Iowa State Sen. Merlin Bartz: Gay Marriage Bans Are Just Like Underage Drinking Bans

Iowa may be one of a handful of American states with legalized same-sex marriage, but State Sen. Merlin Bartz is intent on ridding his state from the evils of equality. Already cracking down on gay camping, Bartz has a new argument against letting homosexuals use the M-word: Discrimination is a core part of Americana!

Law is all about discrimination, argues Bartz, who once tried to get county recorders not to issue gay marriage licenses. And he is right! Laws discriminate against certain things all the time, giving priority to some criteria (saving for retirement!) while penalizing others (tobacco tax!). Writes Bartz in an op-ed:

Ironically, a basic precept of law is that it indeed does discriminate. The litmus test, therefore, is not a question of discrimination or nondiscrimination but whether the discriminatory nature of the law is justifiable. If the justification is rational, defensible and promotes an outcome that we as a society seek and cherish, the answer should be affirmative. The answer should also not fixate on the question of perfecting equality in society (noble yet achievable only in theory). Instead, it should focus on the basic tenet of fairness, a much more recognizable and realistic goal.

Take tax law, for example. In this arena, we find some of the most blatant discriminatory practices that can be found anywhere in government. We discriminate in favor of home ownership by allowing the deduction of mortgage interest. We discriminate in favor of individuals with less income in a multitude of ways ranging from college student financial aid to exempting sales tax on food. We discriminate in favor of parents with children by allowing additional dependent credits. We discriminate against illegals and illegal activity, limiting eligibility for certain tax credits and prosecuting tax fraud. These and a myriad other examples of discrimination are commonly defended as basic fairness precepts, even though they are far from achieving equality

And then there are these things:

“No shoes, no shirt, no service”; “Local checks only”; “No one under 21 admitted”; “Requires a high school diploma or an equivalent GED”.

See: If you don’t want gays getting married, you aren’t “uncompassionate and bigoted,” says Bartz; you’re just a discerning person. Like shop owners who don’t want beachcombers walking in all disheveled, or restaurants who don’t want to risk being ripped off by check scams. Perpetrated by blacks and Latinos, of course!!

How about we take this to the next level?

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