Perkins on Point: April 6, 2009

The state supreme court ruling out of Iowa last week on marriage makes you wonder if they are doing more than making ethanol with the corn up there. It was a staggering decision by an unelected group of judges that is nothing more than a judicial shotgun wedding forcing same-sex marriage on an unwilling populace.

The states highest court, in a unanimous decision, ruled the Iowa Defense of Marriage Act as unconstitutional saying the definition of marriage as the union of a man and a woman resulted in the denial of marriage benefits to same-sex couples, particularly, the personal and public affirmation that accompanies marriage. The court analyzed the statute solely on equal protection grounds, arguing that equal protection can only be defined by the standards of each generation.
While they will forcefully deny it, this opens the door to other redefinitions of marriage. If there are no legal grounds to deny two people of the same-sex the right to civil marriage, there are no grounds to deny three people the right to marry, or the right of an adult and a minor to marry. Deny as they might they have opened a social Pandoras box.

Shouldnt policy decision such as same-sex marriage, which departs from over 5000 year of human behavior, at least be debated by the elected representatives of the people?

The legislature and the governor appear to be desperately trying not to respond, surrendering their policy making authority to the court. While amendment the constitution is easy for judges, it is difficult for everyone else and it is a lengthy process. If the legislature would pass an amendment it would still be almost 3 years before the people would have a chance to vote.




The thin line of defense between what rogue judges in Iowa, Massachusetts and Connecticut is the federal Defense of Marriage Act, which President Obama says he wants to repeal.

It is vitally important for those of you in Iowa to demand from your governor and legislature the right to vote for the rest of us it is important that we let our Congressmen know we want them to defend DOMA.

And Mr. President, you have said you dont support same-sex marriage, if that is in fact true, then Mr. President defend, dont attack DOMA.

For more visit frc.org.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• DOMA
• Same-sex marriage
• Iowa
• Connecticut
• Massachusetts