I Didn't Say It

The reviews are in on Mylie Cyrus' new movie, The Last Song, and, well, she ought to rethink quitting her day job:

The New York Times:
"Acting, for the moment at least, seems almost entirely beyond her…she pouts, slouches, storms in and out of rooms and occasionally cracks a snaggle-toothed smile, but most of the time she seems to be mugging for the camera, play-acting rather than exploring the motives and feelings of her character."
The New York Post:
"Cyrus makes the most dubious 'dramatic' debut of any singer since Britney Spears."
The Village Voice:
"I can't recall ever squirming as much as I did during Ronnie and Will’s first kiss; shiny, buff Liam Hemsworth looks like he's locking lips with an Andy Hardy–era Mickey Rooney in a wig."

Cheyenne Jackson, on growing up in Idaho, bondage, his first crush, and his formative gay years:

"I’m not really a bondage, tie-up kind of guy, but every time that Valentine’s Day Popeye cartoon would come on, the one where he ties Bluto up, it would make me feel weird in my stomach...When I was 13 and in eighth grade, I was obsessed with my best friend. I was in love with him. He had blond curly hair and he was a Mormon. I just thought I wanted to kiss him all the time, so I thought ‘Hey, I’m totally gay.’"

Iowa Gov. Chet Culver, congratulating the state legislature for refusing to consider a constitutional amendment overturning same-sex marriage, on the one year anniversary of marriage equality in Iowa:
"We stood firm for the civil rights of every Iowan by saying loudly and clearly that any and all efforts to add discriminatory amendments to our state constitution have no place in our state constitution. Regardless of our personal views, we have a line that needs to be drawn between the executive branch and the judicial branch and I think Iowans are ready to move on and accept that unanimous decision."

Gerard Butler, on his best asset:

"I love to show my rear-end in roles. I'm thinking it's becoming a bit of a habit, a bit of a tradition that I have to show my a– in every movie that I can. No, actually it was always a great moment and it speaks volumes about this character. So if there is a scene where I have to drop my drawers and I think there is a genius reason behind it, I'm ready. If I have to bare my a– again in future films, then so be it."

Jon Bon Jovi on aging in rock'n'roll:

"I find it hard to believe I'm 47 already, because I still feel like 18. I don't plan on being the next Mick Jagger and to keep on going till my late 60s. But at the moment I don't see a reason why I should stop."

Ben Stiller, on who he wanted to be when he became an actor:

"I wanted to be like an Al Pacino/Robert Deniro guy, because I loved those movies growing up. But that just wasn't in the cards."

Common Sense

While Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Vander Plaats has said this year’s election will be a “referendum” on gay marriage. Iowa governor Chet Culver says he doesn’t expect same-sex marriage will be a significant issue in the 2010 election.

“I am focused on doing everything I can to move this state forward and I’m not worried about November,” Culver said over the weekend on Iowa Public Television. “I’m worried about January of 2010 and working as hard as I can as governor to get things done.”

He even talked about the opponents of same-sex marriage who chanted: “Let us vote” as he left the Iowa State House after delivering his Condition of the State speech. He says he stopped and spoke to many of those people, and found them respectful.

“This is the people’s house so we welcome groups to the capitol from every part of our state with divergent political views,” Governor Culver said. “I think it’s healthy to have that kind — to provide that kind of opportunity to any group or any individual that wants to come to our capitol, to their house, as long as we are civil and respectful of the different views.”

But Culver dismisses the idea gay marriage will be a “front and center” issue in November.

“I think that Iowans are focused on jobs, economic recovery, flood recovery, doing what we can to support our kids, expanding health care for children, continuing to invest in things like early childhood education and being a leader in renewable energy....I really think if most Iowans prioritize what is front and center and their number one concern you’ll hear, probably eight times out of ten, (is) jobs and economic recovery.”

Sounds like common sense from a state known for its common sense. And most people in Iowa, according to recent polls, agree with the governor. Their priorities for Iowa lie in other areas besides marriage equality. And most feel that, since marriage equality was granted, nothing has changed in Iowa.

Battleground: Iowa

Iowa Family Policy Center, a conservative group thatbelieves their values are the only values, is calling on Iowa legislators to pass an amendment to the state’s constitution banning same-sex marriage. This is the first step toward allowing the public to vote on the ban in 2012, and if it doesn't pass pass the legislature in 2010, the earliest it could be on the ballot is 2014.

But with a strongly Democratic legislature, most conservatives agree--while stomping their feet and whining about immorality and morality--that there is no chance a gay-marriage amendment will pass the legislature in 2010.

From the moment the Iowa Supreme Court issued its decision to make marriage legal for all Iowans last April, Republicans have threatened to pass an amendment overturning it. In the closing days of the 2009 legislative session, both House and Senate Republicans attempted numerous procedural moves to force a vote on the amendment, including attaching it to a tax proposal and the state’s Health and Human Services budget.

Democrats successfully blocked the efforts. And just last week, Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal upped the ante by declaring in an interview with The Iowa Independent that not only will he oppose an amendment, he won’t even let it come up for a vote. And since the Democrats have a commanding 32-18 majority in the Senate, Republicans don’t have a lot of options to prove him wrong.

