IOWA APPRECIATION THREAD

[ColbertWatcher]

In honor of the recent ruling for the rights of all Iowans, please kick and rec to show your love for Iowa.

Iowa: Leader In Civil Rights (mostly copied from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iowa#Leader_in_civil_rights">Wikip*dia)

In 1839, the Iowa Supreme Court rejected slavery in a decision that found that a slave named Ralph became free when he stepped on Iowa soil, 26 years before the end of the Civil War decided the issue.

In 1868, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled that racially segregated “separate but equal” schools had no place in Iowa, 85 years before the U.S. Supreme Court reached the same decision.

In 1873, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled against racial discrimination in public accommodations, 91 years before the U.S. Supreme Court reached the same decision.

In 1869, Iowa became the first state in the union to admit women to the practice of law.

On April 3, 2009, the Iowa Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the state’s law forbidding same-sex marriage was unconstitutional

Fun Facts About Iowa

Capitol: Des Moines
Admission to the union: 29th state admitted (on December 28, 1846)
Nickname: The Hawkeye State
Song: "The Song of Iowa"
Motto: "Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain"
Colors: Red, white, and blue
Bird: Eastern Goldfinch
Flower: Wild Rose
Tree: Oak
Fossil: Crinoid (proposed!)
Grass: Bluebunch wheatgrass
Rock: Geode

Famous People From Iowa

Iowa's own Olympic champion Shawn Johnson leading the pledge of allegiance during the DNC August 28, 2009, Denver, Colorado


Mamie Eisenhower
"Dear Abby" and Ann Landers
Grant Wood, artist
Cloris Leachman
Johnny Carson
Meredith Wilson, playwright, composer behind The Music Man
Glenn Miller
Nobel Laureate and "father of the green Revolution," Norman Borlaug
Nobel Laureate Alan J. Heeger who was instrumental in the discovery and development of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conductive_polymers">conductive polymers (click it; it's a little too complicated to summarize here)
Nobel Laureate Stanley B. Prusiner who discovered prions, the little bastards behind mad cow disease
Nobel Peace Prize winner John Mott, who did work for the World Student Christian Federation as well as leading the YMCA

Public Universities In Iowa

Iowa State University (the Fightin' Cyclones!)
University of Iowa (the Fightin' Buckeyes!)
University of Northern Iowa (the Fightin' Panthers!)

[eridani]

1. What is especially hopeful about this--

--is that Iowa has one of the oldest populations in the country.

[ColbertWatcher]

2. I can't brain today; I have the dumb.

Would you mind 'splainin' this to me?

Sorry, I'm a little dense right now!

[eridani]

3. Acceptance of marriage equality is far higher among younger demographic groups

That Iowa, with a much older average age than most states, has legal gay marriage is pretty amazing. I'm impressed!

[JI7]

4. it was the court that made the decision,not the people of Iowa

but i have always said that it will be the courts that will lead the way to equal right for gays. the same happened with rights for african americans.

this is an issue that will most likely end up being decided by the US Supreme Court and hopefully Obama will help with that by putting up some good justices. and hoping for an early retirement for Scalia.

[ColbertWatcher]

5. Okay, I understand what you're saying. Thank you for 'splaining. n/t

[cali]

10. Vermont also has an older than average age

and here the majority supports marriage equality. Not to mention the strong majority of legislators.

[ruggerson]

35. let's hope you guys can pick off those last five votes for the override

[mnmoderatedem]

6. You could add

John Wayne, basebell great Bob Feller, and football great Kurt Warner to the list of famous individuals from my home state. :)

[ColbertWatcher]

7. More to appreciate. Thank you for posting.

And send some thanks along to your Supreme Court for their wise decision!

[Dr.Phool]

8. You forgot corn! Everybody loves corn.

[Blue Gardener]

21. I wouldn't put Kurt Warner too high on the list

He's a fundie, and I very much doubt he is in favor of this ruling.

[Skidmore]

25. Also, Dr. James Van Allen

who discovered the Van Allen Belt.

[lightningandsnow]

9. Awesome.

Have you ever heard the song "Iowa" by Dar Williams? It actually has little to do with Iowa itself, but it's still a great song and somewhat fitting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HgYaXE76P0

[Iwillnevergiveup]

11. Let's not forget

Iowa gave President Obama his first win in the primary season.....which carried him all the way to the White House! I am bursting with pride for the state I was born in.

