Who knew Iowa was so progressive?

The Blog Burnt Orange Report posted an article from “[their] fellow 50-state bloggers at Bleeding Heartland” concerning the recent judicial milestone accomplished in Iowa’s Supreme Court. Iowa Supreme Court strikes down Defense of Marriage Act, by Phillip Martin, explains why the legalization of gay marriage in Iowa will not be overturned as easily as it was in California or Massachusetts.
The intended audience of the original article is aimed broadly, with no obvious slant appealing to conservatives or liberals. Many links within the article direct the reader to the Supreme Court’s summary, the full text of the opinion rendered, or Iowa’s State website. It could be argued that the article is liberally slanted since no mention of “God” appears and a couple positive financial windfalls of the decision are incorporated (such as the impending boon to the wedding and hospitality sectors as same-sex couples across the state rush to wed). I can’t determine how credible the author is personally, but it speaks volumes that he directs the reader to 6 different links providing more information about the history of Iowa’s Defense of Marriage Act, as well as the previously mentioned links.
Toward the end of the article is a release from the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) praising Iowa’s ruling. Their claim is that they’re pleased with the decision, although they don’t know “why it took so long.” The statement goes on to elaborate that “[why it took so long] is a tough question to answer because treating everyone fairly is really a matter of Iowa common sense and Iowa common decency.” A list of civil rights ‘firsts’ comes next. I was shocked to find out that. . .

1. In 1839, the Iowa Supreme Court rejected slavery in a decision that found that a slave named Ralph became free when he stepped on Iowa soil, 26 years before the end of the Civil War decided the issue.
2. In 1868, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled that racially segregated “separate but equal” schools had no place in Iowa, 85 years before the U. S. Supreme Court reached the same decision.
3. In 1873, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled against racial discrimination in public accommodations, 91 years before the U. S. Supreme Court reached the same decision.
4. In 1869, Iowa became the first state of the union to admit women to the practice of law.

Their logic is my logic on this issue: equal rights and responsibilities for ALL citizens. . . true separation of church and state. The old joke is applicable here: “If gay people want to get married, they have the right to be as miserable as the rest of us.” :)