Zach Wahls moved us — and the rest of the Internet — with his eloquent speech to Iowa lawmakers. The college student stood up in defense of his lesbian parents and gay marriage, which is now being threatened in the Iowa House of Representatives.
“If it was your family that was being told it didn’t have the legal right to exist in your state, I think you would have done the same thing,” Wahls told MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell in an exclusive interview. “Response has really just been absolutely overwhelming. It’s been so inspirational for me to hear from so many people. They’re supporting my family and the rights of gay couples and families.”
In his three-minute speech, Wahls described his loving and stable childhood as an Eagle scout and hardworker who scored in the top 99-percentile on the ACT. He said his parent’s sexual orientation had “zero effect on the content of his character.”
House Republicans in Iowa voted to create a ballot measure that, if approved, would not only ban same-sex marriage, but state recognition of civil unions and domestic partnerships.
The right of same-sex couples to marry in Iowa has come under attack from the moment the state Supreme Court ruled unanimously in favor of legalizing it nearly two years ago. Iowa is one of only five states to allow same-sex couples to marry.
The 19-year-old Wahls says he has no plans to run for office in the future. He’s currently studying engineering at the University of Iowa.
His speech is making his moms very proud.
“It still brings tears to my eyes watching the talk, hearing all the praise, the commentary coming from friends and people around the globe,” said his mother, Terry Wahl. “It’s inspiring. It’s really very, very lovely.”
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What gives you the right to be so judgmental?
All I can say is bravo!
Zach, you are what every mothers' son should be like in our world. Wow, you are one impressive young man!
Very cool kid! I hope his words struck the lawmakers in Iowa with the same level of impact that it has everyone else!
Haven't we all heard enough from the christian, moral defectives? Will somebody please get Ted Haggard on the phone?
Haggard's not answering his phone.
Great American family with a good son. He will go far.
Bravo, Zach! I'm a gay Iowan, and very proud to have you on my side!
I'm neither gay, nor an Iowan...but I say bravo!
This story defines 'pride' in so many ways.
Much better he have a loving lesbian family than a dysfunctional closeted gay parent. That makes a stronger America.
Those dear women have a lovely son and daughter! Zach, you and your generation will change our world for all time. My intended and I, both in our seventies, are planning to wed in Iowa next year, and we thank you for keeping the axe from falling on our plans! All our best and most wonderful wishes go out to you and yours.
I am so proud to be an "Iowan." My daughter will be marrying her sweetheart (a wonderful woman whom I love like a daughter) this spring. My daughter was a substitute English teacher for one of Zach's classes in High School and is very honored to know him. Zach is an inspiration to us all!
Good for you! Tell her I said congradulations and congrats to you!
Its mind boggling that some Christian fundamentalists think that homosexualty is a choice. It is written into a person's genetics as much as eye color or height. Some even say that a child growing up in a gay/lesbian household will be "influenced" and turn out gay or lesbian. Still others also insist that a gay or lesbian can be reformed, and made straight. We are in the midst of the next great battle in equal rights for all Americans. It started with eliminating voting requirements like land ownership and poll taxes, skin color or gender. Now a group of bigots are trying to impose their beliefs on others by banning gay marriage. Who do they think they are to tell two consenting adults what social bonds they may or may not have. This kid is a great voice for the campaign.
your genetics argument does not hold much ground. It's also in male human "genetics" to be inclined to have sex with people, no matter what the other person, much less the male at hand, wants. However, a male can choose not to. Someone's preference/inclinations may have some effect and bias on their choices, but in the end the person's will decides their actions. Unless, of course, they are possessed and in that case the actual "person" isn't choosing anyways.
try as you might...same sex marrigage is absurb and will never be normal. it took a man in order for zach to be here.
and grod-3019795, maybe it was a gay man to do that via donation
and grod-3019795, "absurb" is actually spelled absurd and your reasoning is very much absurd in this day and age.
grod
Nobody said you had to like it. All we ask is that you might your own business and stop telling others who they can love.
It also took two loving parents to raise him. Where does it say that two people who love their child cannot raise a normal healthy child? Isn't it ironic that the most republicans want less government involvement in our lives, until it comes to issues like gay rights and abortion?
