Same-sex partnership rights

Yoda

With the sad and disturbing choices made in 11 states in America on Tuesday, we in Ireland should think very carefully about putting pressure on the Minister for Justice to legislate and give rights and responsibilities to same-sex partnerships in Ireland.

Stefan

Could I ask you to ellaborate a bit on your thoughts and concerns here Yoda?

Sleipnir

Yoda wrote:

With the sad and disturbing choices made in 11 states in America on Tuesday, we in Ireland should think very carefully about putting pressure on the Minister for Justice to legislate and give rights and responsibilities to same-sex partnerships in Ireland.

Why?

Yoda

Because if we don't put pressure on the Minister for Justice he might find it convenient to do NOTHING about ensuring that all of Ireland's people have the same access to rights and responsibilities in a contract with the State that affects their lives in a fundamentall way.

Stark

Oh right, I thought you were suggesting NOT to pressure him. I hope Ireland isn't as far backwards as the Deep South of America anyway.

Sleipnir

That's what I thought too!

Yoda

Well... now that you think otherwise.... What should we do? Letters to the minister?

swiss

Thought I'd share this, it pretty much sums up my feelings on this affair:

1. Homosexuality is not natural, much like eyeglasses, polyester, and birth control.
2. Heterosexual marriages are valid because they produce children. Infertile couples and old people can’t legally get married because the world needs more children.
3. Obviously gay parents will raise gay children, since straight parents only raise straight children.
4. Straight marriage will be less meaningful, since Britney Spears’ 55-hour just-for-fun marriage was meaningful.
5. Heterosexual marriage has been around a long time and hasn’t changed at all; women are property, blacks can’t marry whites, and divorce is illegal.
6. Gay marriage should be decided by people not the courts, because the majority-elected legislatures, not courts, have historically protected the rights of the minorities.
7. Gay marriage is not supported by religion. In a theocracy like ours, the values of one religion are imposed on the entire country. That’s why we have only one religion in America.
8. Gay marriage will encourage people to be gay, in the same way that hanging around tall people will make you tall.
9. Legalizing gay marriage will open the door to all kinds of crazy behavior. People may even wish to marry their pets because a dog has legal standing and can sign a marriage contract.
10. Children can never suceed without a male and a female role model at home. That’s why single parents are forbidden to raise children.
11. Gay marriage will change the foundation of society. Heterosexual marriage has been around for a long time, and we could never adapt to new social norms because we haven’t adapted to cars or longer lifespans.
12. Civil unions, providing most of the same benefits as marriage with a different name are better, because a “seperate but equal” institution is always constitutional. Seperate schools for African-Americans worked just as well as seperate marriages for gays and lesbians will.