GOLD STARS TO IOWA!!
More than just corn fields and rolling hills and bluffs by the river, more than stunning, sweeping vistas, bald eagles and morning glories and friendly, friendly people, more than just the state I’m proud to have called home for a year and a half,
… Iowa becomes today the third state in the union to overturn the ban on gay marriage, and for that reason, all of Iowa is receiving this week’s coveted Gold Star.
Perhaps you never thought of Iowa as particularly cutting edge. Well, think again. Despite the stereotypes about cornfields and only cornfields, Iowans have always seen themselves as ahead of the curve: As Iowa goes, so goes the nation, they say, right? They were right on Obama a year ago, and hopefully they’re right on this too. From the ruling, as quoted in the New York Times:
“Since territorial times, Iowa has given meaning to this constitutional provision [of equality], striking blows to slavery and segregation, and recognizing women’s rights. The court found the issue of same-sex marriage comes to it with the same importance as the landmark cases of the past.”
Iowa now joins Connecticut and Massachusetts as the first states to uphold same sex marriage. It is, as you can see, also the first state in the Midwest to do so. Quoth one of the activists involved in the suit:
“We are blessed to live in Iowa.”
Indeed. A big fan of wide open spaces and corn fields and friendly people myself, I’ve always felt this way. And today Iowa has done me proud once again. Pay attention, other states! Iowa is makin’ moves.
When I saw all of the facebook status updates about Iowa today I thought that it was somehow NCAA related. Imagine my joy when I found out that it was actually equality and dignity related. Go Iowa!
In case he doesn’t mention it or claim it himself, I’ll speak up and say that Mac has Iowa blood in him–both of his maternal grandparents, and some generations before them on both sides, are native Iowans . I too never thought of it as a particularly hip or cutting edge state, but I have always loved it for my associations with it as a place that raised up and nurtured good people with good outlooks and views on the world. This is truly a special thing for the country, and I’ll be looking with especial interest for the influence it will begin to have on other states in the Heartland and nearby–the geo-social effects. (i love that stuff…)
Go Iowa!