Why you gotta break balls grod? Do you hate people who want to be happy for the rest of their lives? Do you hate love? Homosexuality is not a choice and they have every right to love who they want and be happy.
I'm sharing this video :)
Men waste sperm on a daily basis, and some with even more frequency, so what did any man do of value other than to give this child two loving and obviously fantastic parents?
Who knows even, he might have been adopted for all we know.
Oh Grod, where to start? There is much more to marriage than procreation, which is why we consider infertile straight couples' marriages valid. Like being straight, being gay is not something people choose, they are born that way. This unusual but normal and harmless human variant might be genetic but more likely is due to the complexities of the hormonal soup in which babies gestate. While the modern translation Bible clearly states such people should be executed, here in the 21st century, such an extreme view is expressed by very few. But millions still believe that the Bible must be viewed as infallible, while at the same time carefully ignoring parts even they have trouble with, and use parts to justify denying gay Americans full equality, including the right to legal marriage. Fortunately, more and more of us are realizing that such discrimination is wrong, and eventually, those who cannot accept such a reality will be a small enough minority as to be easily outvoted.
grod
You say "same sex marrigage is absurb and will never be normal" ... why is it that tribes that have had no contact with todays modern world have gay population amongst them. Might I also ad that it isn't shunned or looked down upon by there own people.
There are 6, count them 6 references to homosexuality in the Bible. There are over 3000 admonitions to heterosexuals. Get that log out of your eye. Judge not, lest ye be judged by the same standard you are using. Slavery is also mentioned many times....do you think we should still have slaves because the Bible says it OK? I do believe the entire Bible is True (in the sense of Truth, not necessarily exactly how it happened)and useful for teaching, but you need to take it in historical context and try to contain the impulse to cherry pick the verses you want to use for your own agenda.
Ian to some extent w/ you grod I do enjoy the feel & the smell Of my wife camel toe & it is normal we have kids etc... but to the piont Hell animals all except one knows how to reproduce & live I can deal w/ homos but & the same time it is a little twisted & i ALSO believe they wine way to much true enough live your lives how you are most comfortable I can except & live with that but you all need to quit your wining & get on w/ your s h i t !!! so will except & others wont thats life you guys, girls & its just need to deal with it & before you all go crazy I have a couple friends that are gay we hang out & party & talk @!$%# but they also complain about the way the world is & us striaght guys generally say hey you know it would be like this since you were a kid just deal with it TGIF & to you guys that have a problem w/ what was said (written) K.M.A. all day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Does anyone have a psych-babble to English concordance dictionary?
For the rest of you who don't believe in gay marriage in the audience, that's easy. Don't marry someone of your own sex. If you think homosexuality is wrong, then don't have gay or lesbian sex. Otherwise it is none of your fecken business what anyone else does. If you feel like it is being shoved in your face, maybe your face is somewhere where it shouldn't be. Get a life. Let others live theirs.
So according to your views, grod, senior citizens, non fertile heterosexuals and those not willing to reproduce are incapable of forming a marriage. Your thinking is absurd.
The more we speak out, those who are going through this and our allies, the quicker change will happen. I don't want to downplay their situation but there are people in equally frustrating situations. Many gay and lesbian couples, with children, have met and formed a relationships with people from overseas...however, they cannot be together. Why? Because the US doesn't recognize same sex couples in their discriminatory and draconian immigration laws. The US citizen cannot sponsor their foreign partner to live with them in the country. This is outrageous since many of the US's main allies and trading partners have had such policies for many years. Its bad enough not being able to marry the person you love but imagine what its like not being able to be with them because your own country is slow as passing civil rights legislation. The US says its a diverse nation but it cannot be if it doesn't have the laws to support and protect its citizens. Lawrence, there are many couples who would be prepared to go on your show to discuss this.
"House Republicans in Iowa voted to create a ballot measure that, if approved, would not only ban same-sex marriage, but state recognition of civil unions and domestic partnerships."
Why are so many Republicans such awful, awful people?
i ask myself the same question about crackhead liberals....
Why do you care Horton? Honestly, what does it matter too you how people live and why do you feel it is your right to force your values and moral structure on others you don't even know?
Because in lieu of a fulfilling life filled with love, he has chosen to make everyone else as miserable as humanly possible.
That we seek equal recognition of our love disgusts him, because if he can't be loved, why should we homos have it?
Answer -- because we aren't lying about our love when we go to the courthouse.
The fact that they're also trying to outlaw civil unions and domestic partnerships contradicts the common assertion of the Republicans/conservatives that they have nothing against equal rights for gays, that they're just trying to "protect marriage" (from what?). If they were trying to "protect marriage", their ballot measure would be narrowly drawn. There are no grounds, religous or otherwise, to oppose civil unions and domestic partnerships. Just pure hatred.
what r u talking about that i care to force my opinion...i dont care what you do...i really dont...im just not taking their word for it...its the libs that create all the programs that keep people feeding off the system and preventing growth....i think repubs are nuts too dont get me wrong...either way this country is screwed...cuz you have crazies on all sides..
dustin...i dont care what you homos do...i dont hate anyone and am not lacking in love...im just tired of everyone trying to get the government to change everything....leave the government out of it...lets all create our own @!$%#in world without those @!$%#in @!$%#s sticking their business in everything we do....
it interests me that those who oppose the government are the ones who in the end make it stronger...
That would be the republicans, sir. Only republicans benefit from creating social welfare, and they have been prolific at it...we libs pay for it in massive amounts of political capital and do so ever so sparingly. The difference is, the programs we support (free secondary education, universal health care) actually promote a more productive, healthy, and sophisticated society.
Perhaps you could benefit from the following, (clears throat)...
"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."
A healthy people will work hard and steadily throughout their lifetime, and an educated people will do that same work with more cunning.
...which explains your specific denial of public benefits to GLBT families how?
So you're telling me that you would have government deny me the kind of public support that you're entitled to, but insist that you want government out of public lives, even so much as to throw out the government (which is of the People and by the People, by the way) in order to install a new government that has equal or greater chances of being ineffective as a result of sloppy constituent involvement and over-reaching business interests.
I'm not sure whether to call that hypocrisy or lunacy?! Maybe shades of both??
Right...because denying GLBT people the same government services as others doesn't give that government power to discriminate.
Perhaps you should read your comments before posting them.
sooo....hes been warped since childhood and we need to take him at his word....
The same could be said about your comments, Horton. So, you have been warped since childhood and we need to take you at your word?
Horton says in another post...
Yeah...a real bastion of critical thinking we've got here, Mikyl! :D
well last i heard thinking you have a pussy instead of dick doesn't make it so.....pardon my vulgarity....i admit..it didn't take much thinking....
Clearly you can't simply refer to anatomy in proper form when addressing adults. I will help you with that....
Not pussy, say "vagina"
Not dick, say "penis"
There is no need to be vulgar, we are not in a bar.
this comes from the same type of person that tries to convince you its not whats in your crotch that makes you male or female...its whats in your head....
No horton, that is what the christian right wing wants you too think, that it's a choice.
This coming from a person who's too bigoted and ill informed to understand that it has nothing to do with thinking you have a vagina while in reality you have a penis.
Sorry, I know I have a penis...I know that makes me a man. And what I also know is that I like penises and men.
Clearly Horton believes that everyone else gets to have a say in who HE can love, the kind of sex HE can have, the kind of person HE can marry. The rest of us appreciate, love, and exercise our American traditions of freedom, liberty, and right to free association.
If there was some state in the nation of Iran, Saudi Arabia, or Afghanistan that was switched out the name Christ for Allah but was totally the same otherwise...Horton would be perfectly at home there. As would all of the Christ + 0 crowd, the Family on C Street, the followers of the 700 Club, Sally Kern, and the Westboro Baptist Church. The bastards are anything but AMERICAN.
ah well see that is the message whats her face....bono child will try to tell you...
What's it to you horton? What business is it of yours? If you feel like its being shoved in your face, maybe your face is where it shouldn't be.
right...i should leave america to you guys...i thought i had a right to live just as everyone else...you act as if you dont shove it in other peoples faces....i have probably been discriminated against for more reasons in my life than you just being gay...so get over yourself...or get the @!$%# out of my country bitch...
