Gay marriage is now legal in Iowa.  According to the AP:

Iowa’s Supreme Court legalized gay marriage Friday in a unanimous and emphatic decision that makes Iowa the third state — and the first in the nation’s heartland — to allow same-sex couples to wed.

In its decision, the high court upheld a lower court’s ruling that found a state law restricting marriage to between a man and woman violated Iowa’s constitution.

“We are firmly convinced the exclusion of gay and lesbian people from the institution of civil marriage does not substantially further any important governmental objective,” the Supreme Court wrote in its decision. “The Legislature has excluded a historically disfavored class of persons from a supremely important civil institution without a constitutionally sufficient justification.”

More information can be found in the summary and full opinion released by the courts.  The court decided:

Consequently, the language in Iowa Code section 595.2 limiting civil marriage to a man and a woman must be stricken from the statute, and the remaining statutory language must be interpreted and applied in a manner allowing gay and lesbian people full access to the institution of civil marriage.

Read the summary: Iowa Supreme Court’s decision on same-sex marriage.
Read the full opinion: Iowa Supreme Court’s decision on same-sex marriage.

Same-sex marriage is not in the best interest of society.  As Frank Turk presents in his Six-Point Case Against Same-Sex Marriage:

Natural marriage is  the foundation of a civilized society

Homosexual behavior is inherently destructive

The law is a great teacher, and it encourages or discourages behavior

Government-backed same-sex marriage would encourage and normalize homosexual behavior, and it would harm natural marriage, children, adults, and homosexuals themselves

The law should promote behaviors that are beneficial and prohibit (or at least not endorse) those that are destructive

Therefore, the law should promote natural marriage, and it should provide no option for government-backed same-sex marriage or civil unions

The Iowa Supreme Court believes that limiting marriage to male/female relationships “does not substantially further any important governmental objective.”  Is not harming “natural marriage, children, adults, and homosexuals” a governmental objective for Iowa? Then they should reverse their decision on gay marriage.

• The Preposterous Premise for Gay Marriage (8)
• Same-Sex Marriage Now Legal in Maine (0)
• Prop 8 Upheld (13)