"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 don't think that's so wrong." – Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal (D-Council Bluffs)
Senate Minority Leader Paul McKinley (R-Chariton) used his privilege to speak on the state senate floor this afternoon and directly asked Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal (D-Council Bluffs) if a vote will be held this year in the 2009 Iowa Legislature to set the wheels in motion for an amendment to the state constitution which would ban gay marriage. Gronstal said no. McKinley accused Gronstal of "pure obstruction." Listen to the exchange between McKinley and Gronstal here (mp3 lasts 8 min)
About O.Kay Henderson
Kay is a founding member of the Radio Iowa network newsroom. In 1994, she became the network’s news director. She’s a featured reporter and commentator on Iowa Public Television’s “Iowa Press,” and the 2002 recipient of the Shelley Award.
“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?
Then why did Mike Gronstal vote FOR the Iowa Defense of Marriage act back in 1998? Seems like a good question for the media to ask him.
Gronstal was apparently all for defining marriage back then..but now its no big deal?
TLV: It’s been nearly a decade since then and, for an issue like this, where most people were starting from virtually no knowledge or discussion, that’s a long time. Clearly, Sen. Gronstal has acted responsibly in not closing his mind but being willing to listen to the stories of people who are really hurt by lack of equal access to civil marriage and from experts in both civil rights and family law as well as experts from such respected organizations as the American Academy of Pediatric Physicians — learning that the evidence, when removed from the emotional political arena, overwhelmingly supports civil marriage equality. As Gov. Culver indicated today, you don’t even have to be okay with it religiously to understand that equal protection, as we the people already ratified it in our constitution years ago, is a good thing and thus the decision should be allowed to stand.
Weird. Hugged his wife. Listened to his daughter. Why doesn’t Gronstal stick up for who he is and what he believes in?
“My generation doesn’t care.” Is that suppose to be a good thing?
Gronstal and all other public “servants” who do not reflect the will of the people and believe in the goverment dictating us ought to be thrown out.