Texting Worse than Gay Marriage in Iowa

According to a post on DesMoinesRegister.com:

A majority of Iowans think the issue of gay marriage doesn’t deserve lawmakers’ limited time.

Among six hot-button topics, a new Iowa Poll shows a majority of Iowans consider only a ban on text messaging while driving worth the Legislature’s time during a session shortened by 20 days to cut costs. Iowans are not enthusiastic about devoting time to debates on gay marriage, puppy mills, gun control, payday loans or gambling.

The Democrats who control what comes up for a vote say budget issues will dominate the 2010 session as the recession continues to pinch state revenues. But lawmakers have introduced hundreds of bills on other topics.

Friday marks the first so-called funnel, a deadline that winnows the workload by letting some bills move forward and others die.

Of the six topics, Democrats are most likely to push ahead toward passing four:

• Banning texting while driving.

• Beefing up inspections of dog breeders.

• Standardizing the way concealed-weapons permits are issued throughout the 99 counties.

• Expanding gambling to bring in fresh state revenue.

So it would look as though some Iowans may have decided that car accident and the deaths as a result there of, along with a few other issues that affect tax-paying citizens are a little more important than religious issues that don’t affect anyone outside of the couple entering into a marriage! Hopefully a lasting trend.

However, that’s not keeping the state’s anti-gay lawmakers from pushing the issue…and the worst part of that, just as many religious righters have, they’re exploiting children to do it.

According to WHOTV.com:

Two Iowa legislators are getting heat from the gay community. The lawmakers want to remove protection to lesbians, gay and transgender students from the Safe Schools Law, in and effort to reverse the Iowa’s Supreme Court decision to legalize same-sex marriage.

Rep. Jason Schultz says he’s not doing this to hurt gay, lesbian and transgender students, he’s just trying to forward his agenda to make same sex marriage illegal here in Iowa.

“The Bully Bill or Safe School Act doesn’t protect anyone anyway. Schools are already doing this, so to remove few words doesn’t change the intent or effect of the law,” says Rep. Jason Schultz.

Last April, one of the reasons the Iowa Supreme Court pointed to for legalizing same sex marriage, were bills like the Safe Schools Act, which protects gay and lesbian students. He wants to take out the wording in the Safe Schools Act, and all Iowa legislation, so lawmakers can debate same sex marriage on the floor.

However, the Iowa Pride Network says the bill singles out gay, lesbian, and transgender students, and makes them a target for harassment.

They accuse the bill’s authors of playing politics with student’s lives, and gay students fear the harassment will only get worse.

“People smeared paint on my locker and pushed me in the hallway and I’ve been made fun of for who I am. Why would lawmakers want that to continue? Why wouldn’t they want to protect me and better my education and time in my community?” says gay Stephen Boatwright.

Rep. Schultz admits the bill won’t go anywhere, but that’s not the point. He hopes it will renew the efforts to make same sex marriage illegal here in Iowa, and start a debate on the house floor sometime this session.