North America

Australia / North America / Politicians / Uncategorized — No Comments
11
Jul 11

PETTY IN PINK

Julia Gillard in a 2010 pink makeover

Julia Gillard in a 2010 pink makeover

The Australian Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, is mind-boggling.  The very week she tackles a long-sighted politically difficult subject: pricing carbon in order to reduce climate change, she engages in base pettiness against gays: again.

This time, it is re-stating that the Australian government will not only stop gay marriage on its territory, it will continue to try to stop its citizens getting married elsewhere. The reaction was prompted by Australians, including one of her own party’s Members of Parliament, considering travelling to New York to marry.

This issue has arisen before. But it’s astonishing that they continue to enforce this arbitrary view when every single section of the governing party has the opposite approach: they have all endorsed equality.  And on the specific issue of Certificates of No Impediment to marriage, a broad Parliamentary Committee clearly said in 2009 there is no justification for continuing the policy.

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Democrat / Heroes / North America / Politicians / Religion / Surprising Marriage Equality Supporters — 1 Comment
29
Jun 11

HERO: ANDREW CUOMO

Andrew Cuomo with his daughters at New York Pride this weekend

Andrew Cuomo with his daughters at New York Pride this weekend

It’s been a long while since I listed a “hero” on these pages, but New York Governor Andrew Cuomo definitely deserves the title. Like Tony Blair, he’s realised the magic feeling and feedback that comes with granting civil rights. A cynic who found his heart, a straight guy who went to the wall for us, someone who never gave up on bringing two sides of politics together. And a Catholic who stood up to his Church hierarchy … it’s the sort of thing they make movies and Presidential bids out of.

So here it is, my favourite columnist’s (Maureen Dowd) profile of the guy who steps up to join Gavin Newsom as the United State’s leading political advocate for equality…. Now we just need one other guy with an inspiration story to find his guts again.

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28
Jun 11

LEADING U.S. CONSERVATIVE BACKFLIPS

David Frum

David Frum

Very interesting and gratifying piece here on CNN by David Frum, a man more often associated with inventing Republican catch-cries like the “axis of evil.”

My favorite line, where he tells conservatives to go find another cause for family instability in the U.S.

“Whatever is driving this negative trend, it seems more than implausible to connect it to same-sex marriage. How would it even work that a 15-year-old girl in Van Nuys, California, becomes more likely to have a baby because two men in Des Moines, Iowa, can marry?”

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Marriage / Miscellaneous / North America / Personal Stories / Video — 1 Comment
31
May 11

GREAT NEW WEEKLY NEWS VIDEO

An excellent idea from Marriage Equality USA and Matt Baume

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27
May 11

MIKE BLOOMBERG GUNS BLAZING

Michael Bloomberg at New York pride

Photo credit: Janet Mayer

The Mayor of New York City did not hold back yesterday is his effort to get New York lawmakers to vote for equality.  He gave personal testimony, used family examples and suggested that people voting no to equality would be remembered alongside those who supported slavery!

“The question for every New York state lawmaker is: Do you want to be remembered as a leader on civil rights? Or an obstructionist? On matters of freedom and equality, history has not remembered obstructionists kindly,”
Read more here.

Bloomberg cited New York as the birthplace of the gay rights movement. That’s not quite right – Denmark for one had an active gay rights group at least 10 years earlier, but he makes a good point. New York is the biggest, the best, the first, the most open … but not for gay marriage.

So buck up New Yorkers. Time to get equal

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19
May 11

THE WRONG REASONS FOR SAME SEX MARRIAGE

While fully agreeing with this article from the New York Times, I have to say that Jaye Cee Whitehead leaves out the best examples of her own argument and analysis.

Basically, she says it is dehumanising to argue for equality on the basis of economic competitiveness or the revenue a booming wedding industry brings in.  True.

But the biggest economic gains are not from weddings, they are actually from the better health that people have throughout their life when someone is there to care for them – they live longer, healthier etc and are therefore also not a big fat burden on the state.

And secondly the best reason for equality isn’t because we are citizens, even if that sounds the most idealistic reason (children are citizens too; fathers and daughters are citizens but not good marriage partners); it’s because we are as capable of fulfilling the obligations of marriage as any other adult.

Finally, after what the banks and their leaders just did to our economies, supporting marriage equality is the least they can do.

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Court cases / Families and Parents / North America / South America — 1 Comment
19
May 11

‘We came very close to having our marriage destroyed’

Josh Vandiver and Henry Velandia

Great insights here from Josh Vandiver and Henry Velandia, the couple a US judge ruled should be allowed to stay together, despite the immigration department using the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) as a reason to separate them.

“I’m from Colorado and he’s from Venezuela.  In both our cultures, marriage is the ceremony in which you commit to your spouse before family and friends.  And that’s what we wanted, too.

Our marriage certificate is exactly the same as every other marriage certificate in the United States”

Thanks to CNN and Gay Marriage Watch for drawing attention to this.

 

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8
May 11

SPORTS STARS FOR EQUALITY

Sean Avery, an ice hockey star, is not a person I knew about until this spot for New Yorkers for Marriage Equality. But his common sense and possibly brave decision to speak about the equality he expects for himself, and supports for others, makes me wonder where the other sports stars are in this debate. Cristiano Ronaldo is a notable other example.

I don’t think sports stars are special people – but they do have large followings and a way of connecting with more macho and less political crowds that we needs as supporters of equality.

How about Ian Thorpe doing an ad for Australian Marriage Equality? Just saying …

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7
May 11

DONALD TRUMP’S HOLE SELECTION

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5
May 11

THANK YOU, NEW YORK TIMES

Judge Vaughn Walker

Thank heavens a really serious publication has had the guts to take this up.

The idea that Judge Vaughn Walker (republican, experienced etc) was not able to rule on the flimsy Prop 8 case (by that I mean the very strong appeal), on the basis of being gay and in a relationship is absurd.  As the Times says, what next? Women can’t judge rape cases?

These people are fools who insult the notion of justice.

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