Just the 'Alerts'
Chuck Hurley is on the Attack--Again
Dear Supporters,
Chuck Hurley is on the offensive yet again, attacking Iowa families and undermining the love and commitment of married couples across the state. In a recent letter to supporters, Hurley calls for the marriage ban to be debated and passed.
Here’s what he had to say:
If the Iowa Senate does NOT pass the Iowa Marriage Amendment (IMA) this session, the process will be delayed another two years. Democrat Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal continues to obstruct debate on the IMA. The FAMiLY LEADER will continue to press for debate and passage, representing common sense, history, God’s Truth, and a clear majority of Iowans that marriage remains between one man and one woman only.
Last session, we saw several pieces of anti-equality legislation pass through the Iowa State House including the marriage ban, HJR6. Because of the fair-minded majority in the Senate, we were able to protect equality in our state.
With the recent short-lived victory of Rick Santorum and the 2012 Legislative Session already under way, our opposition is reinvigorated and we must be ready. Will you help us fight against any attacks and keep equality safe for all Iowans?
Iowa legislators have said that they will have a 'laser-like' focus on job creation and the economy—the issues that matter to Iowans—and not on divisive social issues. We take them at their word.
But our well-funded opposition is committed to bullying our legislators and distracting them with legislation that hurts families and does nothing to help improve our economy.
We have defended equality before, and we will do it again, but we must be prepared. Will you donate today?
P.S. Join One Iowa at the Capitol next week to make sure the pro-equality voice is heard in the Legislature. We will host our annual Legislative Reception on February 6th and our Lobby Day on February 7th.
Take Action: Tell Rick Perry to Go Back To Texas!
Dear One Iowa supporters,
We are shocked.
Rick Perry’s latest ad is an outrageous, misleading, and highly offensive attack on the LGBT community. It is a sure sign that this candidate knows the end of his campaign is near and he is trying to score cheap political points on the backs of patriotic gay and lesbian Americans who only want to serve their country.
We cannot allow it to continue.
I joined the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa to condemn the ad and to defend the courageous men and women of our armed services on KCCI-TV this week.
Polls overwhelmingly show support for allowing gays and lesbians to serve, and the debate over Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is over. Throwing brave gay and lesbian soldiers under the bus to earn a few extra votes in a doomed campaign is a shameful and unpatriotic tactic.
Tell Rick Perry to take his sad attack ads and go back to Texas. We are interested in having a conversation about the economy, and job creation—not slandering our military family.
One Iowa is committed to holding our political leaders accountable for their words and actions. We support fair minded politicians who value all Americans. It is clear Rick Perry is not that leader.
In solidarity,
Troy Price
One Iowa Executive Director
P.S. Do you know where the other candidates stand on marriage equality? Check out our Caucus Tracker for the latest quotes and news from the candidates.
In Memoriam: Pamela K. Hedges, 3/25/42 - 11/16/11
An activist and social organizer, Pam Hedges will be missed by 
her community and friends. After graduating from the University of Iowa with her Master in Social Work, Pam moved to Des Moines, Iowa. She held many offices in both professional and public sectors. She was the Director of the National Association of Social Workers; Delegate and Platform committee member for the Iowa Democrats; member of the National Association for Women; advocate for GLBT issues and worked on the GLBT Taskforce; facilitated Justice and Compassion Conferences for GLBT Teens through Planned Parenthood; and volunteered on issues concerning child abuse and many others.
Later in life, Pam had conflicts with her family and eventually was estranged from them. She struggled to make ends meet in spite of trust money left to her from her father. Her family prevented her from receiving those funds and she turned to the state for assistance. Since her death, her family has agreed to pay for her funeral.
She was a pioneer who fought against inequality and injustice every day of her life. While Pam faced adversity in her life, she overcame these hardships by reaching out and helping others. She will be missed by many, and One Iowa thanks her for her stewardship.
Pam was a fighter for human rights and once remarked that she went to the Gay Pride Parades in Des Moines when only a few people would show up. Her impact on society will be felt for years to come and her friends will miss her compassion, logical mind, and tenacity.
