WOOT WOOT!!!!
It’s happening slowly, bitches, but it’s HAPPENING. The long arc of history curves toward JUSTICE.
The Iowa Supreme Court legalized gay marriage Friday in a unanimous and emphatic decision that makes Iowa the third state — and the first in the nation’s heartland — to allow same-sex couples to wed.
In its decision, the high court upheld a lower court’s ruling that found a state law restricting marriage to between a man and woman violated Iowa’s constitution.
“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 Supreme Court wrote in its decision. “The Legislature has excluded a historically disfavored class of persons from a supremely important civil institution without a constitutionally sufficient justification.”
The decision will take about 21 days to be considered final, and, after that, gay and lesbian couples can begin applying for marriage licenses. So there will be lots of BEAUTIFUL same-sex marriages in Iowa this summer.
HELLS YEAH.
Thanks Steph!
Fuck yeah! Iowa just jumped from like 30th on my favorite state list to like 3rd.
I know, right? I feel like Iowa just came out of nowhere to be fucking awesome.
I third that!
Right? First they produce Ashton Kutcher and now this? I love that place!
MARRIAGE FOR ALL! As a native Californian and straight married woman who grew up in San Francisco, I was HEARTBROKEN when Prop H8te passed. I hope other states follow Iowa and 8 gets overturned in California. Two consenting adults in love should never be prevented from marrying.
w00t!
Iowa kicks much more ass than I thought it did.
HELL YEAH, MIDWEST!
Finally! Justice is coming for all! I am 16, I have never been in love and I know I am still immature, but I have always known that we all have the right to love, no matter is you love someone of the same sex as you :).
And at the next election Iowa will amend it’s state constitution to make same sex marriages illegal…courts can not legislate from the bench…this subject is up to the voters…
I live in Iowa, and have never been more proud to be an Iowan. I watched it on the news this morning at work and got goosebumps. It truly is an amazing day!
More importantly, Beet why do you insist on posting these stories on a “celebrity blog”??? I believe the more appropriate forum would be your personal blog. I enjoy your blog but when you try to interject your political beliefs regarding gay marriage on your readers you come across as trite. Moreover, it makes me think that you are committing a disservice to the movement b/c you are putting posts on a celebrity/fashion blog…which begs the question do you champion this cause only because it is “fashionable?”
I see nothing wrong with posting stories about current events. Beet can do whatever she wants. Also, I think it’s pretty offensive to imply that Beet’s personal beliefs are based on what is “fashionable”. Furthermore, it’s not really that “fashionable” to support gay rights anyway (as the minority of U.S. citizens support gay marriage), so your statement doesn’t really make sense.
Don’t tell Beet what to write in her blog, and we won’t tell you what cases to work on, “lawyer.”
What day in law school did they teach you how to abuse ellipses?
Gay marriage is not Beet’s personal political ‘belief’ – it’s human rights my friend.
C’line, with all due respect:
Do you, an individual who uses a small, pointy-nosed dog as an icon, expect us, Evil Beet’s loyal readers, to take you completely seriously? I’m trying, my friend, but it’s not easy.
Beet and Human Freedom take the day.
Uh…
1. you are like, the only person who is offended my this. This is her blog and she can disservice it as much as she wants.
2. You’re dumb.
3. This is SO not a fashion blog.
Aww. Look at Mr/s dissenting up there. Soooooo cute! I’m glad Beet posted this. One step closer to equality for all!
C’line –
1) Don’t use the phrase “legislate from the bench” if you don’t understand what it means. Legislature = makes the laws. Judiciary = interprets the laws. It’s the job of a state supreme court to determine issues of constitutionality as they pertain to a state’s constitution. It’s not legislating from the bench. It’s acting as a judiciary.
2) Further, using your logic, a voter’s referendum to ban gay marriage by majority rule would seem to amount to “legislating from the polling booth,” which you seem to have no problem with. Make up your mind.
3) Its = possessive pronoun. It’s = It is.
