Same-sex marriage: The Power of Seven

In light of a recent landmark decision by the Iowa Supreme Court, this voter feels that it is in this state's best interest to address the main concern that it's voters had no say in this decision. On Friday, April 3, the Iowa Supreme Court legalized gay marriage. Not the voters. Is this citizen the only person who has a problem with that? Seven people with no oversight deciding what is right for the entire state and setting a precedent for the entire country? At least the Court could have put it before the people like California did in November 2008 with Proposition 8.

Proposition 8 maintains that "only a marriage between one man and one woman is valid or recognized in California." The quoted phrase has now been added to that state's constitution.
This measure affirmed the previous measure, Proposition 22, which was approved in March of 2000. That decision was overturned in May 2008 by the Supreme Court without input from the voters. Thus, Proposition 8 was put on the November ballot to once again affirm the will of the people.

Recently, many arguments have claimed that heterosexual marriage somehow discriminates against same-sex couples. While California did change the state constitution to state that marriage is only between one man and one woman, the state does afford same-sex couples more protection against discrimination than any other state . These rights include registration of domestic partnerships (1999), custody, community property (2003), and adoption. These rights were never in jeopardy with the passage of Proposition 8. (LA Times, 10/9/2008)

However, the rights of Iowa voters were jeopardized on Friday with the judicial decision of seven Supreme Court Justices, an abuse of power by seven individuals. It is imperative that the voters of Iowa unite against this violation of constitutional rights. Maybe it has not yet affected some, for their opinions may lean the same way of the justices, but there will come a day that a ruling will hit a bit closer to home. When that day comes, the citizens of Iowa had better be prepared. If the right of same-sex couples to marry can be granted by seven, then what other rights might these same seven take away? Let not that day ever come.

"People often say that, in a democracy, decisions are made by a majority of the people. Of course, that is not true. Decisions are madye by a majority of those who make themselves heard and who vote-a very different thing."
-Walter Henry Judd, American statesman and medical missionary to China