New Zealand is set to become the one of the latest nations to allow same-sex marriage after the country's Parliament passed a bill legalizing the practice Wednesday.
Parliament voted 77-44 on the bill's third reading, which is the penultimate step to enact laws in New Zealand. The final step, in which the governor-general gives royal assent, is generally a given.
Local media report that the law is expected to take effect in four months.
The bill's sponsor, Louisa Wall, released a statement saying she was "very proud to be a member of a Parliament that has voted overwhelmingly to give New Zealanders, regardless of their sex, sexual orientation or gender, the right to marry."sexual orientation or gender, the right to marry."
New Zealand's move comes a week after Uruguayan lawmakers approved a measure legalizing same-sex marriage. The measure awaits the signature of Uruguay's president, who has indicated he supports it.
If the laws in New Zealand and Uruguay are enacted, the count of nations allowing same-sex marriage would rise to 13.
And yet here America sits, denying its gay sisters, brothers, daughters, and sons the same rights that all of our other citizens enjoy without question.
We are falling so far behind the rest of the world with this issue that soon people will call America "The land that USED to be the land of the free."
As wonderful as this news is to read about in print, it pails in comparison to watching it pass on video.
The song the crowd erupts into is called "Pokarekare Ana." and it is a New Zealand love song.
Good O, Mate!
ReplyDeleteGood on the Kiwi's! With one civil rights victory in the Senate today, maybe marriage equality isn't far behind.
ReplyDeleteMakes sense Kiwi's are the gayest people on earth.
ReplyDeleteI don't think you have been paying attention.
DeleteTHAT is no longer considered s slur by smart people.
Kiwi culture. You'd run like the chickenshit Sarah Palin clone you are.
Deletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdMCAV6Yd0Y
And this is only a football game!
Really - we play football with no pads or helmets - how gay is that ??
DeleteI am an expat American, now a New Zealand citizen for over 12 years. Today my emotions are on a teeter-totter between pride for New Zealand for passing a law that encourages love and equality between its people, and shame for the United States for standing in the way of a law to discourage violence and reliance on guns. I am beyond disgusted with the mentality of the NRA and so many 'rednecks' in the U.S. who not only want to own guns, but define their whole lives by them. The multiple stories that Gryphen has published on his blog lately about people dying from senseless gun accidents within families, are only one segment of gun deaths that happen across the U.S. each year. (Is it more gun deaths within the U.S. by it's own citizens each year than deaths by war overseas?) Damn! And I'm not even talking about the mass murders such as Newtown that the President has been trying to address...
ReplyDeleteOh it is so unvelievably stupid and selfish of the senators who voted against a mere measure to make such murders more difficult!! No one was taking away anyone's damn guns, for crap's sake! Just making it more difficult for asshole lunatics to get their hands on them! I am deeply deeply ashamed of America for the senate's vote today, and the people behind it. I hope it is true what Obama said, that 90% of the people actually are in favor of gun reform laws. If so, there should be a huge blowback on what happened today. That is if people speak up. I am sure the damn NRA and all its people will have plenty to say, plenty to gloat about, plenty of propaganda to spread to further delude the delusional people of America! Count among those ASSHOLES Sarah Palin, who while she waited a whole bloody day to tweet 7 unpersonal words about the Boston bombing, was almost instantly onto twitter to claim a 'victory' after the senate's rejection of gun law reform. I stand with Piers Morgan of CNN, my favorite high-profile advocate for gun law reform within the U.S. Kudos to him for his 2 tweets, instantly pounced upon and reviled by the lunatics at the sea of pee. He said regarding the piss queen's tweet: 'Imagine crying Victory! as these poor sandy Hook families weep inside the Senate. Just revolting!' And 'nauseating @sarah Palin USA now jubilantly boasting of anti-gun control victory on her twitter feed. No heart no shame' I admire Piers Morgan for his constant and hard-hitting journalism against gun violence in America. I stand with him, and I stand with President Obama. What Obama said immediately after the disgaceful fail in the seante vote today, was powerful, passionate and very very true. I pray that indeed though this battle may be lost, the war is only begun. But the PEOPLE, the 90% of Americans who are in favor of gun law reform, need to engage in this war.
Just wondering, how can I myself engage? Advice welcome. Although I live in New Zealand and am a proud citizen of this tiny progressive country, I am also still a citizen of my birth country. I am a passionate Obama supporter and passionate Sarah Palin hater, hence my presence here. I am also a passionate gun hater. Beyond and above hating the rationale of my american patriots who stick to their guns and bibles (so contradictory by the way)I actually hate guns themselves. I see them as a primary source of evil. And I would never ever live in a house or family where any gun had a presence.
I'm not religious ethier. I have a laughing Buddha on the dashbord of my car whose belly giggles up and down with his grin while I drive. Doesn't meant I'm a Buddist. I go to a tiny community church most Sundays. Doesn't mean I'm a Christian. I read The Secret The Power of Now and Excuse me your Life is Waiting. Doesn't mean I am a New Age-r.
I just want 'Peace, and no more hurting people'
Like we all do.
C.L. from New Zealand
I'm the mother and grandmother of naturalised Americans so I follow US affairs with interest, but I'm gobsmacked by the grip of right wing thinking in a country that deems itself to be a leader of the free world.
ReplyDeleteAs a Portuguese South African, I'm proud to say that South Africa (for any Palins reading this, South Africa is a COUNTRY on the CONTINENT of Africa!) was the 5th country to legalise same-sex marriage way back in November 2006 while Portugal followed suit in May 2010.
Way to go, New Zealand, and well said CL from NZ.