Despite fears that he might veto legislation enacted to grant full marriage rights to same sex couples, the president of Portugal, Anibal Cavaco Silva, announced Monday that he is ratifying a law allowing same-sex marriage in the predominantly Catholic country. Once again, the USA falls further behind other nations moving forward with full liberty to all of their citizens. One comment on The Advocate article that looks at the development by a commenter from Canada sums it up well:*
Welcome Portugal to the 21st Century. Scary how the U.S. is a nation claiming to fight for freedom in other nations, using gay soldiers no less (albeit closeted by law, not by choice), yet cannot bring itself to live up to the very document many around the world see as a symbol for freedom, their own constitution. As Europe, the former East Block, my own nation and even South Africa move forward and is breaking the shackles of religious governance, America seems hell bent on dragging itself further backward.
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The reality now present in the USA increasingly makes a mockery of the U. S. Constitution - particularly the false promise of religious freedom. Christianists have full religious freedom. The rest of us unfortunately not. Despite their disingenuous claims that gays and others want "special rights" it is actually the Christianists and conservative Catholics who want special rights that trump the rights of other citizens. Here are highlights from The Advocate:
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The president of Portugal announced Monday that he is ratifying a law allowing same-sex marriage in the predominantly Catholic country, setting aside “personal convictions” so the country can focus on other, more important issues. Parliament passed the gay marriage bill in January. If President Anibal Cavaco Silva were to veto the bill, it would head back to parliament, where lawmakers could override his decision.
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"Given that fact, I feel I should not contribute to a pointless extension of this debate, which would only serve to deepen the divisions between the Portuguese and divert the attention of politicians away from the grave problems affecting us," Cavaco Silva said Monday in a nationally televised address. The enactment of the bill makes Portugal the sixth European country to allow same-sex marriage.
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The president of Portugal announced Monday that he is ratifying a law allowing same-sex marriage in the predominantly Catholic country, setting aside “personal convictions” so the country can focus on other, more important issues. Parliament passed the gay marriage bill in January. If President Anibal Cavaco Silva were to veto the bill, it would head back to parliament, where lawmakers could override his decision.
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"Given that fact, I feel I should not contribute to a pointless extension of this debate, which would only serve to deepen the divisions between the Portuguese and divert the attention of politicians away from the grave problems affecting us," Cavaco Silva said Monday in a nationally televised address. The enactment of the bill makes Portugal the sixth European country to allow same-sex marriage.
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Would that Obama could put his own personal views on marriage and similarly support full civil rights for all U.S. citizens, both gay and straight.
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