4) Don’t use the phrase “begs the question” if you don’t understand what it means. http://thelanguageguy.blogspot.com/2006/06/begging-question_17.html
Good post, Beet.
hahahaha Sarah. wonderful.
and C’line, also, just with your “it makes me think that you are committing a disservice to the movement b/c you are putting posts on a celebrity/fashion blog”— I just don’t agree with that at all. How on earth would that be hurting the movement, Beet talking about gay marriage? That doesn’t even make any sense. I’m aware that I am on EB right now, and not CNN or Huffington Post, but fuck. We’re not all idiots here. Most of us enjoy a little politics now.
#1: As an attorney I understand exactly what I was stating…the Iowa Sup.Ct. through judicial activism is “legislating from the bench” in that the Court is dictating law through their judicial opinion rather than leaving it up to the legislature (where it belongs). The Iowa Sup.Ct. was only issuing an opinion on the constitutionality and the opinion is in no way bound by the force of law. If Iowa citizens would like to change centuries-old tradition and law concerning marriage in Iowa, it should be done by amendment. If proponents of same-sex marriage want to have that in Iowa, they can pass an amendment legalizing same-sex marriage in the state. Otherwise, the legislature has already spoken clearly on the matter.
As to point #2 – if you understand Iowa law you would realize that your point is moot. Initially, the language of the proposed constitutional amendment will have to pass into both the state senate and house of reps – only then does it go onto the ballot – then the people have the final decision. Moreover, the legislature was created to act as a representative of the people.
#3 – Yes, you “got” me there. I was typing fast during a break.
#4 – In light of contemporary usage I did use the phrase properly. The latter statement is a general assertion which is no more know to be true than the more specific (former) assertion.
Can we take bets on whether or not C’line is an attorney? I vote no.
No, obviously!
If she/he/it was they would know that Judges are in place to protect minorities and other things. Mob rule is pretty scary, imo.
I second that. I’d figure he’d know more about how one of the most important functions of the court is to protect the rights of the minority by being stripped away by a single majority vote. If Civil Rights had been left up to a mere vote who knows what would have been done. Oh wait.. in California it was put to a vote (championed by later president Ronald Reagan), and then overturned by the state supreme court in a rare case, like Prop 8, in which the state’s attorney general argued against the state law. The court highlighted how rights can’t just be put up to a majority vote. It’s not good protection.
Were the courts legislating from the bench when they ruled in Brown v. Board, overturning school segregation and leading to the integration of schools? How about in Loving v. Virginia in which they threw out a marriage ban, this one on interracial marriage, and demanded that marriages start being issued. I suppose, in the sense that ruling something unconstitutional led to a change in public life then yes they were. But, how long would it have taken for these civil rights if the court hadn’t intervened, as the majority was against such actions at the time. Now, most of us look back and see the policies as a good laying down of justice. I can only hope we will do the same in this case.
(I, unlike C’line, make no claims to be an attorney, though I do hope to go to law school one day and become one. :) )
Now now. You can be ANYTHING you want on the INTERNET. (Personally, I am an astronaut, a brain surgeon, and a princess. Fuck anyone that says otherwise.)
So let’s just let C’line have her moment as an “attorney”. :o)
In light of contemporary usage! i.e. lots of morons out there don’t know what ‘begs the question’ means, therefore it’s OK to misuse it? Come on.
Clearly, and out of work attorney.
“Anonymous” that is certainly a juvenile accusation. Why would any person falsely claim to be a lawyer? I don’t see why it matters but I am licensed in Texas and Oklahoma. Moreover, I have routinely written comments on EB posts offering my point of view as an atty (i.e. Wendie’s posts regarding what she labeled the “Gay Tax”).
“Why would any person falsely claim to be a lawyer? ”
I dunno, to make their comments on a blog have more weight?
I’m not sure if you are really a lawyer or not (I still think no), but the fact that you’re a poop-on-Democrats Republican shines through.
