Decorah celebrates gay marriage ruling

Iowa became the third state to legalize gay marriage April 3. Same-sex couples will be allowed to marry at this month’s end, after the Iowa Supreme Court unanimously deemed the state law limiting marriage to heterosexual couples unconstitutional.

Previous legalizations for gay marriage have occurred on the east and west coasts, but Iowa is the first state in the heartland to legalize gay marriage. Iowa took seriously its motto: “Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain.”

Decorah couple Bill Musser and Otter Dreaming were part of the 2005 lawsuit which was under review by the court and the led to the legalization. The lawsuit challenged Polk County recorder Timothy Brien’s denial of marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

“We knew that this decision would take several years, but our community has supported us throughout this and now share sthis victory with us,” Dreaming said.

The couple decided to challenge the recorder’s denial of their license.

“We wanted to formalize our relationship in any way we could and now we’ve finally done this,” Musser said. “We initiated our case and found a way that we can try to make a difference in Iowa.”

The Iowa constitution guarantees every person equal protection under the laws.

“We feel that our relationship deserves the same protections and the same benefits and we are willing to accept the same responsibilities as an opposite sex couple would,” Dreaming said.

Musser and Dreaming feel the ruling is consistent with Iowa’s constitution and the legal precedents established by prior Iowa Supreme Court decisions.

“Throughout the history of human rights and civil rights, Iowa has led and been in front of the federal Supreme Court by years or decades in cases of racial minorities, integration of schools, both for the sexes and minorities, interracial marriages and woman’s rights,” Dreaming said.

“It’s an opportunity for Iowa to be proud of its heritage and it seems like this ruling is consistent and a cause of celebration.”

The support from the Decorah community has reinforced their cause throughout the process.

“Decorah has been very supportive of Otter and me and the community as a whole has been a huge influence,” Musser said. “We are very active in the community and people recognize us for who we are: active members of the community.”

Luther has played a role as a member of the Decorah community as well. Campus Pastors Mike Blair and David Vasquez agreed that their beliefs support different sexual orientations.

“We have been very clear about welcoming persons of different sexual orientations,” Blair said. “Our congregation welcomes all people regardless of their views. We are all one in Christ.”

The Luther College Ministry supports all people into their congregation, but the policies as far as marrying same-sex couples are still unresolved.

“Jesus’ ministry was primarily focused on reaching out to anyone that was excluded from the community,” Vasquez said. “Jesus reached out to the foreigners and the sick, and his ministry was constantly about expanding those boundaries and promoting this conversation in Christ.”

“There is not a service specifically for blessing a gay union but there is also not a prohibition against it-- so it’s kind of up to the pastors” said Blair.

“Every wedding that we do regardless of the couple we encourage them to engage earnestly in conversation with us and do marital counseling and this would be similar for the blessing of a gay marriage” said Vasquez.

The encouragement of Christian values rather than a strict and literal interpretation of the bible is one that Luther College Ministries supports.

“We have to take the scripture seriously, but we also have to read it within the context and read it within the larger message,” Blair said. “We need to support the strong Christian values of faithfulness, justice, mutuality and respect and we see those qualities present in gay and lesbian couples just as we see them in heterosexual couples.”

The decision is one that stirs up strong emotions.

“I feel proud to live in Iowa,” said Blair.

As stated by the justices in their 69-page opinion, “The decision strikes the language from Iowa Code section 595.2 limiting civil marriage to a man and a woman which violates the equal protection clause of the Iowa Constitution. It further directs the remaining statutory language be interpreted and applied in a manner allowing gay and lesbian people full access to the institution of civil marriage.”