... so goes the nation. Normally a statement applying to presidential elections, millions around the country today are hoping that adage applies to the legalization of gay marriage. Because today, folks, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled that the state statute defining marriage as only between a man and a woman violated Iowa's equal protections clause in the constitution. Even better, this was a UNANIMOUS decision. All the legal eagles out there know just how rare that is.
IOWA HAS LEGALIZED GAY MARRIAGE!
I'm officially eating my words. Only a few days ago, I wrote about relationship recognition being something only the coastal states were hip to. Crow never tasted so good.
Opponents are already proposing a constitutional amendment through the state legislature. Jokes on them. The majority of legislators in the state support equality.
This is a great lesson in why members of the LGBT community, allies and all progressives should care about all elections. DOMA put decisions about same-sex marriage in the hands of states, so state legislative races are crucial in determining the fate of marriage rights in individual states.
Even more blatant and relevant is the importance of state supreme court elections. These elections have abysmally low turnout here in Wisconsin (generally under 20%), as I imagine they do in Iowa and other states as well. Yet they consistently are (literally) the deciding factor in whether or not a state will allow same-sex marriages. Massachusetts, Connecticut, California and now Iowa all established same-sex marriage through the courts.
So this is my plea to Wisconsinites: Vote on April 7 in the state supreme court race. Get to know the candidates. Make an informed decision. It's the least you can do.
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