gronstal said. “I’m going to block that at every opportunity. There will be no vote on the constitutional amendment.”

Previously from LGBTQ Nation:

Iowa senate leader: No vote on gay marriage ban this session

LGBTQ Nation • Saturday, January 2, 2010 • Filed under: Iowa, Marriage Equality • Comments (0)

There will be no vote on a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage during the 2010 legislative session, Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal has told The Iowa Independent.

Mike Gronstal

Mike Gronstal


Republicans may try to force a vote on an amendment, the Democrat from Council Bluffs said, but he will not allow any bill banning same-sex marriage to come to the floor.

“I will not write discrimination into the constitution of the State of Iowa,” Gronstal said. “I’m going to block that at every opportunity. There will be no vote on the constitutional amendment.”

Republican legislative leaders have said repeatedly that they will work to ensure a vote on same-sex marriage takes place during the session.

In 2004, the state Senate narrowly rejected a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage by a 25-24 vote — four Republicans joined all 21 Democrats to kill the measure. The following year, the Republican controlled Iowa House passed a gay marriage ban, but an evenly divided Senate never took up the bill.

Now, Democrats have a commanding 32-18 edge in the Senate, making Republican efforts to pass a ban very unlikely.

In order to become a constitutional amendment in Iowa, the bill must be approved in exactly the same form by two consecutive general assemblies, and then be put to a public vote. If Republicans are unable to pass a ban this year, the earliest it could go before the public would likely be 2014.

Gay marriage opponents are planning a rally at the state house on January 12 when Democratic Gov. Chet Culver delivers his Condition of the State address to a joint session of the General Assembly with Iowa Supreme Court justices present.

Gay marriage was legalized in Iowa on April 27, 2009 following an April 3, 2009 state Supreme Court ruling that there was “no important governmental interest in denying citizens marriage licenses based on their sexual orientation.”

Previously from LGBTQ Nation:

Iowa gay marriage foes seek constitutional ban at the ballot box

LGBTQ Nation • Sunday, December 27, 2009 • Filed under: Iowa, Marriage Equality • Comments (0)

Gay marriage opponents are organizing efforts in Iowa to pressure lawmakers into taking action on a constitutional ban of gay marriage.

The Iowa family policy council group ACTION is planning a rally at the state house on January 12 when Democratic Gov. Chet Culver delivers his Condition of the State address to a joint session of the General Assembly with Iowa Supreme Court justices present.

Democratic leaders — House Speaker Pat Murphy and Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal — reiterated this month they do not plan to take up a resolution during the 2010 session that would propose a constitutional ban on gay marriage, saying such an effort would effectively seek to write discrimination into the Iowa Constitution.

To come before Iowa voters, a proposed constitutional amendment has to be approved in exactly the same form by two consecutive general assemblies.

If nothing happens in 2010, the earliest the issue could come before voters would be in 2013 or 2014.

Last April, Iowa became the third state in the nation to allow same-sex marriage after the state Supreme Court ruled that a law defining marriage as only between men and women was unconstitutional.

Opponents are seeking a constitutional ban to reverse the ruling at the ballot box, similar to the effects of Proposition 8 in California in November 2008.

Previously from LGBTQ Nation:

National Org for Marriage targets Iowa for gay marriage ban

LGBTQ Nation • Tuesday, August 25, 2009 • Filed under: Around the Nation, Iowa, Marriage Equality • Comments (0)

NOMThe National Organization for Marriage, which was active in getting Proposition 8 approved by voters in California, launched a campaign Monday to re-ban gay marriage in Iowa.

The NOM is appealing for donations to run advertisements on behalf of political candidates who oppose same-sex marriage, and is throwing much of its support behind Republican Stephen Burgmeier’s challeng for the state House in District 90. He is up for election in less than two weeks.

Burgmeier opposes gay marriage, and earlier this year called for resolution to forbid Jefferson County Officials from issuing marriage licenses to same sex couples soon after the Iowa Supreme Court’s issued its opinion upholding a lower court’s decision that granted marriage equality in that state.

BurgmeierIn a report filed with the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board, the NOM acknowledged it already purchased $86,000 in television and radio ads supporting Burgmeier (pictured, right).

One Iowa executive director Carolyn Jenison issued a statement Monday critical of NOM’s efforts in Iowa.

“The Mormon Church and NOM have invested millions of dollars to spread lies and fear in California and now they have their sights set on rural Iowa,” Jenison said. “This raises the question: Has Burgmeier been bought and paid for by out of state religious extremists? If not, he should reject this divisive ad.”

“NOM has a history of funneling money from the Mormon Church into anti-gay measures, while refusing to disclose the source of their funds. NOM should release the list of those contributing to the ads airing in Iowa, ” she added.

Earlier this month, Burgmeier received the endorsement of Everyday America, another anti-gay organization seeking to overturn gay marriage in Iowa.

In April, Iowa became the third state in the nation to allow same-sex marriage after the state Supreme Court ruled that a law defining marriage as only between men and women was unconstitutional.

Previously from LGBTQ Nation:

Page 1 of 212