Flash: Iowa just put the heart in heartland! Or should I say, opened it wide.
The Iowa Supreme Court’s ruling today on the unconstitutionality of the same-sex marriage ban is in the news hither and yon [PDF of the ruling itself here], but here’s a round-up if you want some one-stop forward-thinking equal application of civil law to civil matters news (all dated today):
- •  The New York Times: Iowa Voids Gay Marriage Ban
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- •  Pam’s House Blend: NCLR and EQCA Weigh in on Iowa
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- •  The Bilerico Project (Shannon Minter, Esq., guest posting): What Iowa Means to CaliforniaÂ
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- •  Des Moines Register: Gay marriage opponents push for action from lawmakers
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- •  Family Equality Council press release on the ruling: Family Equality Council Thrilled by Historic Iowa Marriage Ruling
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- •  Lambda Legal statement: Marriage Victory in Iowa
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- •  One Iowa statement: Historic Victory for Marriage Equality in Iowa!
- •  Added in a day later, for the Fun With Numbers crowd (h/t me Know-It-All Brother-In-Law): FiveThirghtyEight: Will Iowans Uphold Gay Marriage?
- [It’s statistical modeling using various demographic trends to “predict” the year by which anti-gay marriage amendments will no longer be winnable, state-by-state. Â Not sure I agree with the optimism that CA would vote down a gay marriage ban in 2010 — Nate Silver needs to read Kate Kendell — but it sure is interesting.]
Once, I sat near the Iowa River and watched fireflies flickering over a green grassy park in the sweet-smelling summer dusk, and thought: This is surely one of the most transcendently beautiful midwestern moments I’ll ever know.  I’m thinking a bunch of Iowans are feeling like today might just be even more transcendent.
I went to Grinnell College in Iowa and lived in that small town for another year after graduation. I loved every minute of it and am very proud of Iowa today.
I thought of you often today (and Luisa, too, yes? And Rocki? your Grinnell cadre?). And of the look of the asphalt at night in the headlights with snow drifts blowing across it (my first introduction to the state, during a late night drive from Minneapolis). And the Iowa City during the summer, and the river, and the fireflies (first time I ever saw them). And the smell of summer there.
What a proud day for that fine state.