Zach Wahls Talks Defense Of Gay Marriage Speech On MSNBC

When 19-year-old University of Iowa engineering student Zach Wahls made an explosive speech this week in defense of gay marriage, he didn't expect his words -- intended for the Iowa House of Representatives -- to take the internet by storm. But that's exactly what happened, and now Wahls finds himself a veritable sensation.

In an interview with MSNBC's the Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell, a humble and eloquent Wahls told host O'Donnell the reaction to his speech "has really been overwhelming. I was sitting in work on Tuesday and my co-worker walked up to me and asked, 'do you realize that you're all over Facebook?' and I didn't even know what she was talking about."

He added, "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 led by gay couples all across the country. It's really unbelievable."

O'Donnell spoke with Wahls as well as mothers Jackie and Terry and sister Zebby. When asked what it was like to see her son defend his family in such a way, Terry said "It was magnificent. It brought tears to my eyes."

Though the bill Wahls argued against -- which would ban gay marriage and rescind recognition of civil unions and domestic partnerships in Iowa -- passed 62-37, Wahls told O'Donnell that he is confident the bill won't clear the senate.

And the student's statement certainly made an impact. Iowa Rep. Dave Jacoby told the Daily Iowan: "I literally watched the faces of some of my Republican friends in the chamber, and I could tell they were torn about how they were going to vote...What he did is eloquently put a face on the issue."

When asked by Lawrence whether he planned to run for the House of Representatives once he turns 21, Wahls -- who has written about the state of gay marriage in Iowa in the past -- answered that he is still intending on becoming an engineer and has "no plans yet" of entering the political realm.

Below, check out Wahls and his family on the Last Word, and share your reactions in the comments section.

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Comments

[doo raa]

04:06 PM on 02/23/2011

No sir, if YOU follow his logic, then that is what YOU come up with. Maybe it's time you faced up to it, the "dirty" the "naughty" is all something that has come from YOUR addition to the conversation, not the other. The truth is the truth: you cannot live in a pluralist society and use religion to hold down a section of society who's done nothing wrong to either you or the society at large, while making them out to be boogiemen/women.

Besides, "dysfunctional," "normalized?" Could you be more condescending?

[taddles]

10:23 PM on 03/07/2011

You falsely intimate that since you don't really have a valid argument against same sex marriage that there could be the secondary harmful effect. That somehow the legalization of same sex marriage would cause other presently illegal forms of marriage to spontaneously become legal.

You don't follow logic, you subvert it by making false equivalences with slippery slope arguments implying that other effects will naturally occur if we allow same sex marriage.

Your link is drivel, it's nothing but false equivalences and slippery slope arguments with no valid or supportable argument against same sex marriage not prompted by bigotry and ignorance.

[Ioan Lightoller]

04:35 PM on 02/07/2011

I just received a link to OneIowa in my emails. The act is actually called the "Marriage Discrimination Act". I want to see the haters on here justify THIS:

http://equalityfederation.salsalabs.com/o/35009/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=261

[chaya]

10:15 AM on 02/07/2011

Like Zach says, the senate won't pass the bill anyway. What he didn't say (too polite? too young and naive?) was that it was just another GOP attempt to grandstand.

They're raising funds from the only special interest groups they have left. They never even expected to pass the legislation.

Just like Republicans in DC don't actually expect to (and probably don't even want to) repeal healthcare, cripple Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid, outlaw abortion, balance the budget, lower taxes, "protect marriage," or make sure that even the worst criminals continue to own assault rifles.

All they want to do is PRETEND to do those things so they can get enough money to keep their seats. Put them back in power, and they will turn their backs on their false goals.

The Democratic problem is this: If Republicans feel pushed to the wall, they MAY actually do some of these things, like a sick person who is ignored may turn to suicide or mass murder. So they need to continue to experience small victories. On the other hand, if they continue to feel small victories, they will continue to receive funds and keep their seats of power.

It's a conundrum.

[Geelee]

03:10 AM on 02/07/2011

He was right...anyone would have been justifiably proud to have him for a son. He very effectively and very elegantly shamed all those Republicans who voted for the bill.

[Patroclus]

06:58 PM on 02/06/2011

"I literally watched the faces of some of my Republican friends in the chamber, and I could tell they were torn about how they were going to vote...What he did is eloquently put a face on the issue."

Yet these same "Republican friends" voted their bigotry and in fear of the reactionaries in control of their party with no concern for the right or justice. They may have been torn, but by the fact they had neither the courage nor the moral fiber of Zach.

[artsyone]

02:26 AM on 02/07/2011

Well said.

[Ioan Lightoller]

07:03 PM on 02/07/2011

Sad that so many care about party affiliation and what their "base" thinks instead of doing what their conscience might be telling them to do. There was absolutely NO reason to pass this legislation. I sure hope we see politicians with the courage and moral fibre of Zach Wahls. The young man is a credit to both of his moms.

