Lambda Legal Launches 'Thank You Iowa Judges' Campaign

(New York, November 10, 2010) — Today Lambda Legal launched the "Thank you Iowa Judges" pledge. Antigay groups spent nearly one million dollars on a campaign successfully ousting three Iowa Supreme Court Justices for their role in striking down as unconstitutional Iowa’s ban on marriage for same-sex couples.

Excerpt from the Pledge:

Thank You, Iowa Judges.

I PLEDGE TO STAND UP FOR OUR COURTS SO THAT THEY CAN STAND UP FOR JUSTICE. I WILL:

• GET INFORMED ABOUT JUDICIAL ELECTIONS IN MY STATE
• SPEAK UP AND FIGHT BACK WHEN ANTIGAY EXTREMISTS ATTACK THE COURTS

Sign the Pledge

"We are grateful to the justices of the Iowa Supreme Court for upholding the constitution and marriage equality," said Kate and Trish Varnum, lead plaintiffs in Lambda Legal's lawsuit that established marriage equality in Iowa. "Last week's election results did not change the status of our marriage -- it has only strengthened our commitment to continuing the work we have started."

"Voters must resist future attempts to politicize the courts," said Kevin Cathcart, Executive Director. "Our next test is just around the corner in Iowa in 2012. The antigay National Organization for Marriage has already signaled an intention to target the Supreme Court justices in Iowa who are up for retention that year and in 2016."

"Something happened on Election Day in Iowa that threatens the principles of democracy upon which this country was founded," Cathcart wrote in an opinion piece on Huffington Post.

People can send a message about equality and fair courts at #ThankyouIowajudges and see more quotes from the couples who were part of the lawsuit winning marriage in Iowa by signing up to follow Lambda Legal's Twitter and Facebook updates.

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