..."Go get married!" Dennis Johnson, a Des Moines lawyer who helped represent the gay and lesbian couples in the case, told the gathering at the hotel. "Live happily ever after. Live the American dream." ...

In contrast to states that have barred the marriages with voter-led ballot measures, Iowa voters cannot directly initiate constitutional amendments. Instead, an amendment requires approval by state lawmakers during two legislative sessions and then approval by voters. That means the earliest a prospective ban could take effect would be 2012.

Same-sex marriage opponents want state lawmakers, who are a few weeks from finishing their annual session, to begin the process now. But the idea seemed to have no backing among legislative leaders.

"We're just going to say no to amending our constitution and putting discrimination into our constitution," said Michael Gronstal, a Democrat and state Senate leader.

Gronstal noted that such an amendment failed in the Senate several years ago, even before the suit that led to Friday's ruling. ...

"The gay marriage movement has once again used the power of the courts to push an untruth on unwilling Iowans," said Brian Brown, executive director of the National Organization for Marriage, a group formed in 2007 to preserve traditional marriage.

Labels: gay marriage, Iowa, NOM

VOTE

<< Home