:toast: :hi:

[ColbertWatcher]

12. ACK! Year in the caption should be 2008 NOT 2009! n/t

[WI_DEM]

13. "IOWA Stubborn" from "The Music Man"

- Iowa Stubborn Lyrics



Music: Meredith Willson
Lyrics: Meredith Willson
Book: Meredith Willson and Franklin Lacey
Premiere: Thursday, December 19, 1957

Townspeople:
Oh, there's nothing halfway
About the Iowa way to treat you,
When we treat you
Which we may not do at all.
There's an Iowa kind of special
Chip-on-the-shoulder attitude.
We've never been without.
That we recall.
We can be cold
As our falling thermometers in December
If you ask about our weather in July.
And we're so by God stubborn
We could stand touchin' noses
For a week at a time
And never see eye-to-eye.
But what the heck, you're welcome,
Join us at the picnic.
You can eat your fill
Of all the food you bring yourself.
You really ought to give Iowa a try.
Provided you are contrary,
We can be cold
As our falling thermometer in December
If you ask about our weather in July.
And we're so by God stubborn
We can stand touchin' noses
For a week at a time
And never see eye-to-eye.
But we'll give you our shirt
And a back to go with it
If your crops should happen to die.

Farmer:
So, what the heck, you're welcome,
Glad to have you with us.

Farmer and Wife:
Even though we may not ever mention it again.

Townspeople:
You really ought to give Iowa
Hawkeye Iowa
Dubuque, Des
Moines, Davenport, Marshalltown,
Mason City, Keokuk, Ames,
Clear Lake
Ought to give Iowa a try!

[Peacetrain]

14. Thank you ColbertWatcher,

:hi: but it is the Iowa Hawkeyes I think the Buckeyes may be Ohio.. anyhoooooo...Iowa is an old state, a complicated state, on the western border it is pretty conservative, and if you ain't Dutch then you ain't much (a favorite bumpersticker from Orange City) while the rest of the state is pretty moderate to downright liberal.. "The Peoples Republic of Johnson County" :hi: to Iowa City, and surrounding areas (which became the 6th Great Lake last year)

[Condem]

15. Nice piece, ColbertWatcher

But better change that buck to hawk. Where I'm at, thems fightin words.

[ColbertWatcher]

45. Oh noes! It's too late! n/t

[Bluzmann57]

16. But but...I thought we were all rubes

and hillbillies around here. There are parts of Iowa stuck in the Civil War era, but mostly, Iowa is a good state to live in, if one doesn't mind four distinct seasons. Sometimes all in a day or two. One correction to the OP. The University of Iowa are known as the Hawkeyes, not the Buckeyes. We wish the basketball team could be as successful as the Buckeyes, but that's another story for another time. And one other famous guy from our great state, Simon Estes, renowned opera singer.
on edit- my typing "skills" stink. I can spell, just can't type.

[Condem]

20. You mean weather like today, Bluz?

I'm betting this snow event will miss us.

[ColbertWatcher]

46. LOL! Damnit.

I copied and pasted that from Wikip*dia and didn't even bother to verify it!

LOL! I probably got busted by someone in the Colbert Nation!

[Sultana]

17. Lol, my fundie parents are there for the weekend, I wonder if they know

:evilgrin:

[Condem]

18. Dewey the cat is from Iowa.

Just got done reading that. Man, the ending is a tearjerker.

[Blue Gardener]

22. I cried like a baby

When I read that book. :cry:

[Condem]

23. Got seventeen of the little rascals, now, Blue

Lost at least fifteen in the past ten years. Most die in my arms. Breaks your heart every time. Family.

[Blue Gardener]

31. I'm holding at four

Which is all I can really afford. They're my babies.

[progressoid]

28. Dewey!

[Pirate Smile]

19. Aaacckk! It is the Hawkeyes. The Buckeyes are Ohio State.

Hawkeyes:



Buckeyes:

[progressoid]

27. Hey, it's the thought that counts!

k/r!

[Pirate Smile]

30. I agree. But I went to IOWA and we we're the Hawkeyes, not the Buckeyes.

I'm surprised I was the first person to point it out. :D

Confusion between Iowa, Ohio and Idaho are pretty standard.

I certainly appreciate the effort and support for my state. :hi:

ColbertWatcher :yourock:

[progressoid]

33. My daughter, a nephew and a niece are there right now!

(but I was a UNI grad :) )

[rosesaylavee]

24. AND, it was the Iowa Caucus that went so

decidedly for Obama that made the rest of the country sit up and take notice. Iowa a primarily white, conservative state voting in the majority for a black, progressive Dem? Woo hoo Iowa!