All are welcome to her Memorial Service at the Unitarian Church at 1800 Bell Avenue in Des Moines on Friday, December 2, 2011 at 2:00 p.m.
We Did It!
Dear Supporters of Equality,
Tonight was a great victory for Iowans and for the fair-minded majority! Liz Mathis has won the special election in Senate District 18 with 56% of the vote, edging out her opponent Cindy Golding and ensuring that the pro-equality majority in our state Senate is safe.
The majority of Senate District 18 Iowans support a candidate who will fight for the issues that will help move our state forward. One Iowa played an instrumental role in this victory and we are proud to work with Liz on her victory. Since the special election was announced, we identified nearly 1,000 marriage supporters in the district, logged almost 900 volunteer hours, signed up over 250 pro-equality voters to vote early, and made more than 12,000 phone calls to voters in the district.
This was a huge task and we knew from the beginning that this would be a tough race. Thank you to our amazing volunteers, supporters, and allies who made this possible. We could not have done this without you!
Though tonight is a time for celebration, we must not forget that our fight is far from over. During the last legislative session, we saw several attempts to undermine marriage equality. We can expect these fights to only intensify during the coming legislative session. And as we saw during this election, the National Organization for Marriage is still intent on taking away the rights of loving, committed gay and lesbian couples. They have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars to take away the freedom to marry in Iowa. They will become more and more visible in the coming year, and we must do our best to match them dollar for dollar.
We look forward to working with Senator Mathis in the coming months and years. While this is a victory today, we know that our work is far from over and with the support of fair-minded Iowans throughout the state, I am confident that we can keep equality safe in the heartland.
My heartfelt gratitude,
Troy Price
One Iowa Executive Director
Special Election Update: NOM is Here!
We are now two weeks away from the election in SD 18 and the National Organization for Marriage (NOM), Bob Vander Plaats, and extreme right-wing anti-equality advocates are again pushing their political agenda in order to influence this important election. They have publicly endorsed a candidate, launched an attack ad, organized volunteers to knock on doors, and have mailed fliers to voters in the district.
It is no surprise that they are spending out-of-state money to inject their anti-equality agenda into this election. These well-funded organizations will stop at nothing to take away rights from LGBT Iowans and we have two weeks to make sure the pro-equality voice is heard in this election.
Here is what they are up to:
- NOM has publicly endorsed Cindy Golding, the Republican candidate who has stated that she supports a vote on the marriage ban. Running against her is Liz Mathis, a Democrat who has stated that she supports the 2009 unanimous marriage decision, and has expressed her desire to focus on jobs and the economy which are the most pressing issues in her district.
- NOM has also dropped their first flier designed to scare voters and bully them into voting against a candidate who values equality. The mailer states that the “future of marriage” hangs in the balance of the election.
- The anti-equality Concordia Group has spent money on an anti-marriage attack ad that uses the same old tired scare tactics of doom and gloom to support Cindy Golding
- And finally, the Family Research Council and NOM will be dusting off their so-called “Values Voters Bus” for a national tour and they plan to stop in Cedar Rapids on the Sunday before the election.
We can and must beat their rhetoric. We know that when NOM gets involved, they spend out-of-state money to tell half-truths and influence elections here in our home state. We also know that anti-gay opponents here in Iowa will stop at nothing to harm Iowa families.
As you know, this election is important for the future of our Legislature and the outcome will determine who controls our Senate. Until now, we have enjoyed a fair-minded majority that values job creation, equality, and education. With that majority at stake, NOM and Bob Vander Plaats have stepped in to turn this election into a referendum on marriage and harming Iowa families.
The time is now. Our opposition is mobilizing and we have 15 days to make sure the pro-equality voice is heard in this election. To date, we have identified 650 new supporters in the district and we need your help to reach the rest of the pro-equality voters in SD 18 and get them to the polls. This is a huge task and we have a team of volunteers, staff, supporters, and allies working to make this possible.
Iowa is better than this.
Breaking News: Special Election Could Jeopardize Marriage
This is it. We are facing a special election and marriage equality hangs in the balance. Senator Swati Dandekar is resigning to take a job in the Branstad Administration, and her seat in the Iowa State Senate will be filled by a special election in the coming weeks. The pro-equality majority is at stake.
