End Text Messaging While Driving, Not Gay Marriage

by Michael Jones · 2010-02-08 07:25:00 UTC
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TextingWow, if voters in Iowa ever meant to send a message about same-sex marriage, this is it. Because of budget cuts, the Iowa state legislature is cutting their normal session by 20 days, limiting the amount of time they'll have to deal with the pressing issues facing the Hawkeye State.

Anti-gay folks in Iowa have been chomping at the bit to have the legislature pass a measure that would create a statewide ballot initiative on whether same-sex marriage should remain legal. Call it the Prop 8 or the Question 1 of the Midwest. But Iowa voters? They just don't want legislators wasting their time on such frivolous -- not to mention homophobic -- measures.

A new poll from the Des Moines Register shows that among six issues that could come before the legislature this session, a repeal of same-sex marriage is dead last, with nearly two-thirds of the state saying let's let gay marriage become settled law in the state. The most important issue, according to voters? Adopting a measure to ban text messaging while driving.

Still, despite overwhelming evidence that Iowa voters just don't want legislators wasting their time on criminalizing gay marriage, a handful of anti-gay Republicans are looking to force a ballot measure through. They'll need help from about seven Democrats in order to make it happen.

Photo credit: D3 San Francisco

Michael Jones is a Change.org Editor. He has worked in the field of human rights communications for a decade, most recently for Harvard Law School.
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