I can be juvenile. I am NOT an attorney, or anything else nearly as prestigious. And your writing is awfully juvenile for an attorney. Your law school must have sucked.
Texas and Oklahoma?!?!?! That explains this entire rant. C’line is a biggoted piece of shit and is hiding his or her homophobia w/ a bunch of “shame on you EB” comments! C’line – spread some hate somewhere else!
Hey! Not all of is Texans are biggoted idiots! There are about six of us that don’t think we know what’s best for everyone.
This article, though bringing awesome news, is just a tiny bit off in details. New Hampshire became the third state to legalize gay marriage back in March, making Iowa the 4th. I know it sounds nitpicky, but hey, that’s one more state for progress! On top of that, Mayor Bloomberg and Governor Patterson are really putting the pressure on Albany to legalize it in New York. I think if New York goes through with it sometime this year, California would have to take back Prop 8. They’re already looking pretty stupid for legalizing it only to ban it months later only to have 2 more states legalize it mere months after Prop 8 passed. Progress is on its way!!!
Not quite. I’m from New Hampshire, and a bill to legalize gay marriage passed our House in March, but is held up in our state Senate (which has a Democratic president who feels the civil unions bill is all that’s needed). If it passes, a veto from our governor is likely, though he hasn’t come out threatening it like he has on another social issue bill (death penalty repeal) that got through the House on the same day. New Hampshire is making progress, but Iowa is truly the state to have officially legalized gay marriage.
I am from NH too, and I really hope it gets through. It would make me even more proud to be from the 603! Show ’em what “Live Free of Die” really means and embrace diversity and equality by passing this! Slowly but surely all of New England will be showing California, where I am unfortunately living now, who is boss! Give my friends equal rights! I still have hope since, like you said, our governor hasn’t been as vocal as Vermonts was saying it would be immediately vetoed.
I live in California, and am still very upset about Prop 8. I know though, in my heart, it WILL be overturned eventually. I fully believe that gay marriage will become legal here (again) at least within the next decade, and hopefully FOR GOOD.
THATS SO FUCKIN AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Memo to California: Check the fuck out what Iowa did, y’all!!
Also? Please ladies, lets not fight about the issue of gay marriage. Because you know what? Straight peeps have been making a fucking mockery of marriage for generations!!!
Exhibit A) – Elizabeth Taylor and her bakers dozen full o’ husbands (I jest, I know it’s only really 8!!)
Exhibit B) Old billionaire on his 4th marriage to a woman 36 years his junior!! Bloody idiot! http://gawker.com/5177708/netscape-billionaire-to-wed-supermodel-this-weekend
Exhibit C) Another old man divorcing his Countess (golddigger) wife who insists 35 mill ain’t enough to get by on. http://www.nypost.com/seven/03242009/news/nationalnews/mogul__no_intention_to_speak_with_counte_161120.htm
So PUHLEEZ spare us the trite crap that marriage is some sacred institution! Give me my gays getting married any day to this bull-kaka!
Lawyers can be just as misguided, bigoted, closed-minded, and moronic as anyone else out there. Believe me, I know. I am a lawyer and it shocks the shit out of me how utterly stupid (and arrogant) many lawyers are.
The only time someone ever throws out “legislating from the bench” is when that certain someone doesn’t agree with the court’s decision. Any other time, it’s just the judicial department doing its duty.
Don’t let the legalisms fool you, that legal eagle is just a fucking bigot, plain and simple.
You know what, honestly…? Who gives one shit what any of you do or where you’re from or what color of socks you’re wearing right now?! What’s important is that “Iowa Reverses Ban on Same-Sex Marriages!!!!” (the heading of this blog) So, pinch off the last bit, maybe throw in a courtesy flush and forget about what you do, where you live, or what color of socks you’re wearing. What happened today is a good thing.
It makes me smile how much straight people care about our community. Thank you.
Awesome! It’s great to see the winds of change blowing across America.
this is so…so…[i think im gonna throw up lol
I am from Iowa and I am very dissappointed.