So what does this mean? If we lose the seat, we face a very real chance that a marriage ban will pass a vote in the Senate. In Iowa, marriage has never been threatened like this before.
We need your help. Please donate to help protect marriage equality in Iowa.
Until now, we have been able to prevent a discriminatory and unconstitutional marriage ban from going on the ballot with pro-equality supporters in the Senate. But marriage equality is now facing a serious and credible threat. If we lose this seat, we lose a majority in the Senate and we face a marriage ban on the ballot.
We need you now more than ever. You can make the difference in this election.
Your support could very well make a difference in how this turns out. This special election will be crucial in the fight to protect marriage equality. Moreso than any other election, whether or not marriage equality goes to the ballot depends on this race.
Our opponents will be flooding the state with money to fill this seat with an anti-equality candidate and we need you to help us raise money to support our efforts. One Iowa has a track record of winning, but we cannot do it without you. Your donation will ensure that One Iowa can continue to engage and motivate our supporters and get them to the polls in this critically important race. Donate today to help elect a pro-equality candidate who will continue to defend our rights from attacks.
In solidarity,
Troy Price
One Iowa Executive Director
Take Action: One Iowa On-Campus
One Iowa is pleased to announce our new One Iowa On-Campus initiative. Students from across the state have reached out to us to learn about how they can get involved in the fight for equality and we couldn’t be more excited to engage with these incredible young people. We know that working with the next generation is crucial to protecting our hard-fought and hard-won freedoms.
“I am excited to get my fellow peers excited about equality,” said Sarah Puffer, a student at University of Iowa. “I am also excited to bring about better awareness on issues that affect LGBT students and Iowans.”
This fall, we will work together to build an advocacy infrastructure on campuses across the state to equip students with the tools they need to help One Iowa fulfill its mission of full equality for LGBT Iowans, as well as engaging in a broader public education and outreach effort for LGBT people.
So far, our campus allies including students at the University of Northern Iowa and University of Iowa. These leaders are ready to roll up their sleeves and get to work organizing phone banks, letter writing campaigns, and helping raise awareness about One Iowa’s work across the state.
Kyle Woolums, a student at the University of Northern Iowa says "Having a group like One Iowa on campus is important because it bridges the gap between an LGBT campus group and a political activist campus group. You get a lot of backgrounds working toward a singular goal."
The University of Northern Iowa is already active with progressive groups on campus. In August, they kicked off the new school year with a Progressive Picnic, bringing together The Northern Iowa Democrats, UNI Freethinkers and Inquirers, Philosophy Club, UNI Proud and One Iowa.
One Iowa is inspired by the work of these student leaders who have already taken a stand for equality on their campuses. Quentin Hill, an advocate at University of Iowa has been an outspoken and vocal supporter of LGBT rights on campus, and we are excited to work with him and his fellow UI students.
Interested in finding out more about the One Iowa On-Campus program and getting involved on your campus? Contact Matt Skuya at 515.288.4019 x203 or email matt@oneiowa.org.
Check out this photo of One Iowa supporter Stef McGraw, representing One Iowa at UNI.
Take Action: Happy Anniversary Sarah and Matty!
One Iowa is pleased to announce two staff milestones! Regional Organizers Sarah Portugue (pictured left) and Matty Smith (pictured right) are celebrating their first anniversary working with One Iowa. Sarah joined us on August 31st and Matty followed shortly thereafter on September 27th.
Thank you Sarah and Matty for your tireless commitment and hard work to ensure equality for ALL Iowans. We simply cannot achieve what we do without you.
To mark the occasion, Matty and Sarah have special requests:
For Sarah’s One Iowa anniversary, she would like you all to sign up and commit to hosting a house party! Open your home to friends and neighbors and spend an evening talking about Why Marriage Matters. For more information, contact Sarah at sarah@oneiowa.org or call 309.236.1514.
