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Loading ...Iowa governor cool to anti-gay marriage amendment
04.08.2009 11:24am EDT
(Des Moines, Iowa) Gov. Chet Culver has ended days of silence on the Iowa Supreme Court’s decision allowing same-sex marriage, saying he disagrees with the ruling but is “reluctant to support” amending the state constitution to reverse it.
Culver said in a lengthy statement that he hadn’t changed his mind that marriage is between a man and a woman: “This is a tenet of my personal faith.”However, Culver said the issue before the court in its unanimous ruling Friday involved only civil marriage, and that churches and other religious institutions do not have to perform them.
“The court also concluded that the denial of this right constitutes discrimination,” Culver said. “Therefore, after careful consideration and a thorough reading of the court’s decision, I am reluctant to support amending the Iowa Constitution to add a provision that our Supreme Court has said is unlawful and discriminatory.”
Culver made his statement hours after a Republican candidate for governor, Bob Vander Plaats, criticized the governor for not being more clear about where he stood on the gay marriage ruling.
“There’s an old saying that silence is golden, but it doesn’t apply when people need to know where their elected officials stand,” said Vander Plaats, a Sioux City businessman.
The court ruling means same-sex couples can file for licenses in Iowa beginning April 27, and get married as soon as April 30.
Key Democratic legislative leaders have ruled out efforts to start the process of amending the constitution, and Culver’s position likely ends that debate for all practical purposes. Social conservatives have been clamoring for the amendment, but even in their best-case scenario Iowa voters could not weigh in on the issue until 2012.
Iowa doesn’t have residency requirements for marriage licenses, so same-sex couples from elsewhere could come to Iowa to be married. Vander Plaats said at the least, lawmakers should put residency requirements in place to head off such visits.
“It is wrong to allow people whose states do not allow same-sex marriages to rush into Iowa, get a quickie marriage and rush home to undermine the laws and values of another state,” he said.
Culver urged both sides in the emotional debate “to exhibit respect and good will” and said he would focus his attention elsewhere.
“We are in the midst of a serious economic recession,” said Culver, pointing to rising unemployment and last summer’s record flooding. “That is where, I believe, my focus and energies should lie.”
Senate Minority Leader Paul McKinley, R-Chariton, criticized Culver, saying he has broken an earlier promise to oppose gay marriage.
“Gov. Culver has chosen to stand with seven elite justices and deny the 3 million people of Iowa the right to vote on this significant issue,” McKinley said in a statement. “This marriage flip-flop is just the latest example of Gov. Culver not providing the leadership that every Iowan deserves.”
Ah, that political word “elite.” The repulsicans thinks it works on dumb people. It probably does. The growing pains of a nation.
Don’t give an inch, Iowa. Stand firm and tell the repugs to take a flying F*CK.
Those b@stards would have us on a brush pile, while they light it on fire.
“Gov. Culver has chosen to stand with seven elite justices and deny the 3 million people of Iowa the right to vote on this significant issue,” McKinley said in a statement. “This marriage flip-flop is just the latest example of Gov. Culver not providing the leadership that every Iowan deserves.”
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Why should (just for number’s sake)2.5 million people be able to vote away .5 million people’s rights? Haven’t people already tried this…The majority cannot trample on minorities…FIGHT!
“‘Gov. Culver has chosen to stand with seven elite justices and deny the 3 million people of Iowa the right to vote on this significant issue’, McKinley said in a statement.”
The “people in Iowa” have no such “right”. The Constitution guarantees minorities protection from ANY tyrannies of the majority. Just ask the Lovings.
Otherwise, the Rethuglican Governor had better be prepared to publish the entire list of just WHO’s rights can be voted away. Who’s next on the list, Gov?
The notion that a simple majority can vote away equal rights from a minority is misguided. The Constitution is there to protect and defend everyone’s rights. Likewise the legislature and executive. These inalienable rights are immutable and can not be taken away by revision or amendment. Those states that have unlawfully taken away marriage equality will be challenged. Remember that “all men are created equal and have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”. This can NEVER BE TAKEN AWAY LEGALLY.
Why do republicans always have to stick their nose in everyone’s businatch? It’s sad to see all these republicans failing to understand our country’s constitution and the simple principle of equality for all and the idea that the majority does not have the right to take away the rights of a minority group for no just reason. What’s even more funny is all these stupid conservatives keep references these 7 “elite” justices as if they were all nominated by the same guy and they all just felt like going on a big power trip last week. It seems to speak volumes that all 7 of them agreed which the conservatives love to ignore. In this day and age, it’s very rare to get everyone on any court to all agree unless the evidence strongly points in one direction or another.
That’s great. The governor is respecting the descion of the court.
http://stuffqueerpeopleneedtoknow.wordpress.com/
Judges are “elite” when they support gay rights, but not when they oppose them.
“Elite” judges. That must mean they’re super-judges, right!?
As Bill Maher put it, only in the political world is “elite” a bad thing. If I need a surgery, I would want an elite surgeon. However, when it comes to interpreting the constitution I don’t want an elite judge? Curious…
So conservative Iowans don’t want outsiders to come rushing in putting lots of money into their state? See they like being in economic turmoil, thats why they (conservatives in general) got us there.
Well Missy McKinley:
Civil Marriage should be everyone’s right. It is a contract that protects people that care about each other. No one should be able to vote on someone else’s marriage.
Just like in CA. the narrow minded bigots are so full of hate they do not care if equal marriage rights could help the state’s economy.
Tom in Long Beach
Christianity is the culprit behind all this intolerance to same sexed marriage. It should be made illegal. Ban the practice and theories of Christianity from entering the public sector. Burn the unholy Bible while you’re at it.
I think we are the beneficiaries of Iowan’s tendancy to read…real books! I’ve noticed there’s a corrolation between literacy levels and the passage of gay rights legislation. What do MA, CN, VT and IA have in common? High academic achievement, excellent public education, outstanding libraries. Of course we all knew we were fighting the stupid, but here’s proof positive!
Need help with a couple of local news polls in NE Iowa. Go to http://www.kwwl.com and http://www.wcfcourier.com and vote in favor of same sex marriage! Spread the word – have everyone you know vote for us! I know it doesn’t matter legally, but I think it makes a social difference.
My partner and I were on the front page of our local paper on Sunday, after we went to our courthouse to apply for a license. Bigots on our newspapers website have been on the attack ever since. Help us out!!!
“It is wrong to allow people whose states do not allow same-sex marriages to rush into Iowa, get a quickie marriage and rush home to undermine the laws and values of another state,” he said.
And why would I go to Iowa and get married if I live in a state that does not recognize that marriage? Geez, these people are really clutching at straws these days… pathetic.