Yesterday, the Republicans in the Iowa House of Representatives tried to finagle a procedural vote in an attempt to force action on a constitutional ban on gay marriage.

Happily, neither the House nor Senate went for it and as a result, homophobes will have to wait until 2014 to bring up the matter again. (WHOtv.com)

Great news right?  Yep.  Can't deny this is a good thing for Iowa, ergo the United States.   But, how did these House Republicans manage to force a vote yesterday to begin with?  The answer is here:

HOUSE FILE 2291 - Introduced  BY  SCHULTZ and WINDSCHITL  A BILL FOR

1 An Act relating to protected traits or characteristics of

2    students under public and nonpublic school harassment and

3    bullying prohibitions and policies.

4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

1  1    Section 1.  Section 280.28, subsection 2, paragraph c, Code

1  2 2009, is amended to read as follows:

1  3    c.  "Trait or characteristic of the student" includes but

1  4 is not limited to age, color, creed, national origin, race,

1  5 religion, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender

1  6 identity, physical attributes, physical or mental ability or

1  7 disability, ancestry, political party preference, political

1  8 belief, socioeconomic status, or familial status.

1  9                           EXPLANATION

1 10    This bill strikes sexual orientation and gender identity

1 11 from the definition of the term "trait or characteristic of the

1 12 student" used for purposes of protecting students in public and

1 13 nonpublic schools from harassment and bullying.

This document is Iowa House File #2291. HF 2291 was Submitted by Representatives Jason Shultz and Matt Windschitl. 

What WHO didn't ask Mr. Shultz was how he felt about advocating gay bashing in public schools as a political tool. I called and left him a message at his Capitol office.  

I am anxiously awaiting a call back.

In the meantime, I decided to play around a bit with this bill to see how we might feel if it looked like this instead:

1 1 Section 1.  Section 280.28, subsection 2, paragraph c, Code 2009, is amended to read the following:  c.  "trait or characteristic of the student "includes but is not limited to age, color, creed, national origin, race, religion, marital status, sex,sexual orientation, gender identity, physical attributes, physical or mental ability or disability, ancestry, political party preference, political belief, socioeconomic status, or familial status.

Explanation

This bill strikes sexual orientation and gender identity from the definition of the term "trait or characteristic of the student" used for purposes of protecting students in public and non public schools from harassment and bullying.  

In addition, we have struck out socioeconomic status as well, therefore declaring open season on all the poor kids out there.  Or, if the poor kids are able to gather enough sticks, they can beat the crap out of the rich.  Get after it.

Or, looked like this:

1 Section 1.  Section 280.28, subsection 2, paragraph c, Code 2009, is amended to read the following:  c.  "trait or characteristic of the student "includes but is not limited to age, color, creed, national origin, race, religion, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical attributes, physical or mental ability or disability, ancestry, political party preference, political belief, socioeconomic status, or familial status.

Explanation