One small step for gay marriage, one giant leap for NZ being kind
YES! An historic first step of equality for our gay whanau! Thank you Louisa Wall and Labour for making me feel proud about being a NZer.
It was a great evening on Parliament TV, bloggers were playing a drinking game for every ridiculous argument used by MP's. Idiot/Savant from his twitter feed may have been the first NZer to suffer alcohol poisoning from political cliches.
The involvement of social media in these moments of legislative justice made the event a far more special one. The #marriageequality twitter feed was like having a 1000 clever people providing a running commentary.
It was our Parliament at it's best and there were many notable speakers. Louisa Wall's gracious dignity and passionate defense for equality will be in the history books. Kevin Hague was similarly moving. Nikki Kaye deserves an honourable mention for speaking in support of Gay rights with genuine conviction.
The other notable MP on the night was the very kind Paul Hutchison who said he simply couldn't justify the ongoing discrimination and as such would now vote for the Bill.
A salute to Jami-Lee Ross, libertarians can surprise can't they?
Then there were those speaking against the Bill. Sio was dignified but wrong. Winston was outraged. Yawn. Tim Macindoe was so dull, he lowered the reputation of Hamilton and John Hayes proved why people wearing bow ties shouldn't be allowed to marry.
The sanctimonious clown described the bill as a 'Labour Party social reform agenda'.
What a dick.
The final vote of 80-40 made me feel prouder of being a NZer than I did during the Olympics.
Well done Aotearoa.
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posted by Bomber @ 7:09 am
2 comments
2 Comments:
Now if only certain National MPs show the same passion to address the inequalities of child poverty in this country...
I can't help but think there has been a missed opportunity for communities to find common ground on this issue.
Because I know a lot of Christians who agree that all NZ citizens should have the same rights under NZ law, whether homosexual or hetrosexual.
And if the issue is currently, a hetrosexual couple can choose between a civil union and marriage to register their relationship as recognised by the State, while same-sex couples only have the option of civil unions, then why not get rid of marriage from the statute books?
Because that's really all the State is doing in marriages: recognising the civil relationship between couples.
That way everyone has to register a civil union, then can celebrate that relationship however they want - whether that's a Christian marriage, at the local marae, or a BBQ at home.
Everyone has the same rights under civil unions, and the State doesn't need to define an institution against the beliefs of some communities.
It might not please all Christians, but there are a whole heap who would agree with this, but are instead being labelled bigots.
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