Don't give yourself too much credit, Horton.
Nobody here cares if you've been discriminated against. Why? Because you're in here shoveling it out to us.
We do not shove it in your face. The fact is, you're sensitive to homosexuality because you neither understand it or respect it. That is neither our problem or concern.
The wonderful thing about this nation is that while you have a right to your free speech, you don't have the right to interfere with our peace or to infringe upon our rights because we are different.
People like you cherish the fact that your rights cannot be debated, but insist that ours are not beyond reproach. You are wrong. The Constitution defends my right to marry who I choose, because it does not consider sex. The Constitution identifies the People as having unlimited liberty, making unequal no human being.
Opinions like yours are the scourge that must be dealt with, swiftly and broadly, in order to secure the future of this nation and the freedoms that come as it's promise. If opinions like yours are allowed to prevail, then we will no longer be the United States of America, we will be a tired remnant of what was a great nation.
The Romans and their history are knocking at our door, reminding us every day that civil unrest brought by the likes of you are the ultimate evil. I'd rather go down in history as a man who held high the greatest of American values, than be like you, win or fail.
So have your pity fest, and continue to argue against the liberties of your fellow man, but don't you dare hold yourself higher than us.
I'm not gay, horton - though my wife is black if you want to pick a fight over that you bigotted SOB. I'm not gay, though I'll stand beside my gay brothers and lesbian sisters and bisexual and transgendered cousins for their right to be married, raise children and pursue happiness that is the right of everyone else. They have already won the right to openly service their country...as thousands already have in secret. America finally got that one right.
Faux-victims like you really make me wanna puke horton.
you people just like to argue and call names....i said i dont care what you do...so throw your ignorant insults...and i never shoved anything in your face numbnut..i said that to make a point...but yet as i stated you just like to argue so i dont think you even read it..they have a word for you...drama queen...
Wahls Amazing family! I wish them all the best! The rest of the US will soon follow in passing Equal Marriage Act.
Call that whatever you want, and you have a right to that in this country, but that isn't marriage.
...so you're God now?
If they've got a marriage license, it is marriage.
The definition of marriage varies cross-culturally. So what is or is not marriage depends on your religious beliefs. Though that doesn't really matter to me because marriage is a man made concept that government shouldn't control.
Good for Zach. To everyone who agrees just ignore the ass backwards people here and their hate that want to still live in the 19th century and thump their bibles.
Mayby Gay Marriage. I don't like it. But "civil unions"!!! That is a pathway to fraud on social security, health insurance, income tax, medicaide, retirement plans, life insurance, residency requirements for immigration and state college tuition and God knows if I thaught about it some more, I'd come up with Welfare, Foodstamps and at least a dozen more. This kid may be eliquent but he doesn't know how this society works.
So it's fraud only if two men do it?
Here's the thing...
You don't get to decide whether we enjoy the same privileges given you. You don't get to be the only class capable of committing welfare fraud because your sexual organs do not match.
Your problem is that you don't want to share. You think you can make it sound more eloquent than that, but you never can.
Fraud is all around you. If fraud is what you are worried about? Then we need to hire more people to enforce the laws and cut the loop holes. We are born with two eyes and ears. It is good to use both of them when we are looking and listening to the world around us. As long as there are humans in this world, there will always be fraud and a host of other criminal acts (lies). It is a human thing. That is why Senator Mosses gave us the 10 commandments. Plain and simple. If you get to confused about what you hear or see. Just read the REAL 10 commandments.
What makes you think that civil unions will lead to fraud? In NJ, civil unions are the full legal equivalent of "marriage", with the same requirements and responsibilities. If civil unions lead to fraud, then why don't marriages?
Actually Barry, I was told by a friend and former colleague of mine (he quit to pursue professional golf) who is gay that civil unions here in NJ are equal to marriage on paper only, not in practice. He gave me a whole laundry list of stuff he and partner are excluded. I don't really know one way or the other, but that's what i've been told. Just let them get married, I say. Why should anyone outside that family (and the state - strictly for legal reasons) care? Homosexuality doesn't destroyu the sanctity of marriage; divorce does!
