The Sioux City Journal is fronted this morning by a piece summarizing how the number of divorced people in Northwest Iowa is rising, particularly in rural counties. In eight of 13 counties reviewed, the number of divorced people has increased from 2000 to 2009, with four counties having the percentage rising by at least 29 percent.
This news on the institution of marriage comes at a time when there’s a huge debate in Iowa on whether the state should return to traditional marriage. Same-sex marriage arrived 23 months ago, courtesy of an Iowa Supreme Court ruling on the state’s Constitution. A lot of people will cite religious stances that only a man and a woman should be joined in marriage, while those backing same-sex marriage say it’s a matter of governmental discrimination to not let gay people marry.
At times, the conversation turns to what constitutes a good, solid marriage, and whether the presence of gay marriage undermines traditional marriage. And you’ll get jokesters who say straight people are so bad at keeping marriages together that it can’t hurt to let gay people give it a shot.
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Complete article at Sioux City Journal : http://bit.ly/hbF89o
