Some selections from the best speech I know – by the Spanish Prime Minister no less – about the importance and value of gay marriage, or marriage equality. The video is also subtitled in English.
“We are not legislating for people far away and not known by us. We are enlarging the opportunity for happiness to our neighbors, our co-workers, our friends and our families: at the same time we are making a more decent society, because a decent society is one that does not humiliate its members.
“Today, the Spanish society answers to a group of people who, during many years have, been humiliated, whose rights have been ignored, whose dignity has been offended, their identity denied, and their liberty oppressed. Today the Spanish society grants them the respect they deserve, recognizes their rights, restores their dignity, affirms their identity, and restores their liberty.
“It is true that they are only a minority, but their triumph is everyone’s triumph. It is also the triumph of those who oppose this law, even though they do not know this yet: because it is the triumph of Liberty. Their victory makes all of us better people, it makes our society better.
“Today we demonstrate with this Bill that societies can better themselves and can cross barriers and create tolerance by putting a stop to the unhappiness and humiliation of some of our citizens. Today, for many of our countrymen, comes the day predicted by Kavafis [the great Greek gay poet] one century ago:
‘Later ’twas said of the most perfect society / someone else, made like me / certainly will come out and act freely.’ “
Tags: 5th anniversary gay marriage Spain, gay marriage, marriage equality, same sex marraige, Spain gay marriage, Zapatero gay marriage
