Same-sex “marriage” could be on the rise now that courts ruled it legal both in Iowa and Vermont.
The Iowa Supreme Court said April 3 a law limiting marriage to heterosexual couples violates the Iowa Constitution’s equal-protection provisions. The justices said their decision would take effect three weeks from the date it was handed down, meaning same-sex couples will be able to marry in the Hawkeye State beginning April 24.
The court also raised a religious argument. While the sanctity of marriage is very important to many religious believers, the justices said neither the state nor federal government has any business sanctifying marriage.
“This proposition is the essence of the separation of church and state,” the court said. “As a result, civil marriage must be judged under our constitutional standards of equal protection and not under religious doctrines or the religious views of individuals.”
In Vermont, the Democratic-controlled Legislature handed the gay “marriage” movement a landmark victory April 7, overriding a veto and making the state the first in the nation to legalize gay “marriage” without a court order.
Requiring a two-thirds vote in each chamber to override Republican Gov. Jim Douglas’ veto, the bill passed the Senate with ease, 23–5 and then squeaked by in the House by the slimmest of margins, 100–49. It needed a minimum of 100 votes in the House to reach a two-thirds majority.
Vermont’s new law will go into effect Sept. 1, making it the fourth state to legalize gay “marriage,” following Massachusetts, Connecticut and Iowa. But unlike those three states, Vermont will begin recognizing gay “marriage” voluntarily. (BP)
Share with others: