Vander Plaats is not protecting families

Last week, Bob Vander Plaats launched his group's bus tour against an Iowa Supreme Court judge. This bus tour does not represent our community.

When my daughters were born, one was denied the right to marry the person she loves. Because of the Varnum ruling, she can now legally be married here in Iowa. As a mother of two daughters, I faced all the usual ups and downs of a parent and the fact the one daughter is gay made little difference in the day to day. However, the contentious language used against my daughter and our family is painful.

Vander Plaats is using out-of-state, special-interest money to inject politics into our courts and further his own radical political agenda against families like mine.

An attack on the judicial system is an attack on our democracy. To politicize our judicial system undermines that which makes America unique and puts Americans and Iowans at risk of legal discrimination.

And so I ask Vander Plaats, why? What harm has come since this ruling? It is clear that marriage equality has been a good thing for Iowa.

The harm lies in his actions and words. I'm concerned for my granddaughters who hear the language and the controversy created by the likes of Vander Plaats around LGBT people and their families. Why should they think there is anything wrong with their aunt?

Vander Plaats, you are not protecting families. You are hurting real people with real lives.

Mette Kelley

Mount Vernon