5/5/2007
"An attorney representing six gay and lesbian couples argued Friday afternoon that the state's ban on gay marriage is not simply a rhetorical debate surrounding right and wrong, but an urgent issue that affects the lives of longtime couples who cannot marry.
"'This is not a hypothetical issue ? these are real people,' said Des Moines attorney Dennis Johnson, who represents the 12 clients from Iowa and three of their children. 'These people are here because the state treats them like second-class citizens.'