In celebration, would like to add a song we sing every time we cross over the Big Mississippi into Dubuque:

Ooooooh, Dubuque, Oh Dubuque!
How you make me quiver!
With your wide wide streets,
And your Mississippi River!

How I love you with my heart,
And I love you with my liver!

Oh Dubuque! (slap the dashboard 2x here)
By the River!

Can be song fast and happy or sonorously with impending doom, depending on your emotional state as you approach the fair city of Dubuque. We have family there and I went to college there. :P

[happyiowan]

26. Masters Champion Zach Johnson and Kurt Warner.

Cedar Rapidians.

[KamaAina]

37. Warner's head must have exploded by now

he's a major fundie douchebag. In the words of the immortal Nelson Muntz, "Ha ha!"

[Condem]

40. Probably, Kama

I know he's going to be in CR in the next week or so helping out flood victims.

[ccharles000]

29. Go Iowa

:headbang:

[20score]

32. K&R. Their history is much better than I thought!

[Condem]

34. Spelled Cyclones wrong.

C-Y-C-L-O-W-N-S. There. That's better.

[IowaGuy]

36. More famous people from Iowa...Slipknot.....nt

[KamaAina]

38. Let us hope that that will NOT someday read

"In 2009, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled against gender discrimination in marriage, 91 years before the rest of the country followed suit."

[Tashca]

39. Something to consider...

I've been thinking over the weekend about this.

My wife works for a small food company here in Iowa...She has several responsibilities and one of those is overseeing the help desk. A system used to help solve complaints and it is staffed by mostly young 20-somethings. Friday afternoon their phones lit up and there were many angry calls. The employees were totally confused about people calling to let them know they are never going to buy their products again.....or that they need to start calling their congress people and over turning the decision. These staff members had no idea what the hell happened or what was going on. They thought they were just getting calls from crazy people and were totally confused. My wife didn't know until she got home and we had discussed the issue the was overturned earlier in the day. Then she proceeded to tell me these stories.

I don't know what next week is going to bring......but I can see a massive backlash against Iowa by a certain segment of the population.

I will just humbly ask that people please consider Iowa when buying products....

[Blue Gardener]

43. Then again

Another section of the population will buy more from Iowa and visit more often.

[Tashca]

48. I hope for a positive impact.

In reality it probably won't make that much difference.

I will be curious to hear if they do get any wacko calls next week. I think it will die quickly.

[doctor jazz]

44. Well if you would care to name the company I will commit to a $500 order from them!

:D

[Tashca]

50. That would be a nice gesture.

I don't think it wise at this point to name the company....it's a snack food company mostly nuts and their biggest customer is Costco....I'll leave it at that...

[Raymond Budelman]

41. Iowa and Equal Protection

Let's all hope that the Supreme Court catches up fast to Iowa.

[JDPriestly]

42. National Bar Association founded in Iowa in 1925

The National Bar Association was founded in Des Moines, Iowa in August 1925.

George H. Woodson, S. Joe Brown, James B. Morris, Charles P. Howard, and Gertrude E. Rush, made application and were denied admission to local and national legal associations because of their race. These brave individuals decided to create their own association and made it their goal to fight segregation and legal racism. They advocated for equality, not only in the legal profession, but also in all phases of American life.

The national office is now located in Washington, D.C.

http://www.ianationalbar.com/founders/founders.htm

My mother told a story about my (white presumably) great-grandfather going to Des Moines to join the NAACP in the 1920s. That doesn't really work out historically. So when I googled to see when the NAACP was founded in Des Moines, I came up with this story. Just why he would have joined either organization I do not know -- but I think this is interesting and provides more evidence of Iowa's commitment to equality.

[LWolf]

47. K & R. nt

[Ohio Joe]

49. I bow to the great state of Iowa - nt

[moondust]

51. Simon Estes.

Internationally acclaimed bass baritone Simon Estes has sung at the world's major opera houses as well as in front of presidents, popes and internationally renowned figures and celebrities including Bill Clinton, Richard Nixon, Boris Yeltsin, Yasser Arafat, Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu.

Born in Centerville, Iowa.

[StClone]

52. For now

I grew up in Iowa and get back there often enough to know there will be an effort to sack this ruling along with the legal minds that saw fit to rule correctly.

[StClone]

53. Need correction in your post

Bottom lines state "University of Iowa (the Fightin' Buckeyes..." should read Hawkeyes. Humorous but erroneous.

[ColbertWatcher]

54. Yes, I know, but it's past the deadline for editing. Sorry. n/t