One small step for equality, one giant leap for Ireland!

jnimhaoileoin
jnimhaoileoin Baile Átha Cliath Posts: 2,682
in All Encompassing Trip
This Friday, Ireland will vote in a referendum on marriage equality i.e. whether or not to allow same-sex marriage. This will hopefully be a huge step forward for our country, which has thus far been overly influenced by the Catholic Church and its conservatism and old-fashioned teachings (that's the nicest way of putting it!)

For anyone interested, here are a couple of clips that capture the mood this week :)


https://player.vimeo.com/video/127807935


http://www.votewithus.org/video/stephen-fry-qi-guests/

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Comments

  • jeffbr
    jeffbr Seattle Posts: 7,177
    Congrats! Good news for the Irish people. It is a win for civil liberty and love, and a middle finger to organized religion. I wish my country would follow suit, but I'm happy to live in a progressive state where we've recognized gay marriage and legalized marijuana. It is nice to see uptight, control freaks and religionists squirm a little bit.
    "I'll use the magic word - let's just shut the fuck up, please." EV, 04/13/08
  • jnimhaoileoin
    jnimhaoileoin Baile Átha Cliath Posts: 2,682
    You wouldn't believe some of the shite being spouted by the No side here but according to the polls it's looking good for Friday :)
  • deadendp
    deadendp Northeast Ohio Posts: 10,434
    Marriage equality shouldn't be a question. It shouldn't be something we have to fight for. It should exist for EVERYONE. If I could vote in Ireland, I would be a yes vote for you!
    2014: Cincinnati
    2016: Lexington and Wrigley 1
  • RKCNDY
    RKCNDY Posts: 31,013
    I like that the Catholics are attempting to be a bit more mainstream, like allowing cremation. I do hope the vote goes through with a landslide YES.

    No one should be denied a union of love.
    The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.

    - Christopher McCandless
  • jeffbr
    jeffbr Seattle Posts: 7,177
    I love that the law will be due to Friday's vote of the people. The citizens were not going to wait for the government, legislature, or courts to lead them into the 21st century. The people of Ireland are taking the lead. I think I read that Ireland will be the first country to recognize/legalize same sex marriage due to popular vote.
    "I'll use the magic word - let's just shut the fuck up, please." EV, 04/13/08
  • hedonist
    hedonist Posts: 24,524
    Huh. I had no idea about the issue of cremation (ha! I almost wrote creation) within Catholicism.

    I feel like same-sex marriage - much like acceptance (not tolerance) of homosexuality itself - has been a much-needed injection into the body of the world. Some veins are wide open, some clogged, some just need a bit of clearing or warming to allow for access.

    Slowly and I hope surely, it will spread until no more injections are needed.

    Many of us are behind you, Ireland! We'll be watching come Friday.
  • jnimhaoileoin
    jnimhaoileoin Baile Átha Cliath Posts: 2,682
    jeffbr said:

    I love that the law will be due to Friday's vote of the people. The citizens were not going to wait for the government, legislature, or courts to lead them into the 21st century. The people of Ireland are taking the lead. I think I read that Ireland will be the first country to recognize/legalize same sex marriage due to popular vote.

    Any change in the Irish constitution requires a public vote, we're big into our democracy here so we are :)
  • brianlux
    brianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,773
    Go Ireland! Hoping it goes "yes" on Friday!
    "It's a sad and beautiful world"
    -Roberto Benigni

  • jnimhaoileoin
    jnimhaoileoin Baile Átha Cliath Posts: 2,682
    Here's an example of the kind of bigoted rubbish we're still contending with in Ireland


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_nmxXYIUqA


  • eddiec
    eddiec Posts: 3,966
    Somebody handed my wife a leaflet promoting the 'No' vote. It was from a group called MassResistance and the piece was written by Brian Camenker. It basically listed all the things that had gone wrong in Massachusetts because of same sex marriages. It was pretty vindictive stuff. I had no idea who Camenker was and I had never heard of MassResistance. I did a search and found out that it is listed as a hate group by the US gov't. So the 'No' campaigners are using a hate group and a spewing of filth to persuade voters. Pretty sad.
  • jnimhaoileoin
    jnimhaoileoin Baile Átha Cliath Posts: 2,682
    All of the 'arguments' being presented by the No side would depress you, to think my fellow Irishmen and women could still think this way is very sad. Thankfully nearly everyone I know seems to support a Yes vote but someone did come out (no pun intended!) on facebook the other day as a No voter and I admit I was taken aback. Happily, he's merely an acquaintance rather than a friend!

