Referendum
Well done Ireland! Pity the North (or at least its politicians) is still 400 years behind.
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Better late then never.
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As the day is long.
As the day is long.
That there needed to be a referendum kind of angers me.
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Why?Pista wrote:That there needed to be a referendum kind of angers me.
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The most successful tyranny is not the one that uses force to assure uniformity but the one that removes the awareness of other possibilities, that makes it seem inconceivable that other ways are viable, that removes the sense that there is an outside.
The most successful tyranny is not the one that uses force to assure uniformity but the one that removes the awareness of other possibilities, that makes it seem inconceivable that other ways are viable, that removes the sense that there is an outside.
Yeah, me too. Still:Pista wrote:That there needed to be a referendum kind of angers me.
Hom_Corleone wrote:Better late then never.
“Getting an education was a bit like a communicable sexual disease. It made you unsuitable for a lot of jobs and then you had the urge to pass it on.�
It's kinda the way things are here; if it involves a constitutional change it needs a referendum. I'm not saying that's right, by the way, but I reckon one advantage is that it doesn't give certain types a chance to weasel out of it.
If I told them once, I told them a hundred times to put 'Spinal Tap' first and 'Puppet Show' last.
Well the way I see it, my (or anyone else's) sexual preference is my (& their) own business & I don't see that I should have to go & ask an entire country for their blessing. It has nothing to do with them.sultan2075 wrote:Why?Pista wrote:That there needed to be a referendum kind of angers me.
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Sure. But what you're talking about here is more then just private sexual preference and private sexual activity, since the state is in the marriage business. The libertarian in me thinks that the state should probably be out of the marriage business altogether (and out of most private affairs). But if it is going to be in the marriage business, and the public understanding of marriage is going to be altered, then a referendum is probably the way to do it - if for no other reason than that a referendum will give the change a political legitimacy in the eyes of the people that it might not have otherwise (American abortion laws are a good example in this regard - the Supreme Court case finding a right to abortion [Roe vs. Wade] has been much more socially divisive than legislative action on the question might have been, because it has the appearance of being imposed by the court rather than a voluntary act of the people).Pista wrote:Well the way I see it, my (or anyone else's) sexual preference is my (& their) own business & I don't see that I should have to go & ask an entire country for their blessing. It has nothing to do with them.sultan2075 wrote:Why?Pista wrote:That there needed to be a referendum kind of angers me.
edited for word choice after I had my coffee
Last edited by sultan2075 on 24 May 2015, 14:02, edited 2 times in total.
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The most successful tyranny is not the one that uses force to assure uniformity but the one that removes the awareness of other possibilities, that makes it seem inconceivable that other ways are viable, that removes the sense that there is an outside.
The most successful tyranny is not the one that uses force to assure uniformity but the one that removes the awareness of other possibilities, that makes it seem inconceivable that other ways are viable, that removes the sense that there is an outside.
Well, put that way I can see your point, but it still irks me that the state needs to sanction same sex marriages.
It's like saying, "Hey you lot with the freedom of choice & speech etc. Yeah. About that freedom part...."
Still, at least the Irish people got it right.
It's like saying, "Hey you lot with the freedom of choice & speech etc. Yeah. About that freedom part...."
Still, at least the Irish people got it right.
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On the other hand IIRC the Roe v. Wade decision found that the right to an abortion already existed as part of the constitutional right to privacy under the due process clause.sultan2075 wrote: (American abortion laws are a good example in this regard - the Supreme Court case finding a right to abortion [Roe vs. Wade] has been much more socially divisive than legislative action on the question might have been, because it has the appearance of being imposed by the court rather than a voluntary act of the people).[/size]
The pro marriage equality argument in the States is (as I understand it) of the same kind; proponents argue that "equal protection under the law" already permits same-sex marriage, it's just that this permission needs to be enforced.
It seems to me that the "legislating from the bench" argument only ever gets thrown out by people who disagree with the courts' rulings.
But anyway, all that aside, well done Ireland
The fundamental cause of the trouble is that in the modern world the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt.
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My point is simply that social changes are more stable when they arise from the bottom up, not from the top down. Hence SSM proponents in the US focused much of their energies on state legislatures and public persuasion rather than the Court in order to avoid precisely the questions about legitimacy that surround Roe vs. Wade (the argument of the majority there is not unassailable, either. One does not need to be an anti-abortion zealot to recognize such difficulties).markfiend wrote:On the other hand IIRC the Roe v. Wade decision found that the right to an abortion already existed as part of the constitutional right to privacy under the due process clause.sultan2075 wrote: (American abortion laws are a good example in this regard - the Supreme Court case finding a right to abortion [Roe vs. Wade] has been much more socially divisive than legislative action on the question might have been, because it has the appearance of being imposed by the court rather than a voluntary act of the people).[/size]
The pro marriage equality argument in the States is (as I understand it) of the same kind; proponents argue that "equal protection under the law" already permits same-sex marriage, it's just that this permission needs to be enforced.