Warhammer ... you are exactly right. That's why I used the phrase "full legal equivalent." In practice, they are not the same. Even UPS tried to avoid treating them the same (even though they recognize gay marriage in MA) until the governor leaned on them. We've had civil unions in NJ for several years now, and public and private institutions that should know better, such as hospitals, still refused to treat civil unions as equal to marriage.
As you ask, why should anyone care if a gay couple wants to get marriage? How have the lives of hetrosexuals in Iowa changed one bit because gay marriage was legalized two years ago?
Divorce doesn't destroy the sanctity of marriage. Its what goes on in the marriage itself. Divorce is the end result of what happened or did not happen with in the marriage. (80/20 rule to all things.) My vote is for gays to get married. Yes, there will be gay divorces. Hetro's don't have the corner on being human and making mistakes. Of course that will be huge when it happens. Just tell them what is good for the goose is good for the gander. All is fare in being human.. Equal. Learned it from my fellow humans. HUmans.. Some days i would much rather be an animal. The rules are plain and simple.
Well, I think folks take marriage too lightly and really don't seriously consider the ramifications of the vows they are saying/agreeing to. Richer, poorer, sickness, health, til death do you part. There is a lot of gravity behind those words. they aren't just words. They are vows. Promises. More often than not made before God. If you are not 100% absolutely sure you can forever and always commit to those vows, if you have even the slightest notion of doubt, DO NOT GET MARRIED! For those of you who are looking to get married for the first time, please, for the love of God, carefully consider those words and thorougly think through what you are committing to. It is supposed to be a LIFETIME commitment to another person through every wonderful, fantastic moment and every horrible, lousy situation. If that scares you in any bit, if that makes you the least bit worried (and please don't rationalize you way out of those emotions), then you are not ready for marriage. Not yet. Not to that person.
I fully believe that if folks really thought about and took vows seriously, there's be a lot less divorce in our country. There might be a lot less marriage, too, but at least those marriages would would have a greater chance of success.
Basically Reagan-era Welfare-Queen arguments. The kid is eloquent, E L O Q U E N T, but you are a joke Gilly.
Gil, gays pay the exact same taxes that heterosexuals pay. We're entitled to the same rights and privileges as every other citizen of this country.
Sad thing is, we pay more. Because we cannot get married and, in most cases, cannot have children, we cannot enjoy the same tax relief that has been an entitlement for most of the middle class.
We also cannot enjoy the same public benefits that most do. Often, when we do have children, we have to enroll them in private education to defend against the public scorn that petty people would influence their children to rain down on ours.
Just to make sure that our hard-earned assets are bequeathed to those who we love, we have to shovel out thousands of dollars every year to create our fiduciary agreements, and update them with every new legislative session that spitefully brings new challenges to our right to direct the separation of our assets.
It is expensive being an unprotected class in this nation. Very expensive.
Zach Wahls is 19 years old. Did Iowa have same-sex marriages 19 years ago?
What is the point of your question? Marriage is not a requirement for procreation, nor is procreation a requirement for marriage.
Zach is an incredible individual. I have heard about him briefly at your mother's lectures and I now know why she is so proud. Having met Terry Wahls through her lectures, it is obvious to me that being gay has nothing to do with improving humanity. She unselfishly shares her story and struggles with MS because she feels that it is her obligation to help others. I am proud to say I know her and proud to say that this family is from IOWA. Wouldn't all parents be proud of a child who stands up for family and love.
I'll never understand the whole gay marriage thing but respect the rights of adults to lead their lives their way.
agree.
I'll admit it. I think of marriage as a committment between a man and a woman. There. I said it. Who cares. Whoop-tee-do. It's my opinion to have within the walls of my own home. Now, when I go outside these walls, who the heck am I to tell anybody else what their definition of marriage is? It's none of my business (or Horton's) who my neighbors love, who my kids' teachers love, who the mailman loves. We should all be blessed enough to experience love in it's true form....whatever 'true' is for us. I applaud this 19 year old for being brave enough to speak up in honor of his FAMILY!