Supervisor candidates discuss gay marriage

Jan. 11, NOTE: At least a few people are confusing this blog with the actual story about the forum. That includes candidate Jim Knapp, who complained to at least two of my colleagues about what he thought was the Gazette writing only about the same-sex marriage discussion at the forum. This is not the story. This is an item on my blog, which supplements our coverage of the forum. Pick up Friday's newspaper for the story, which focuses on the jail and does not mention same-sex marriage. I even linked to the online version of the story in the first sentence of the post.

IOWA CITY - Same-sex marriage came up at the Johnson County supervisor candidates' forum last night.

And while it may seem like a state or national issue, it does have some application locally. The county has a human rights ordinance that includes a ban on discrimination based on sexual orientation. It also extends health coverage to the domestic partners of gay and lesbian employees, something it must address given last spring's Iowa Supreme Court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage.

It's also interesting because current board member Janelle Rettig, who also is running in the Jan. 19 special election, is a lesbian.

The three candidates for the supervisors election where asked what they thought of the court ruling. 

Jim Knapp, an independent, went first. He said he is an evangelical Christian who believes homosexuality is a “sinful situation.” But he said he has a niece who married her partner in California, and he believes in civil unions that offer all the rights married couples have. 

Rettig, a Democrat, went next. She's been in a relationship with her partner, to whom she is now married, for 21 years. She said same-sex marriage is a civil rights issue and believes “freedom and liberty for all” applies to everyone. She also noted that the court case considered civil marriage and churches can still refuse to marry anyone they wish.

“I'm sorry that Jim considers love a sin,” she said.

 Republican Lori Cardella was last. She said she is a Catholic who thinks “we're all supposed to love each other.” But she believes marriage is between a man and woman, in part because they can procreate.

“You can't force things upon other groups of people,” she said.