“As long as Mike Gronstal is the de facto governor of Iowa, there’s not going to be a marriage amendment, barring direct intervention in that man’s heart by God himself,” said Steve Deace, host of a Christian radio show. “Beyond that, like the Pharaoh of old Mr. Gronstal’s heart is hardened towards righteousness and morality, and it’s clear that promotion of homosexuality is something he’s serious about. He’s not budging, and the few of his fellow Democrats who might otherwise share the views of folks like me are too intimidated by him to stick their necks out for what’s right.”

Yes, let's call God into this, Steve Deace, and let's have God talk to you about righteousness and morality, and marriage. Let's ask God how he feels about some people trying to put down others. That isn't God, Mr. Deace, and it isn't Christ-like.

The last time an amendment banning marriage equality came to a vote in Iowa was in 2004, but, that year, 21 Democrats were joined by four Republicans to defeat it. Since then, the Senate has either been evenly divided or dominated by Democrats, a fact that has killed any momentum for passing a ban.

So, for those God-fearing people who wish to use their religion to legislate, the only way an amendment will ever pass is if Democrats are voted out of office. Kevin Hall, a conservative blogger and Republican strategist from Des Moines, says those who oppose marriage equality should be working to get Republicans elected in November.

“Republican leaders have already promised to make it a key issue in 2010,” Hall said. “Gay marriage is the key issue with the Iowa GOP’s social conservative base.”

Maybe so, maybe not. in recent polls, Iowans are almost evenly split on a gay marriage ban, with 41% supporting a ban and 40% opposing it. And while 43 percent say they oppose the Supreme Court’s ruling, a whopping 63 percent say other issues are more important going into the fall election.

And most telling of all, is that 92% of those polled say that marriage equality has brought no real change to their lives.

That's right. Ninety-two percent say life in Iowa hasn't changed since The Gays started getting married. The crops aren't failing, there have be no reports of locusts; the sky didn't fall and Satan didn't rise up from the depths of Hell.

Listen up, America, in Iowa they say gay marriage doesn't bother them.

In. Iowa.

Iowa? I love you.

This Is What Common Sense Sounds Like

Like many people in the US and around the world, I was over-the-moon when the Iowa Supreme Court declared it unconstitutional not to allow same-sex marriage; that it was, in fact, discrimination. And I was even more thrilled when Iowa Governor Culver spoke about the court's decision.

Governor Culver is not an advocate of same-sex marriage; he even says that his religious faith guides him in that decision. But see, that's okay, because I don't want to change your faith or tell you that your faith is wrong; faith is far too personal an issue for any of us to decide who is right and who is wrong.

But the great thing about Governor Culver is that he approves of the court's decision because it is the right thing to do, the legal thing to do, the just thing to do. It all boils down to a matter of law, and what the laws and the Constitution calls equality.

Here then, is Governor Culver's response to the Supreme Court's Decision:

“I have carefully reviewed the Iowa Supreme Court's unanimous decision on civil marriage and discussed it with the Attorney General.

Let me begin by saying that I recognize that the issue of same-gender civil marriage is one that evokes strongly held beliefs and strong emotions both for and against. These beliefs and feelings need to be respected. I hope that the views of those on all sides will be treated respectfully and will not be subjected to name-calling or fear-mongering, but instead will lead to rational discussion.

At the outset, I want to emphasize that the question before the Iowa Supreme Court was one of civil marriage only – a state-recognized legal status constituting a civil contract. Civil marriage always has been, and will continue to be, separate from religious marriage that takes place in churches and places of worship.

As I have stated before, I personally believe that marriage is between a man and a woman. This is a tenet of my personal faith. The Iowa Supreme Court’s decision has, in fact, reaffirmed that churches across Iowa will continue to have the right to recognize the sanctity of religious marriage in accordance with their own traditions and church doctrines.

The Supreme Court’s decision does not require that churches recognize marriages between persons of the same gender or officiate over such unions. The Court does not have, nor should any court ever have, that kind of power over our religious lives.

Our churches and places of worship are free to decide for themselves, as they were before, who may enter the sacred covenant of marriage. As the Supreme Court’s decision states, ‘The sanctity of all religious marriages celebrated in the future will have the same meaning as those celebrated in the past.’

Yet, the Supreme Court of Iowa, in a unanimous decision, has clearly stated that the Constitution of our state, which guarantees equal protection of the law to all Iowans, requires the State of Iowa to recognize the civil marriage contract of two people of the same gender. The Court also concluded that the denial of this right constitutes discrimination.

Therefore, after careful consideration and a thorough reading of the Court’s decision, I am reluctant to support amending the Iowa Constitution to add a provision that our Supreme Court has said is unlawful and discriminatory.

As Governor, I must respect the authority of the Iowa Supreme Court, and have a duty to uphold the Constitution of the State of Iowa. I also fully respect the right of all Iowans to live under the full protection of Iowa’s Constitution.

I urge Iowans who hold beliefs on all sides of this issue to exhibit respect and good will. Our state faces many serious challenges. We are in the midst of a serious economic recession. Tens of thousands of our fellow Iowans are without work. We have suffered the worst natural disasters and most difficult recovery our state has ever faced. We must join together and redouble our efforts to work toward solutions that will help Iowans in this time of uncertainty. That is where, I believe, my focus and energies should lie.

Let us not lose sight of the fact that we are all Iowans, all neighbors, united in the promise and faith of a brighter future for our state. Let us all work together toward that common goal."