Looks like it’s time to book that trip to New Zealand. Yesterday (well, in our time zone at least) our friends the Kiwis became the 13th country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage. Middle Earth, we salute you. The passage of the country’s marriage equality bill, by a vote in Parliament of 77 to 44, was celebrated by the spontaneous singing in the chamber of the traditional New Zealand love song “Pokarekare Ana” in Maori. If that doesn’t well you up, I feel bad about your poor black heart. Throughout the song you saw lawmakers and supporters congratulate the bill’s sponsor, out MP Louisa Wall. Also, love the outfit. Her bill amends New Zealand’s marriage act, passed in 1955. I’d like to think if U.S. congressmen and congresswomen passed similarly historic civil rights legislation, they’d break out into a rousing version of “This Land is Your Land.” But those assholes can’t even pass a law that would expand basic background checks to gun shows and internet sales. The lack of political backbone in the face of money and fear mongering is more than just disheartening. It is shameful. But, back to the good news. New Zealand joins Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Iceland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden and just last week Uruguay to pass full marriage equality. And remember when I was talking about backbone? Here’s New Zealand MP Maurice Williamson displaying his and dispelling pretty much all the arguments against allowing gay men and women to marry. A little humor, some hard facts, a lot of reason. If only that worked everywhere.
The main problem with most of these background check proposals is that they are a backdoor to gun owner databases. Down the road such databases could easily be queried to enable gun confiscations.
ReplyDelete"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" - George Santayana
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa-lNiIDsFM
PD
I heart Maurice Williamson!!! Oh if only we Americans would pull our heads out of our collective asses and elect more representatives with his common sense instead of the asshats we keep re-instating in office.
ReplyDeleteAlso, PD, way to stay on topic as usual. Your logic is faulty at best; since background checks are already in place (not comprehensive, but still) then presumably such databases already exist, no? Other countries have made strict gun laws work for them, the only reason America refuses to do so is solely due the $$$ provided to Congress by the NRA and firearms industry. They have a very vested interest in wide-open gun availability and very deep pockets to protect that interest. BTW, I say this as an American stuck in one of the most "red" states one can find, Indiana. Don't even get me started on our state legislature; it makes Congressional Republicans look like left wingers.
But you know what, this post was about celebrating the passage of marriage equality in NZ, so let's focus on that, shall we? Way to go, NZ, or as I understand the locals there say, "Good on ya, mates."
ALL things considered, maybe it's time to move somewhere else. Good on you, New Zealand!!
ReplyDeleteI can't even describe quite how happy this has made me. Part of me thinks now that I have been ambivalent about marriage (in all forms) for so long because I didn't want it to hurt so much that I couldn't have it. But a few years ago I really started pushing, participating in protest marches and rallies for equal marriage rights, and now here it is.
ReplyDeleteAs a kiwi living in Aussie I am still a second class citizen here in more ways than one. But knowing I am not not one in my homeland has made all the difference. I'm now watching Australia's reaction to the news up close and personal. As Aussie and NZ are so closely intertwined, it is a bit of a spanner in the works, one which I hope will spur Australia into the 21st century. I think it will be a while before equality is reached here, the Greens Party are now preparing to introduce a bill to recognize New Zealand same-sex marriages here, and that's a start.
Europe, The Americas, Africa and now Oceania
ReplyDeleteC'mon Asia, step it up!
Let's get marriage equality in all five continents
Thanks, Dorothy. Great post.
ReplyDeleteAnd to whichever "anonymous" posted about background checks - Toomey Manchkin would have made a registry LESS likely.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2013/04/15/aclu-toomey-manchin-bill-would-make-national-gun-registry-less-likely/
Gun fetishists will come to regret this vote. It was incredibly weak but real gun safety laws will pass when the fetishists die out - helped along by suicides and other gun fail.
Descriptions of what the "gay onslaught would look like"--great stuff. Good on ya Kiwis! And thanks for posting these videos, Dorothy, especially during this week.
ReplyDeleteI am moved beyond words when our straight allies speak with such eloquence and compassion on our behalf.
ReplyDeleteMr. Williamson, you rock.
and soon in France , hopefully next week !
ReplyDeleteLooks like it will pass in Ireland soon, and Great Britain isn't far behind too. Well done a middle earth indeed lol.
ReplyDeleteHere in France at the moment it's a big mess. Equal marriage is probably going to pass, but the anti-gay-marriage crowd are horrifying. So much violence, so many queers getting beaten up in the streets and in the bars, it's actually scary.
ReplyDeleteLontimelurker, I have to disagree with you, PD is always on topic and full of wondrous accurate knowledge. Which is why I have made a tinfoil hat and armor to protect me from the government's laser rays and to keep the voices out of my head.
ReplyDeleteBut on a more serious note, Ms. Snarker as always you brighten my day with the hope that one day this change will happen here in the U.S. as well:)
It's so nice to see NZ's great news on Dorothy Surrenders! We are still celebrating here in our little antipodean paradise - you should all come join the party. And get married here while you're at it.....Aroha nui (much love)
ReplyDeleteThis is totally fantastic. It's brilliantly refreshing to hear some sense in political arena as opposed to scaremongering or opinions based on untruths.
ReplyDeleteI am a kiwi and I was theeeere! Not in the public gallery but in a viewing room next door, where I could knit :-) I have this hideous green hat that I was knitting to use up a yarn I don't like, and now I will never be able to give it away because of its sentimental value :-D
ReplyDeleteCarmen SanDiego, Nepal is working on it! They are struggling to get their new, post civil war constitution completed and active, but it is expected to include marriage equality when it is, as ordered by the supreme court. All the more impressive since they only legalised homosexual activity in 2007!
I was there last year and wished I could have visited the (one) queer drop-in center, but I wasn't sure if that would cause problems with the orphanage I was working with, since the stigma is still pretty bad. I love Nepal so much though, I'll be back.