It seems to me that the "legislating from the bench" argument only ever gets thrown out by people who disagree with the courts' rulings.
But anyway, all that aside, well done Ireland
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The most successful tyranny is not the one that uses force to assure uniformity but the one that removes the awareness of other possibilities, that makes it seem inconceivable that other ways are viable, that removes the sense that there is an outside.
The most successful tyranny is not the one that uses force to assure uniformity but the one that removes the awareness of other possibilities, that makes it seem inconceivable that other ways are viable, that removes the sense that there is an outside.
I think sultan's argument is fine in hindsight but I suspect Pista's real point (and please correct me if I'm wrong) is that it should never have been illegal in the first place and society should never have got to a stage where it had a problem with same-sex relationships. It needed a referendum and legislation because of that (and not just in Ireland, of course), but it's sad that it ever should have.
Any more of that and we'll be round your front door with the quick-setting whitewash and the shaved monkey.
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OK that makes sense. I agree.sultan2075 wrote:My point is simply that social changes are more stable when they arise from the bottom up, not from the top down. Hence SSM proponents in the US focused much of their energies on state legislatures and public persuasion rather than the Court in order to avoid precisely the questions about legitimacy that surround Roe vs. Wade (the argument of the majority there is not unassailable, either. One does not need to be an anti-abortion zealot to recognize such difficulties).
The fundamental cause of the trouble is that in the modern world the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt.
—Bertrand Russell
—Bertrand Russell
Well it wasn't actually illegal prior to this. Civil unions had been recognised, but same-sex marriage actually had no legal status; similar to the current situation in Germany or Australia, for example.stufarq wrote:I think sultan's argument is fine in hindsight but I suspect Pista's real point (and please correct me if I'm wrong) is that it should never have been illegal in the first place and society should never have got to a stage where it had a problem with same-sex relationships. It needed a referendum and legislation because of that (and not just in Ireland, of course), but it's sad that it ever should have.
The point that's been missed here is that the reason for a referendum was because a change to the constitution was being made, and changes to the constitution require a referendum in Ireland. Otherwise it could have been done without one.
The end result is not to legalize same-sex marriage, but rather to make any challenges to it be unconstitutional.
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all i can say is its about f**king time.
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"Did my singing please you?"
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Kerry's Nan: "Isn't it good that Ireland have given the vote to gay people?"
The fundamental cause of the trouble is that in the modern world the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt.
—Bertrand Russell
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yup, totally.eastmidswhizzkid wrote:all i can say is its about f**king time.
Still, kinda happy it happened on my birthday although next time they don't really have to wait for it
in dub we trust
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pissing myself laughing, rolling around on the floor etc. (not going to be sarcastic or horrible about nans...i miss mine awfully. bless 'em)markfiend wrote:Kerry's Nan: "Isn't it good that Ireland have given the vote to gay people?"
Well I was handsome and I was strong
And I knew the words to every song.
"Did my singing please you?"
"No! The words you sang were wrong!"
And I knew the words to every song.
"Did my singing please you?"
"No! The words you sang were wrong!"
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Basically, I fully agree - it's just ridiculous.Pista wrote:That there needed to be a referendum kind of angers me.
Though, a fact it is, obviously, and insofar a referendum is a good thing for the people in that country
and for other countries to learn HOW MANY ACTUALLY think the law oughta be changed (after centuries of paternalism).
& (rather predictably) the WBC get in on the act but with one minor error
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Voltaire's prayer O Lord make my enemies ridiculous answered once again
The fundamental cause of the trouble is that in the modern world the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt.
—Bertrand Russell
—Bertrand Russell
It'll be interesting to see how it plays out in the North (where the Abridged lives). Though I don't see us coming into the twenty-First century for a while yet sadly.
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I understand that in NI Jeff Dudgeon is planning to sue for the right to get married.
The fundamental cause of the trouble is that in the modern world the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt.
—Bertrand Russell
—Bertrand Russell
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Pista wrote:& (rather predictably) the WBC get in on the act but with one minor error
We're having large discussion now here in Germany, which is clearly a good thing.
PLUS, certain members of allegedly Christian-oriented parties make themselves so obviously look behind times ... a pleasure.