Marriage equality supporters and opponents collide at Iowa Capitol
Wed. March 16, 2011 4:33 AM by GoPride.com News Staff
Des Moines, Iowa -
Supporters and opponents of a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage lobbied Iowa lawmakers on Tuesday in Des Moines.
Nearly 500 people opposed to marriage equality supported the "Let Us Vote" movement in a rally at the Iowa state capitol reports the Des Moines Register. Most of them wore red, changed "Let us vote!" and brought speakers for their cause, including former Alabama Supreme Court Judge Roy Moore.
Moore gained national attention in 2003 when he refused to remove a monument of the 10 Commandments from the Alabama courthouse. He has reportedly argued that Muslims should not be allowed to sit in Congress and has supported the "birther" movement, which argues that President Barack Obama is foreign born and, therefore, ineligible to hold his office.
"It's not a Republican issue. It's not a Democratic issue. It's an American issue," Moore told the crowd of social conservatives. "Marriage is between one man and one woman. It's the foundation of our country."
The rally, which lasted for about 90 minutes, included religious speakers.
Gay rights advocacy group One Iowa didn't rally but spent the day lobbying legislators in favor of marriage equality. May of them wore labels that read "Together we are one Iowa."
Earlier this year, the Republican-led Iowa House has passed a resolution that calls for a statewide vote on a constitutional amendment which would ban gay marriage in Iowa but state Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal (D-Council Bluffs) and other members of Democratic leadership have stalled a vote in the Senate.
Iowa remains a battle ground for same-sex marriage and critics of those opposing marriage equality argue the anti-gay rhetoric is being funded by out-of-state organizations like the Washington, D.C.,-based Family Research Council and Citizens United Political Victory Fund.
"What happens in Iowa, the rest of the nation watches," Moore said.
Nearly 500 people opposed to marriage equality supported the "Let Us Vote" movement in a rally at the Iowa state capitol reports the Des Moines Register. Most of them wore red, changed "Let us vote!" and brought speakers for their cause, including former Alabama Supreme Court Judge Roy Moore.
Moore gained national attention in 2003 when he refused to remove a monument of the 10 Commandments from the Alabama courthouse. He has reportedly argued that Muslims should not be allowed to sit in Congress and has supported the "birther" movement, which argues that President Barack Obama is foreign born and, therefore, ineligible to hold his office.
"It's not a Republican issue. It's not a Democratic issue. It's an American issue," Moore told the crowd of social conservatives. "Marriage is between one man and one woman. It's the foundation of our country."
The rally, which lasted for about 90 minutes, included religious speakers.
Gay rights advocacy group One Iowa didn't rally but spent the day lobbying legislators in favor of marriage equality. May of them wore labels that read "Together we are one Iowa."
Earlier this year, the Republican-led Iowa House has passed a resolution that calls for a statewide vote on a constitutional amendment which would ban gay marriage in Iowa but state Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal (D-Council Bluffs) and other members of Democratic leadership have stalled a vote in the Senate.
Iowa remains a battle ground for same-sex marriage and critics of those opposing marriage equality argue the anti-gay rhetoric is being funded by out-of-state organizations like the Washington, D.C.,-based Family Research Council and Citizens United Political Victory Fund.
"What happens in Iowa, the rest of the nation watches," Moore said.