Rebecca Bird, 41, left, and Sandra Quandt, 48, waiting for a marriage license in Davenport, Iowa, on Monday with Ms. Bird’s sister, Jamie Lee, 28, and niece, Shelbie Stevens, 3.
Posted on 04/27/2009 11:23:30 PM PDT by Zakeet
In a way, life looked unexpectedly ordinary here on Monday as Iowa began allowing same-sex couples to marry.
The large, angry protests some had imagined never materialized in this city, the state’s most populous. Neither did the crowds of couples from all over the nation that some feared might create a carnival-like atmosphere captured in earlier images from other places.
By noon, no protesters could be found outside the marriage license office. Extra sheriff’s deputies assigned to keep order milled around the Polk County recorder’s office, looking bored. And an early-morning line of dozens of same-sex couples waiting to apply for licenses had dwindled into a few people discussing recent rainfall patterns.
Given polls showing that most Iowans object to same-sex marriage, Shawn Regenold and Steve Kearney of West Des Moines had feared a tense, perhaps overwhelming scene. Thus they decided not to bring their children — ages 2, 3 and 4 — as they sought their license. Instead, they found a quiet building where, every so often, couples receiving licenses burst into rounds of applause and where, on the front steps, a local pastor married a few smiling couples as television cameras rolled.
“People in Iowa tend to get real hot about things,” said Maggie Grace, a neighbor of the West Des Moines couple who had come to fulfill the witness requirement for their license. “And then they go on about their way.”
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Rebecca Bird, 41, left, and Sandra Quandt, 48, waiting for a marriage license in Davenport, Iowa, on Monday with Ms. Bird’s sister, Jamie Lee, 28, and niece, Shelbie Stevens, 3.
A picture’s worth a thousand words.........
East siders, or I miss my guess.
That would seem to be the case, whether intentional, or not.
They can’t even dress to get married.
Probably their cleanest bluejeans and Mumus.
The woman painted her toe nails, and they have matching sandals.
I can’t help but think they must be about the loneliest people.
LOL
The Midwest farmers daughters really make you feel all right (hurl)
I didn’t notice the matching sandels. Yes, I agree about them being lonely.
I wonder where they’re social workers at?
So you know where they work, too....
Damn, some real lookers, NOT...Guess if I looked like that I’d be gay too...couldn’t get a man for nothin...
Hum...
“yuck”
That's all I got...
The US has become one damn big handbasket...
Hey wait a minute, I thought this was about “Gay Marriage”. I mean the guy in the golf shirt maybe marrying an ugly woman and go by the name Lolita (?) but at least he’s...
Oh yikes...
Never mind...
Sweet Jesus! Where’s the projectile vomit alert? (nice touch with the matching sandals and nail polish)
Fifteen yards for for no Barf alert.
Can you imagine those two sisoring? Must smell like the old Fulton Fish Market at 6AM on an 95 degree day in their house. Look at the expression on the older kid’s face. She must be wondering what all her friends will say when this photo hits the paper.
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