    Of course everyone is fully entitled to their own beliefs and opinions, but all the No side seem to be doing is spreading misinformation and scaremongering. This letter is probably the most disgusting thing I've seen as a result of this referendum

    http://entertainment.ie/life/Una-Mullally-received-a-disgusting-piece-of-hate-mail-from-a-No-voter-today/365130.htm
  • ldent42
    ldent42 NYC Posts: 7,859
    Love the Massachusetts reference. No, the state of Massachusetts is NOT interested in enabling you to raise your kid as ignorant little shit who grows up to be an ignorant bigot.
    Also love the pie charts - because ya know, Ireland should definitely aspire to be Texas. Or Florida. Truly, that's what the world needs. More Florida.

    Even Mrs. Brown supports Marriage Equality!
    NYC 06/24/08-Auckland 11/27/09-Chch 11/29/09-Newark 05/18/10-Atlanta 09/22/12-Chicago 07/19/13-Brooklyn 10/18/13 & 10/19/13-Hartford 10/25/13-Baltimore 10/27/13-Auckland 1/17/14-GC 1/19/14-Melbourne 1/24/14-Sydney 1/26/14-Amsterdam 6/16/14 & 6/17/14-Milan 6/20/14-Berlin 6/26/14-Leeds 7/8/14-Milton Keynes 7/11/14-St. Louis 10/3/14-NYC 9/26/15
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  • jnimhaoileoin
    jnimhaoileoin Baile Átha Cliath Posts: 2,682
    In case anyone underestimates the significance of this vote for those who are made to feel like second class citizens, this gives a stark insight

    https://youtu.be/rZVD0eBQ3LE
  • oftenreading
    oftenreading Victoria, BC Posts: 12,856
    Jenny, this is an interesting thread with some great videos - thanks for enlightening those of us non-Irish to what's going on in your part of the world.
    my small self... like a book amongst the many on a shelf
  • PJSiren
    PJSiren Salem, OR Posts: 5,863
    I hope it goes through! I think it's sad and pathetic that in this day and age we are still fighting for marriage equality...it should always be a yes!
    Music is my Religion and Pearl Jam, my Savior!
    Tattooed Dissident!
  • Wobbie
    Wobbie Posts: 31,609
    just like I said, if Ireland can ban smoking, ANYPLACE can....

    if Utah can have gay marriage, ANYPLACE can....
    If I had known then what I know now...

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  • jnimhaoileoin
    jnimhaoileoin Baile Átha Cliath Posts: 2,682
    The No side would be comical, were it not so depressingly scary that people in my country can still be so backwards....

    http://i100.independent.co.uk/article/nine-of-the-worst-arguments-against-gay-marriage-in-ireland--g1egRODW8ZW
  • jnimhaoileoin
    jnimhaoileoin Baile Átha Cliath Posts: 2,682
    For the day that's in it, in the name of love and equality, here's hoping we make Ireland a country we can be proud of :)

    https://youtu.be/LHcP4MWABGY
  • dimitrispearljam
    dimitrispearljam Posts: 139,726
    What i m sure about it is that after the vote all will go to the "pub'
    "...Dimitri...He talks to me...'.."The Ghost of Greece..".
    "..That's One Happy Fuckin Ghost.."
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  • Thoughts_Arrive
    Thoughts_Arrive Melbourne, Australia Posts: 15,165
    I hate how organised religions dictate to others even those who aren't religious. Piss off!
    Adelaide 17/11/2009, Melbourne 20/11/2009, Sydney 22/11/2009, Melbourne (Big Day Out Festival) 24/01/2014

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