By The Iowa Statesman
In a press release from The Family Leader this afternoon, a letter signed by nine Republican Iowa legislators was unveiled, pledging to “protect Natural Law.” Republicans control 81 of the 150 seats in both chambers of the General Assembly. It is not clear how many were afforded the opportunity to sign the letter.
The full text of the letter follows.
• • •
We, the undersigned legislators of the State of Iowa, announce our reaffirmation of the principles of the Declaration of Independence.
We declare:
1. The Declaration of Independence, an organic document of the United States of America, proclaims that all the rights of mankind are anchored in Natural Law. Specifically, all human beings are created equal and have unalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
2. It is increasingly clear and self evident that all human life begins at conception and therefore, according to Natural Law must be protected and nurtured. Any other decision violates Natural Law as expressed in our Declaration of Independence.
3. It is self evident that only a sexual union of a male and female naturally creates a human life. Once created, the natural father and mother have a genetic bond to nourish and insure that the child’s unalienable rights are supported and protected. These obligations are carried out in a relationship between one man and one woman which balances the strengths and weaknesses of each sex in childrearing. This is the time-tested, societal definition of marriage. Therefore, any marriage relationship other than between one man and one woman violates Natural Law.
4. Natural law is unchangeable. Therefore, violating Natural Law will, by necessity, lead to the eventual elimination of unalienable rights and to increasing tyranny.
5. We cannot and will not abide by any man-made law or edict that encourages, condones or forces any American to violate Natural Law as expressed in the United States Declaration of Independence.
We as legislators agree with the meaning of President Thomas Jefferson’s letter to the Danbury Baptists which said we need a “separation of Church and State.” In context it meant that we must always keep the State away from any of the affairs of the Church. At the same time, in order for the United States to function at its best, the people who represent the citizens in government must reflect a strong Judeo-Christian ethic in all we do, including having a solid, unmovable moral basis in our laws.
Therefore, we the undersigned will use every Constitutional tactic possible to ensure the principles enshrined in the Declaration of Independence are protected. Those principles are what have made America truly exceptional for 239 years.
[s] Sen. Jason Schultz
[s] Sen. Dennis Guth
[s] Sen. Randy Feenstra
[s] Rep. Tedd Gassmann
[s] Rep. Sandy Salmon
[s] Rep. Steven Holt
[s] Rep. Greg Heartsill
[s] Rep. Larry Sheets
[s] Rep. Stan Gustafson
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