Events coming up during the next two weeks

This week is a big one in Iowa politics, with the state legislature’s 2011 session starting Monday and Terry Branstad’s inauguration for a fifth term as governor on Friday. Several non-profits are organizing members and supporters to lobby legislators as well. Event details are after the jump.

One of my new year’s resolutions is to post event calendars regularly at Bleeding Heartland. Activists and politicians can help by sending your event notices to me: desmoinesdem AT yahoo.com. Please post a comment if you know of something I’ve left out.

Monday, January 10

The Iowa legislature’s 2011 session begins.

Tuesday, January 11

Governor Chet Culver gives his final Condition of the State address to the Iowa House and Senate.

One Iowa is organizing Freedom to Marry Day at the capitol.

With the start of Iowa’s legislative session, we have our work cut out for us. To have the impact we need, we aim to have 500 pro-equality Iowans at the Capitol on January 11.

Anti-equality forces are using the November election results to say Iowans don’t want marriage equality. They are drawing up plans to amend our constitution to prohibit the freedom to marry. We must show our legislators and new governor that we stand for the freedom to marry.

We’ll start the day at the Capitol for Gov. Culver’s final State of the State address, where we can thank him for his leadership and support of LGBT issues. After lunch ($10 requested donation at the door) and a quick training session, we’ll talk to legislators about the importance of freedom for all Iowans.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa is co-hosting an exhibit through January 23 at the State Historical Building, 600 E Locust St:

The exhibit, “No Victory Ever Stays Won: 90 Years of Protecting Liberty,” highlights ACLU milestones over the last nine decades and illustrates the organization’s contributions to defending freedoms of Americans. The exhibit is on display now through Jan. 23, 2011, at the State Historical Museum, 600 E. Locust Street in Des Moines. Museum hours are 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and noon-4:30 p.m. Sunday. Visit www.iowahistory.org or call 515-281-5111 for more information. Admission is free.

“Iowa has a long and storied history regarding civil liberties issues and we are very pleased to co-host this traveling exhibit with the ACLU of Iowa,” Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs Director Cyndi Pederson said. “I encourage Iowans to visit the museum and learn more about the history behind these issues not only as they pertain to Iowa, but to the entire country as well.”

The exhibit includes information about Iowa’s landmark 1969 U.S. Supreme Court student rights case, Tinker v. The Des Moines Independent Schools, and outlines ACLU’s work on a wide range of issues, including racial segregation, the right to vote, free speech and privacy on the Internet, human rights, reproductive freedoms and more.

Wednesday, January 12

Iowa Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark Cady will deliver the annual State of Judiciary speech at the capitol. Justice Not Politics, Interfaith Alliance of Iowa Action Fund, and other like-minded organizations urge Iowans to attend Cady’s speech.

Please arrive at the Capitol cafeteria no later than 8:30AM. The first supporters to arrive will fill in the gallery seats. The remaining supporters will show their support of Iowa’s courts in the Capitol rotunda.

To RSVP to the event, please log onto: http://www.justicenotpolitics….

Friday, January 14

Terry Branstad will be inaugurated as governor and will probably sign some bad directives like this one.