Same Sex Marriage in Iowa

From the DesMoines Register:

A Polk County judge on Thursday struck down Iowa's law banning gay marriage.The ruling by Judge Robert Hanson concluded that the state's prohibition on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional and he ordered the Polk County recorder to issue marriage licenses to six gay couples.

Camilla Taylor, an attorney with Lambda Legal, a New York-based gay rights organization, said the ruling requires "full equality for all Iowans including gay and lesbian Iowans and their families."

Gay couples from anywhere in Iowa could apply for a marriage license from Polk County. The process takes three days, however. Polk County is expected to appeal the ruling to the Iowa S upreme Court. County Attorney John Sarcone said the county would immediately seek a stay from Hanson, which if granted would prevent anyone from seeking a marriage license until an appeal could be heard.

In his ruling, Hanson said the state law allowing marriage only between a man and a woman violates the constitutional rights of due process and equal protection."Couples, such as plaintiffs, who are otherwise qualified to marry one another may not be denied licenses to marry or certificates of marriage or in any other way prevented from entering into a civil marriage... by reason of the fact that both person comprising such a couple are of the same sex," he said.

The judge said the state law banning same-sex marriage must be nullified, severed and stricken from the books and the marriage laws "must be read and applied in a gender neutral manner so as to permit same-sex couples to enter into a civil marriage..."

So, how will this affect the Iowa caucuses? Will any of them take a stand on this issue? Believe me this will become a huge issue in Iowa. Republicans will hammer how being gay proves that the end of the world is near. The big three democrats will say something like "I believe in rights for all people." Yes, but Senator where do you stand? "I belive in rights for all people."

Ok, is there any wonder you cannot end this war?