As the debate rages on in the United States, yesterday Canada became the third country to approve gay marriage, granting gay couples equal rights to those of traditional marriages. While it was already legal in seven provinces, the Canadian House of Commons made it official yesterday in a decision that upset religious leaders and conservatives tremendously.
The bill which was drafted by Paul Martin, the minority Liberal party government of the Canadian prime minister is considered a progressive step forward in the battle for human rights, and an end to discrimination
The Guardian quotes Martin’s statement on the subject:
“We are a nation of minorities,” Mr Martin said. “And in a nation of minorities, it is important that you don’t cherry-pick rights. A right is a right, and that is what this vote tonight is all about.”
This is more of a kudos than anything else, so without further ado, ‘Great job, Canada!’
It is more amusing than anything else how whacky and convoluted the reasoning of anti-gay marriage trolls has to get.
But I confess that I found a couple of of the more obsessive trolls – in particular, On Lawn, who on one thread just compared same-sex marriage to slavery – rather too vile to be amusing.
Can we have this a thread where we celebrate gay marriage? Ban anyone who speaks against it? (They can, after all, post all they like in the two other current threads discussing gay marriage.)
Yeah, I’ll echo Jesurgislac above.
I’ve stopped posting on Alas posts on gay rights as I don’t feel like they are really a safe space anymore. I wish I could, but the amount of homophobia in some of the discussions is such that I don’t want to expose myself to it anymore.
So, can we please just make this thread into a celebration of Canada’s wonderful acheivement? To celebrate other such successes as well without having a troll come in and tell us how wrong we are? Please?
But regardless, congratulations Canada, you really are becoming more and more that which we should look up to. Party in Toronto!
Like I said, this thread is a congratulatory thread.
So, yes, I’ll moderate the thread with regards to any trolling that might surface.
High time, Canada, that’s what I say, but you are ahead of us.
Great job, Canada!
I agree this is one of the best things that has happened to this entire planet for some time now.
[Moderation Note: This paragraph has been edited out by Kim (Basement Variety!) to keep the thread focused on the purpose of the thread. The rest of Mike’s comments remain in tact and unaltered.]
I love you Canada!
In the spirit of humor, I’ll post this essay I found on livejournal:
http://www.livejournal.com/users/uncut_diamond/158646.html
A warning to my Yankee Friends.
Last night, Canada “legalized” same sex marriage. I use the quotes because it was already legal, but now the Federal Government has passed a law.
Since then, the social fabric of Canada has been torn apart. Every single person in Toronto, our largest city, is participating in a massive gay orgy. They’ve already ran out of batteries, chocolate (twice) and whipped cream (they sent the Blue Jays to Chicago to get more – you don’t have to give them back). 101% of our marriages have broken down. We have been hit with no less then 15 Biblical plauges. I only thought there were 10 myself – but that one with chili cheese dogs is really nasty. And Richard Simmons – who knew?
Rabid moose are roaming the streets, trying to violate people with antlers. Maple Syrup is the lube of choice. Paul Martin and Stephen Harper, our Prime Minister and Opposition Leader, have revealed themselves to be leather fetishes. They’re currently exercising their party whips with gleeful abandon.
Our stop lights don’t work, our tv channels are off the air and the radio plays nothing but Cher. God Himself appeared over Ottawa – our capital – slapped His Holy Forehead and said “What the fuck, you hoosers?”
Jesus is content to merely run around in a Speedo, snapping people with a wet towel.
Bugger’s got really good aim too . . .
Oh, shit. Gotta go. Looks like the local cops found a tribe of wandering First Nations people (Native Americans to you) and some construction workers and want to talk about a sing along and my secret desire to be a leather wearing biker.
Ta ta.
Josh, don’t forget about how all the children, including the children of heterosexual couples, have all suddenly become psychotic.
Mike, cool off. You need another beer. No one is bothering you, or subjecting you to shit. You don’t have a job? If you do, do it. If you don’t, get one. Leave other people alone.
Kimberly,
If you want this thread to be fair, please edit out Joshs essay. I am offended by his post and the he is not going along with the intended purpose of this thread.
Thanks, Mike
Fair? Since when were congratulation cards fair? This is a pro-SSM congratulatory thread. If you don’t like it, don’t post on it, but don’t think for a heartbeat that I’m willing to allow you to troll it out of some misguided sense of being fair to people wanting to impose their less charitable views on it. Their are plenty of other threads for discussing your objection to the idea of SSM, this, my good sir is not one of them.
Thanks,
Kim
Yes, and GOOO SPAIN! Two major countries giving equal rights in the space of a week… big news. I’ve blogged about it, too, tracking the ways in which the United States of America is headed in the exact opposite direction.
Anyone remember when *we* were the ones who could claim to be the nation that stood up for equal rights, equal respect, and equal opportunity?
The Netherlands, Belgium, Canada, and Spain. And the state of Massachusetts.
Apparently France is talking about same-sex marriage (already got same-sex civil unions). UK’s civil partnerships (virtually legally identical to civil marriage) start December 5 – and I already have two wedding invites from couples who’ve been waiting years. Woo-hoo! For this, I’m buying a dress. ;-)
These are happy days. There’s a long long way to go, but the light is rising in the east, even if the sun isn’t quite up yet.
I’m a 60 year old heterosexual, married since 1966, four kids, three grandkids. I’m hoping that my grandchildren grow up in a world without this particular stain of prejudice, where they say to me, as my children say now about racial prejudice, “Can you explain to me what people were thinking? This just doesn’t make any sense to me.”
Mike, maybe one more beer, the first didn’t work.
Or try champaign! at the many weddings! I always cry at weddings, and then I get mildly soused.
Doesn’t the law still have to pass the Canadian Senate? In other words, it isn’t technically legal yet.
But I understand that the Senate is expected to approve it, too, so a good hearty “Yay Canada!” probably isn’t premature.
Spain too of all places!! Hooray!
The thing is, once it’s enacted, it’s awfully hard to un-enact. So we’re really gaining ground here.
love love love, all ya need is love, ya ta ta ta ta!
Okay, Canada, I officially forgive you for producing my ex-husband.
FYI.
The Canadian Senate is a rubber stamp. They have vetoed one bill in its entire history.
This is a done deal.
God Bless Canada
The feasibility of the USA getting this kind of law passed or even discussed in congress is very small.
I think that even if a large number of people surveyed say they support this issue, the ones that actually get up and go out to vote are the people in the extreme right.
Hooray for Canada
oooo I always cry at weddings!
If I ever meet the girl of my dreams I am so going to try to talk her into moving to Canada.
Yay, Canada!
Damn. I don’t have any money to buy Chicago Sarah and her beloved a new blender. I’ll just have to re-wrap the one I already own and hope nobody notices that it still smells like the mint smoothie I whipped up for breakfast. Cursed Canadians. Nothing but trouble, I tell you !! :p
Josh, is that “people with antlers,” as in people who have antlers, or the moose using their antlers for– uhhh, never mind. It’s been a long day. :o
lol, thanks alsis hon, but I think it is a touch early for my girl and I to be talking blenders, used or otherwise :)
But especially after today’s news, her and I are definitely thinking the country to the immediate north is looking like more and more of an option …
of course, make it a banana smoothie, and I might consider it …