For Matty’s First One Iowa Birthday, he would like you to donate $1 for every week he has worked here. For $52, you can help make Matty’s anniversary special. Please consider a donation of $52 or more in honor of Matty’s One Iowa anniversary.
Help us get there: Shop One Iowa!
Love equality? Show it!
One Iowa has launched a new store where you can find all the gear you need to show your support for equality in the Hawkeye State.
Check out our Blue Dot branded t-shirts, bumper stickers, water bottles, and much more! Great for a back-to-school gift for your favorite student, or a little treat to spoil yourself.
And the best part is a portion of the proceeds go to support One Iowa’s work advancing equality for ALL Iowans.
Take Action: Tell the Family Leader to give our money back!
The Family Leader is at it again, but this time they are using our money!
Last week, an Associated Press investigation and report uncovered the unethical actions of the Iowa Family Policy Center’s use of federal funds. The Iowa Family Policy Center, now under the umbrella of The Family Leader, received $2.2 million in federal grants over the past four years from the Department of Health and Human Services. These funds were used to counsel and educate married couples, but reports show that the organization refused to counsel same-sex couples and that funds were used to pay part of the salaries of five employees, rent, telephone, Internet and other expenses at the same time they were leading the charge to unseat three highly qualified State Supreme Court Justices.
Read the statement from One Iowa and the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa.
For an organization that has worked so hard to elect candidates who want to cut government spending, it is outrageous that they would use our taxpayer dollars to further their political agenda.
Enough is enough. Tell the Family Leader to show exactly how they spent our money, or give it back!
Here is what you can do to help.
- Sign our petition and tell the Family Leader to release their records or return our $2.2 million that they used to push their extreme agenda.
- Donate to the One Iowa Education Fund and ensure that we continue to stand up for the rights of Iowans.
One Iowa has worked hard to counter the aggressive attacks of the Family Leader. We are engaging Iowans in a conversation about marriage like never before through phone banks, house parties, and even simply telling our stories.
We may not have the federal government to pay for our work, but we have great support from people like you. Thank you so much for all you have done. Now lets go win this thing!
Onward,
Troy Price
One Iowa Executive Director
Help us get there: New poll shows increasing support for marriage
Poll results are in and we are pleased to announce that more Iowans support marriage equality than oppose it! But we are far from safe.
According to a poll released last week by Public Policy Polling, 46% of Iowans think marriage for same-sex couples should be legal, while 45% think it should be illegal. And, we’ve come a long way in a short time. Today, 40% of Iowans prefer full marriage equality to civil unions. In April that number was at 35%.
This is good news, but just BARELY. We are leading but these numbers--1% and 5%--are NOT a comfortable margin.
Please help us get there. With your donation of $100, we can turn those numbers into a majority.
Folks, we are headed in the right direction. But we still have a long way to go. This is a call to action for us here at One Iowa. We know that our country and state is headed in the right direction, but it won’t happen on its own and it won’t happen overnight. We will not stop fighting until we know that our freedom to marry is safe from the pocket books of well-funded out-of-state organizations.
We know that we cannot rest until we have full and equal protection under the law and in our communities. And you know that we WILL NOT REST until we have succeeded in fully protecting our freedoms and liberties as Iowans.
Help us get there.
Please make a $100 donation today to help us get to 100%.
Thank you.
Sincerest regards and appreciation,
The One Iowa Team
Take Action: Help protect our families!
This week, the US Census released new data showing an amazing 77% increase in the number of gay and lesbian households in Iowa over the last ten years. Now, 6,540 gay and lesbian couples openly declare their relationship before the government, thanks in no small part to the 2009 Varnum decision.
However, all our progress could be erased if we don't stand up to Bob Vander Plaats, the Family Leader, and the National Organization for Marriage.
One Iowa has been working tirelessly to protect the freedom to marry for loving, committed gay and lesbian couples. Since the first of the year, we have:
- Successfully blocked a constitutional amendment taking away marriage equality
- Stopped seven other anti-marriage bills in the legislature
- Identified more than 2,000 new supporters of equality
- Mobilized more than 100 college students to become messengers for equality
- Launched a house party program reaching out to undecided friends and neighbors
- Pushed back our opposition at every turn
Though we have done so much, our work is far from over. As this week's anti-marriage bus tour showed, the National Organization for Marriage and their allies will stop at nothing to take away the rights of married couples and their families.
