UPDATE: Iowa ruling sure to heat up gay marriage debate in Missouri
UPDATE: The Missouri Republican Party is using the Iowa court ruling on gay marriage to take Democrats Sen. Claire McCaskill and Secretary of State Robin Carnahan to task for opposing the 2004 constitutional amendment in Missouri:
JEFFERSON CITY_ This morning, the Iowa Supreme Court unanimously ruled that a state law prohibiting gay marriage was unconstitutional. The ruling shatters the argument used by Democrats who opposed Missouri’s 2004 constitutional amendment preserving traditional marriage, claiming that an existing state law was enough to protect marriage between a man and a woman. Despite the objections by Democrats such as Robin Carnahan and Claire McCaskill, Missouri voters overwhelmingly approved the constitutional amendment.
“If Robin Carnahan and Claire McCaskill had their way, Missouri would have been left in the same situation as Iowa: without a constitutional amendment and at the mercy of the courts,” said Lloyd Smith, Executive Director of the Missouri Republican Party.
In fact, Sen. Claire McCaskill claimed in 2004 that a state constitutional amendment was unnecessary, citing an existing state law that prohibited gay marriage and arguing that a judge would never overturn it. McCaskill: “We had a very strong law on the books concerning gay marriage… And I just didn’t think it was an appropriate thing to put into our Constitution… And there was no danger of this being overturned by a judge in this state.” (Springfield Debate, October 22, 2004)
Similarly, Robin Carnahan believed that a state law and her personal opinion was sufficient. Carnahan: “I support the fact that marriage is between a man and a woman. That’s all that I need to support.” (Missourinet interview, October 20, 2004) In 2004, Carnahan was repeatedly criticized for her failure to support the amendment.
“Today’s Iowa ruling clearly demonstrates that a simple state statute is not enough to protect the institution of marriage,” said Smith. “Traditional values are under attack from activist judges. It is time for Robin Carnahan and Claire McCaskill to recognize that they were wrong and join Republicans in calling for a federal constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage.”
JEFFERSON CITY — An Iowa Supreme Court decision making gay marriage legal in a Missouri border state is likely to fire up the political rhetoric in the Show Me State.
The court overturned a 10-year-old Iowa law defining marriage as only between a man and a woman, saying that it violate’s Iowa’s constitutional guarantee of equal opportunity and due process.
Missouri voters overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment in 2004 making gay marriage not only illegal in the state but expressly defined in the constitution. While that means the Iowa decision might have little impact in Missouri, gay-rights advocates are already praising the court ruling.
“While the Iowa decision doesn’t directly affect Missourians, it shows that the trend toward equality is inevitable,” said A.J. Bockelman, executive director of PROMO, a statewide gay-rights group. “The fact that Iowa is right next door to Missouri shows that marriage equality is not just a coastal phenomenon and should give hope to all Missourians who cherish farness, justice, and equality. This is a truly historic day and a breakthrough for equal rights in the United States.”
Iowa becomes the fourth state, and first in the Midwest, to legalize gay marriage through a court ruling. The other states are California, Connecticut and Massachusetts. California voters narrowly overturned their court last fall with a constitutional amendment that like Missouri’s, bans gay marriage.
Added Bockelman: “I am thrilled by this decision, but make no mistake: as encouraging as the Iowa marriage decision is to LGBT persons and our straight allies, it’s going to perceived as an enormous threat by those in this state who want to maintain inequality, unfairness, and injustice. Now is the time for all fair-minded Missourians to let their friends, their families, their coworkers, and their legislators know that they will no longer tolerate discrimination in this state. I truly believe that equality is inevitable. The timing, though: That’s up to us.”
In Missouri, conservatives who pushed the gay-marriage amendment, and those who argue that the courts have overstepped their bounds, are likely to make much political hay out of this court ruling. Could make a quiet Friday in the Capitol city quite interesting.
How great! I’m sure the crazies will get all stirred up soon enough, but for now I just want to take a half-a-second to bask in the glow of creeping equality. *sigh* Alright. Let the games begin in 3, 2, 1…
Congratulations, Iowa, on recognizing the equality of gay and lesbian individuals. I look forward to the day when Missouri, Illinois and all states do the same.
I am thrilled about the Iowa court ruling, and am optimistic that “the trend toward equality” is truly inevitable and will continue. I also would like to remind those that use religion as a weapon against gay marriage that the ruling explicitly expressed that “A religious denomination can still define marriage as a union between a man and a woman, and a marriage ceremony performed by a minister, priest, rabbi, or other person ordained or designated as a leader of the person’s religious faith does not lose its meaning as a sacrament or other religious institution. The sanctity of all religious marriages celebrated in the future will have the same meaning as those celebrated in the past. The only difference is civil marriage will now take on a new meaning that reflects a more complete understanding of equal protection of the law.”
I am confident that my priests and friends at Christ Church (Episcopal) Cathedral, and other fair-minded religious institutions will join me in celebrating this ruling.
Bravo to the Iowa Supreme Court. And bravo to the great people of Iowa who support marriage equality.
Maybe it’s time that Missouri 2004 Amendment gets a challenge before our state’s highest court?
This is fantastic. It’s thrilling to know that just one state north, my marraige of six years would be recognized. My husband and I would not have to worry about not being recognized as family or next-of-kin in times of crisis. Married same-sex couples in Iowa will now have a new feeling of security which many heterosexual married couples take for granted.
This ruling is an amazing triumph, not only for the gay and lesbian community, but also for the legal system. This ruling used our system of due process and a sound equal protection rights argument. I believe the day has arrived for the “Show Me” state to demonstrate that our gay and lesbian citizens are worthy of the same rights!
We’ve probably got a few golden minutes before people with contempt for their neighbors take over this forum. So let’s celebrate this big step forward for equality!
This was a unanimous ruling (with from Republican appointees, among others) that totally guts all the bias-masking, moving-the-goalpost excuses people come up with for wanting less for their neighbors than for themselves.
Americans have had to be dragged kicking and screaming, clutching their Bibles more often than not, to every expansion of equality in our history. That’s why our founders saw the need for a separate, co-equal branch of the government to keep us true to the promises in our founding documents. EQUAL JUSTICE UNDER LAW.
Gotta go find some champagne now…
Congratulations to our neighbors to the north, where in Iowa the courts have demonstrated that anything less than equal treatment under the law will not be tolerated, and that laws written to be discriminatory are unconstitutional. Iowa judges, having unanimously agreed to overturn their state law restricting marriage to heterosexual couples, prove that, at least in their state, the civil recognition of committed same sex relationships is more than just a “Field of Dreams”. Meanwhile, I am still dreaming of the day when this entire debate is laid to rest throughout our nation, and loving, committed couples receive equal legal recognition regardless of sexual orientation.
Thank God for this decision. It’s a move rooted in justice for all people and I look forward to the day it’s realized here in Missouri.
Finally…this is doing what the civil rights movement of the 1960’s did for blacks and whites being allowed to marry.
Just because someone chooses to spend their life with a particular person shouldn’t mean they don’t have the same rights under the law of every other US Citizen.
Road Trip to IOWA??