[Havana Thinks]

06:45 PM on 02/06/2011

Zack was a passionate defender of his parents' and passionate about his message. I felt his pride & conviction. Nothing humble, though. He is politicaly bound, it appears.

[darleneslee]

05:42 PM on 02/06/2011

He's the America I want to see. I couldn't be any rpouder if he was my own son. If we could clone his mentality this would be a better world for all.

[Spesabsquemetu]

02:41 PM on 02/06/2011

One can only question whether this bill - to undermine legal, state-sanctioned marriages, is in fact intended as a ploy not only to deny children their health coverage, but to deny specific citizens of Iowa who are legally married to same-sex partners the opportunity to SHARE in health care coverage benefits. A close examination must be conducted into WHO is behind these bills, and WHAT is funding the movement for it.

If the outcome of the passage of such legislation were to pass in Iowa's senate, what would then protect other minorities from the same abusive tactics being used to deny other minorities health coverage or deny coverage to other specific targeted citizens, so that a FEW in the insurance industry, or elsewhere, can make a bigger profits at the expense of the citizenry, while children and families in Iowa become targets for sub-human treatment because of who they love, or because of who their parents love so that bigger profits can be made by special interests paying off elected officials who do NOT represent the best interests of the public, but rather, represent privatized profits at the expense of the public?

I wish Zach Wahls every success as an engineer.
What is becoming painfully clear is that all across America we lack leadership of the eloquence and passion for equality and justice, demonstrated by a young college student in defense of his beloved family.

Imagine the possibilities with more Zach Wahls in this world!

[Patroclus]

06:59 PM on 02/06/2011

....and the kind of parents that produce a Zach Wahl.........

[Ioan Lightoller]

05:00 PM on 02/07/2011

This is a slap in the face of same couples and their families. It says "You don't count and your families are not real families". I wouldn't be suprised though if some of what you are saying comes into play as well. If money can be made screwing people over, it will happen.

[SaddieMcCall]

01:54 PM on 02/06/2011

the bill Wahls argued against -- which would ban gay marriage and rescind recognition of civil unions and domestic partnerships in Iowa


...................What is the point behind this bill? It does nothing to further benefit heterosexual marriage, and only attempts to harm children who are raised in other family dynamics. What is family?

Our society should be encouraging and strengthening "Families" - I would think Republicans would love more families to take responsibilty for one another rather than leaving individuals dependent upon the government when times get hard. Families pull together to take care of each other, take care of each other when another is sick or injured, help each other to succeed.

[Ioan Lightoller]

05:45 PM on 02/07/2011

Fanned and faved. The sad fact is that to the haters, our families do not matter. They do not fit the heterosexist model which they seem to think is some divine eternal--it's not. Like marriage, the family has changed many times over the age. An extended family model has been the norm much more than the nuclear family model that all the haters seem to deify. Hopefully some day the bigoted will realise these realities.

[Mahi Joe]

01:16 PM on 02/06/2011

I watched this guy's speech and he was not only articulate but also knowledgable about what he speaks. This is the way dialogue should be.

[Ioan Lightoller]

03:39 PM on 02/07/2011

The problem is that the haters don't want dialogue. They want us to cave and to say we don't really deserve marriage. This is what people do not understand. The haters simply want to dictate to a portion of the American people how they should act, who they should marry....or if they don't want to, to do without marriage.

[jamerican negril]

09:49 AM on 02/06/2011

i would be proud to have such an articulate, intelligent, compassionate young man as my son and/or my friend.

[nongrata]

01:44 AM on 02/06/2011

Yes he was on MULTIPLE times and every time it started I flipped the channel or muted it. Tired of the bigotry coming from them trying to force their ideology on a majority of people who don't agree with it.

[gobamaaa]

08:40 AM on 02/06/2011

Here's a tip, if you don't know the definition of a particular word, try looking it up before using it in a wildly inappropriate context, because if you don't, you'll just end up confirming to everyone that you're a horrible person. Being gay is neither bigotry nor an ideology.

[Rickstersays]

11:58 AM on 02/06/2011

gays pay taxes which support the straight people and their children and yet do not get the same rights and benefits as straights. i seem to remember reading something about taxation without equal representation. gays are not getting equal representation under the law.

btw the majority thought it was fine and dandy to own people and used religion as their excuse just like they do for denying gays rights.

[Maine Mom]

12:33 AM on 02/06/2011

I watched the video of this wonderful, loving young man with my teenagers and was struck by two things: 1) they were as awestruck by his eloquence as I was and, 2) they couldn't believe he had to defend his family to anyone. For the life of them, they couldn't figure out which individual or family was being harmed by the Wuhls' (or any other gay) family structure. As they pointed out, nobody is making so-called "normal" families do--or not do--anything or not live the life they want to live. "Straight" couples are not being forced to not marry, nor are they being forced to live without the grace of marriage. "Normal" families are not forced to hide or be ashamed.

[Kelechi Amasike]

09:32 PM on 02/05/2011

This is really remarkable and such bravery is not seen often.