SEE UPDATE BELOW FOLD- JUDGE HAS STAYED HIS THURSDAY ORDER- STOPS ANY NEW SAME-SEX MARRIAGE LICENSES
From the Des Moines Register:
The couple — Tim McQuillan and Sean Fritz, both Iowa State University students — obtained a marriage license at the Polk County recorder’s office and got a judge to sign a waiver allowing them to marry today rather than wait three days, as is required by law.
They were married by the Rev. Mark Stringer of First Unitarian Church in Des Moines at 10:32 a.m. Before the ceremony, Stringer said, " Awesome. It's a long time coming."
After the ceremony, he said, "They are now official. The marriage license is the official document."
The couple is now headed to the Polk County Administration Building to file the marriage certificate.
http://www.dmregister.com/...
I'm a little shocked on several levels here and I got a bit choked up while reading this 'Breaking News' item. I'm really proud of my home state right now! Will it last? I dunno but it feels good at the moment.
I'm also stunned that they found a judge to waive the 3-day waiting period. Has to be a sympathetic judge cause he had to know how much controversy this is going to cause.
But it's a beautiful thing. I wish these two, and all the other couples filing for their marriage licenses today, a lifetime of happiness.
[update]
I wanted to mention, the Des Moines Register attaches a message forum to each article and some of the comments on this story above are obviously quite venomous. Ie,
Not only do the gays get to get married in the great state of IOWA but now all they have to do is get a stupid judge to sign a waiver so they don't have to wait the 3 days like everyone else. Their "marriage" will be invalid once the State reverses the judges decision. I moved back to Iowa beacuse it was a great state to raise my children in. The values of Iowa used to be family (a traditional family, male husband, female wife). What in the world happen to the great midwestern state??????
Here is the link to the article discussion, if you want to have a peek at what people are saying.
http://forums.dmregister.com/...
I guess the point is, we can celebrate right now, but we are still in for a long hard fight. They will not let this go so easy.
[UPDATE 12:40EST]
Des Moines TV station WHO 13 has some video of Tim and Sean's ceremony:
http://www.whotv.com
[UPDATE 1:00PM ET]
Well, this didn't take long.
A district judge has issued a stay of his Thursday ruling that Iowa's ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional.
Judge Robert Hanson, in Polk County District Court, filed an order about 11:30 a.m. to delay the issuing of any more marriage licenses to same-sex couples in Iowa pending further review of Thursday's ruling.
Earlier today, two male college students were married in the front yard of a Des Moines residence this morning.
http://desmoinesregister.com/...
It's unclear if Tim and Sean's marriage is in jeopardy or not.
:(