“This is an awesome, awesome day,” said Callen Ubeda, president of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Ally Alliance and senior in political science.

About 200 people gathered in the free-speech zone in front of Parks Library on Friday to celebrate the unanimous Iowa Supreme Court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage.

The Ames chapter of Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians and Gays hosted the rally which included speakers from the faith community, Iowa Legislature, ISU community and citizens from Ames.

“It’s an absolutely great day for Iowa, aren’t you proud to be an Iowan?” said Linda Trudeau, president of PFLAG.

Paul Johnson, pastor at the United Church of Christ, held up his marriage license he and his partner got during the 24-hour period in 2007 when gay marriage was legal.

“After 21 days, I’m going to the registrar’s office in Polk County and I’m gonna say, ‘would you file this?’” he said.

But the theme of the rally was not only one of celebration, but also a call to arms to fight the opposition that has and will arise to this decision.

He talked about the division in the faith community, and urged those in attendance to voice their support for the decision. He said it is important because of the upcoming opposition it will more than likely face in the coming weeks.

“Be kind to those who oppose us, but don’t be afraid to speak,” he said.

He said it was important to talk to people about the issue.

He said with a proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage likely in the next few years, supporters need to voice their support and encourage others to get behind the issue.

“They’re going to try eventually to get a constitutional amendment, the good news is the Iowa Constitution is difficult to amend,” he said.

Sen. Herman Quirmbach, D-Story, was also at the rally and expressed gratitude toward the court’s decision, but warned that the fight was not over.

“It will be difficult to defend this,” he said.

Rep. Beth Wessel-Kroeschell, D-Story, echoed Quirmbach’s statements.

She said there are many lawmakers who support the decision but are worried about their reelection and urged those to get behind these people.

“This will come to the legislature in some form or another, I don’t want it there, but we need to stay strong and maintain equality for everyone,” she said.

Tim and Sean McQuillan, the only same-sex couple in Iowa to be married before the stay was issued in 2007, also spoke at the rally. Both were in Des Monies on Friday morning when the decision was released.

“Seeing the look of complete genuine joy on the faces of the plantiffs that were there in the room with us as well as the faces of their children and their families that were also there, just seeing, just seeing that made the last one-and-a-half years … it made it completely worth the wait,” Tim said.

After reading parts of the Supreme Court’s opinion, Tim had one last thing to say.

“I guess to all the same-sex couples in the audience, welcome to married life,” said Tim, senior in linguistics.