So, will you help to Sustain Equality?
We can't carry on the fight without you. Your support now will ensure One Iowa can continue to push back against anti-marriage extremists and stand up for the freedom to marry. By joining with us today, we can build a brighter future for tomorrow.
Sincerely,
Troy Price
One Iowa Executive Director
Take Action: Tell Vander Plaats to quit bullying Iowans
Well, he is at it again.
Just last week, Bob Vander Plaats was under heavy criticism for his shameful "marriage vow" that suggested--amongst other things--that children born today are worse off than a child born into slavery.
Now, a new video has surfaced showing Vander Plaats laughing and complimenting a derogatory, anti-gay joke.
Vander Plaats has made it clear--the way he plans to win is through derogatory language. There is a name for people like that--Bully. And, we cannot allow him to continue this mean-spirited and harmful campaign.
Sign our petition, and demand Bob Vander Plaats apologize for his harmful actions. Tell him that his hurtful comments have no place in the discussion of marriage and that he does not speak for all Iowans.
Vander Plaats and the Family Leader may think they can get national media attention by bullying our families, but they are wrong. One Iowa and supporters like you will continue to stand up for loving, committed gay and lesbian couples, and together, we will ensure that Iowa is a place where all are treated equal.
Sincerely,
Troy Price
One Iowa Executive Director
ANTI-MARRIAGE VOW: Family Leader's pledge sparks controversy
The freedom to marry for gay and lesbian couples is yet again under attack by social conservative group the Family Leader and its president, Bob Vander Plaats.
With the release of an unsettling document last week, the organization is asking 2012 Republican presidential candidates to sign an anti-marriage equality vow in order to obtain any kind of public endorsement. This controversial document states that candidates must "vigorously oppose" marriage equality for loving, committed LGBT couples.
The 14-point vow garnered national headlines and criticism with an introductory paragraph that cited slavery: "...Sadly, a child born into slavery in 1860 was more likely to be raised by his mother and father in a two-parent household than was an African-American baby born after the election of the USA's first African American President."
HELP US STAND UP TO THIS DISCRIMINATION!
The reference to slavery has since been removed from the preamble, although not before 2012 presidential hopefuls Michele Bachmann and Rick Santorum signed it. The document also calls for "earnest" legal advocacy for the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and the "steadfast embrace" of a federal marriage amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman throughout the United States.
WILL YOU VOLUNTEER AND HELP FIGHT TO PRESERVE MARRIAGE?
Mr. Vander Plaats continues to defend the marriage vow and the outrageous claims about children born into slavery despite media criticism.
It is up to all of us to stand up to this reckless and hurtful discrimination by Mr. Vander Plaats and the Family Leader. Become a sustaining equality member today and help us fight back against these outrageous comments and preserve the rights and freedoms of all Iowans.
Incredible matching grant announced!
Thanks to a generous matching grant from our friends at the Gill Foundation, now when you sign up for a monthly donation of $20 or more, your donation will be doubled. That means double the protection for Iowa families, double the support for marriage equality and double the doors we can knock on to make sure marriage equality is here to stay in Iowa!
We need all the support you can give to put this $25,000 matching grant to work for Iowans:
• $20 = $480, after dollar-for-dollar match;
• $43.09 = $1,034.16, and honors the Supreme Court decision (4/3/09);
• $50 = $1,200, and allows us to host 10 community forums statewide;
• $100 = $2,400, and facilitates 24 house parties;
• $250 = $6,000, and lets field staff initiate more than 10,000 conversations; and
• $500 = $12,000, enables travel to all 99 Iowa counties.
To show our appreciation, sustaining donors will receive periodic updates on One Iowa's campaign plan and results along with an invitation to Advisory Council meetings.
We know that our opposition will not rest until they roll back the freedom to marry for loving, committed gay and lesbian couples. Now is the time to make sure we're Sustaining Equality in Iowa. Donate today!
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