Friday, August 31, 2007

Should I trust her?

Marriage Equality In Iowa!



Why does it feel like this news came from out the blue? Two years of legal battles makes a person forget what the fight was about.

I’m sure there will be something on the ballot come next election to ban gay marriage and stir up all those Christian conservatives. They wouldn’t want gay people getting married to destroy the sanctity of their 2nd and 3rd marriages.

In the mean time we can all run to the court house and get hitched if we desire.


From Lamba Legal (with a history timeline of the Iowa lawsuit)http://www.lambdalegal.org/iowa-marriage-win-feature.html


Marriage Equality Win in Midwest!


Nearly two years after six same-sex couples were denied marriage licenses by Polk County Recorder Timothy Brien, an Iowa court ruled that it is unconstitutional to deny same-sex couples the right to marry. This is the first marriage case launched in the American Midwest and shows that fairness and equality for all are valued across our nation. The decision brings to life the Iowa Constitution's promise of equality for same-sex couples and their families.


This case now moves forward, and the Iowa Supreme Court will ultimately have the final decision.


Background:

Lambda Legal filed this lawsuit on behalf of six same-sex couples seeking the right to marry in Iowa. We argue that under the equal protection and due process guarantees of the Iowa Constitution it is unlawful to bar same-sex couples from marrying. The couples in this case have been together between five and more than 17 years. Three of the couples are raising children, others are planning families, and all want the responsibilities of marriage and the protections only marriage can provide.


History:


December 2005 Lambda Legal files marriage lawsuit in Iowa district court for Polk County; case will ultimately be decided by the Iowa Supreme Court.


April 2006 Twenty-six state legislators represented by an antigay legal organization move to intervene in the case as defendants.


August 2006 Court denies legislators' application, ruling that none of the legislators had interests in the case sufficient for intervention.


August 2006 Plaintiffs move to amend their petition in order to add three of their children as parties, among other amendments.


September 2006 Defendant resisted plaintiffs' motion to add the children as parties.


November 2006 Defendant moves for summary judgment.


December 2006 Court grants plaintiffs' motion to amend, including plaintiffs' motion to add three of their children as parties.


January 2007 Plaintiffs file resistance to defendant's motion for summary judgment and cross-moved for summary judgment as well. Plaintiffs also file affidavits from leading child development and other experts who explain the need for marriage rights for same-sex couples. In support of plaintiffs' summary judgment motion, Iowa faith leaders, scholars and religious groups file friend-of-the-court brief as does the Iowa Civil Liberties Union on behalf of a group of Iowa historians and law professors.


March 2007 Defendant files reply brief.


April 2007 Plaintiffs file reply brief.


May 2007 Summary judgment hearing.


August 2007 Victory! The Iowa District Court for Polk County rules in favor of equality!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thursday, August 30, 2007

what do they call you?

As I was looking around at the people I work with, I realized that we have several people that are referred to by a different name behind their backs.

Smokey Joe - carries around a cloud of cigarette fumes.

Trigger - not the brightest, named after Roy Rogers horse.

Wonder Boy - has the management convinced he is indispensable.

Santa – if he put on the Santa garb, he could pass as the real thing.


This made me wonder if I have a name that everyone calls me behind my back? I don’t even want to know if they do. It’s too frightening to think about!

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Talking dogs

Saturday, August 04, 2007

burning down the house

Daryl’s discharge papers from the hospital state that he is to do no physical work outside of walking. No household work including vacuuming, laundry or yard work.

I would not have a problem relaxing for two weeks. Would you?

He can’t seem to abide by the doctor’s wishes. I keep telling him that the pain pills are covering up his pain and if he continues to try to do things he will hurt himself. “Hey, if you want to injure yourself just go right ahead, I’ll just be the one having all the fun while you’re in pain!” That got no response.

Well, yesterday he started a fire by accident. He left a pan on the stove and went off to do something else and a grease fire started. He lost track of time not realizing it takes him longer to do things than it use to. Fortunate for us he was able to get the fire before anything was damaged.

Hopefully this will teach him that he needs to take it easy for a while. If not, I’m just going to have to get a babysitter for him when I’m gone.

Thursday, August 02, 2007

Saint of 9/11

Something actually went down in price. Our Netflix membership went down to $16.99 per month. That's surprising since the price of stamps went up since then.

Last night the movie we watched was the documentary Saint of 9/11.

I had tears at the end of it.

It brings back a lot of memories of the way things were in the beginning of the AIDS epidemic and of course 9/11.