Woo-hoo, Iowa!!

I'm still doing a double-take when I see the headline, "Iowa Supreme Court strikes down gay marriage ban."

Are we sure? I mean, Iowa?? I've never actually been there, but having gone to college at Mizzou... I have, at least, some idea about "the way things are" in America's bread basket.
Massachusetts giving an OK to gay marriage: Yes.
Connecticut: Sure.
Iowa??

What that says to me is that, despite what the right-wingers will scream (and it is a scream, not too dissimilar to a screech), many people do NOT understand why any one is upset with allowing same-gender couples to marry. It's ridiculous!

I challenge anyone... and I mean ANYONE... to tell me that the Iowa Supreme Court is made up of a bunch of "liberals" or "activist judges" or any other myriad of names that those on the right want to throw out there. I'm sure Rush Limbaugh is about to pop some more pills to keep his head from exploding over this news, and he's likely telling everyone that Davenport is a decadent haven... and Ames is Sodom and Gomorrah. Again, I've never been to Missouri's northern neighbor, but I don't commonly think "decadence" when I think of Iowa. Miles of corn. Lots of cattle. Beat Iowa State. Not decadence.

With this decision, I have to wonder many things. For starters... which state will be next? Not Florida, I know. But maybe this is a sign that one day, even here in the Overcast State, we will see the insanity of Amendment Two and it will be overturned.

I also wonder about what's to come during the Episcopal Church's General Convention in Anaheim this July. I know that there is a move to get the National Church to adopt a policy to bless same-gender marriages. Several dioceses, including amazingly the Diocese of Missouri, are encouraging adoption of such a policy. I have not had a conversation with the Bishop of Florida about this, and I have a pretty good hunch where he stands just based on other interactions with him. Certainly, adopting this policy would go a long way toward some church clarity.

All of that is future tense. For now, I'm just happy to rejoice in the present... knowing that even practical midwesterners get it: marriage should be for any couple willing to make the commitment!