General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Should assault rifle lapel pins be allowed on the House floor? [View all]old as dirt
(1,972 posts)Back then sexually active gays were considered as "illegals" in several states.
Whenever we brought up gay marriage, the typical response was, "What part of illegal don't you understand?"
But that didn't stop folks from organizing the 1987 Gay Rights March On Washington.
(In fact, in conjunction with the March, 481 of us were busted in a nonviolent CD on the steps of the US Supreme Court demanding that Bowers V Hardwick be overturned, and that, amount other things, gay couples be allowed to marry, as was their constitutional right at the time under Loving V Virginia and the 14th Amendment.)
Bowers V Hardwick was later overturned 17 years ago in Lawrence v Texas in 2004, if I recall correctly.
The first legal gay marriage here in Iowa (after Judge Hanson's ruling) took place on Aug 31, 2007. (Both were students here at the university!)
Too often, whenever we talk about powerful institutions, we forget that we have power as well.
I don't think that defeatism is or has ever been an answer, and I tend to bristle when told otherwise, because it gives me the impression that our opinions don't matter, which is how they want us to feel, so we'll stay home on election day.
If we try, we may not succeed, but if we don't, failure is guaranteed.
Gay marriage in Iowa
Aug 31, 2007
Two men Sean Fritz, 24, and Tim McQuillan, 21 got married Friday, Aug. 31, in Des Moines, Iowa. The two Iowa State University students rushed to file all the necessary paperwork and have a marriage ceremony after a judge struck down the state's law preventing same-sex marriages. Shortly after they were married, the judge issued a stay, which prevented the county recorder from issuing any more marriage licenses.