Update: The Iowa House, after three hours of debate, passed the Amendment that would ban gay marriage, civil unions and domestic partnerships in that state.
From the Iowa Independent: [1]
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (D-Des Moines) worried about how history will judge Iowa lawmakers who vote in support of revoking marriage rights for same-sex couples.
?Many years from now we?ll look back on this debate and we?ll regret it,? he said.
Previous story:
Iowans packed a public hearing Tuesday on a state constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. The amendment would nullify the 2009 state Supreme Court decision legalizing gay marriage in Iowa.
Some citizens like Garrett Dean said the proposal is painful.
?It would be less harmful to me if you would just beat me up in a dark alley,? Dean told KCCI [2].
[3]
The Iowa Marriage Amendment was approved by a state House committee last week. Fifty-six House Republicans have pledged their support ? 50 votes out of 100 are needed to approve the resolution.
Nineteen-year-old Zach Wahls, a University of Iowa student, testified that he has thrived with two mothers, according to On Top Magazine [4].
?Our family really isn't so different from any other Iowa family,? he said. ?You know, when I'm home we go to church together; we eat dinner; we go on vacations. ? We're Iowans,? Wahls asserted.
The full House will debate Tuesday afternoon. If the amendment is approved by the House, it must then be approved by the Senate, where majority leader Mike Gronstal (D.) has vowed to block any amendment that would ban same-sex marriage.
If it passes the state Senate ? which is unlikely ? the amendment would need to pass the full legislature again next year, before being added to the ballot.
[1] http://iowaindependent.com/51790/iowa-house-passes-constitutional-ban-on-same-sex-marriage
[2] http://www.kcci.com/r/26685088/detail.html
[3] http://www.365gay.com/wp-content/uploads/news-gay-marriage-court-top.jpg
[4] http://www.ontopmag.com/article.aspx?id=7455&MediaType=1&Category=26
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