Iowa Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal (D) was approached by Senate Minority Leader Paul McKinley (R) about sponsoring a bill to kick off the process to amend the Iowa state constitution to overturn that nasssssty state supreme court decision (which found that banning gay marriage violated, duh, the state’s equal protection under the law clause).
One of my daughters was in the workplace one day, and her particular workplace at that moment in time, there were a whole bunch of conservative, older men. And those guys were talking about gay marriage. They were talking about discussions going on across the country.
And my daughter Kate, after listening for about 20 minutes, said to them: “You guys don’t understand. You’ve already lost. My generation doesn’t care.”
I think I learned something from my daughter that day, when she said that. And I’ve talked with other people about it and that’s what I see, Senator McKinley. I see a bunch of people that merely want to profess their love for each other, and want state law to recognize that.
Is that so wrong? I dont think that’s so wrong. As a matter of fact, last Friday night, I hugged my wife. You know I’ve been married for 37 years. I hugged my wife. I felt like our love was just a little more meaningful last Friday night because thousands of other Iowa citizens could hug each other and have the state recognize their love for each other.
No, Senator McKinley, I will not co-sponsor a leadership bill with you.
Amen, Sen. Gronstal. And thank you.
(via Pam)
And who would have thought that Iowa would lead the way on this issue?
I also love the Senator’s anectode, because it si so true. Generation Y and later simply don’t see the reason to discriminate. I don’t, either, but it’s not as culturally clear cut for the Gen Xers.