gay rights stuff

[rm]

More baby steps forward that highlight our barbarism:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/05/24/gay.diplomats.benefits/index.html

How is this shit even a question?

Meanwhile, common sense from the Church of Scotland:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/05/24/scotland.church.gay.minister/index.html

Finally, California, Tuesday....

Comments

[brewsternorth.livejournal.com]

Good on the C of S!

[bodlon.livejournal.com]

I will not lie. I am nervous about Tuesday.

[rm.livejournal.com]

I feel like whatever happens there it will become the emblem of momentum for one side or the other.

I'm terrified.

And either way, it will make the bigots more active.

And I'm not ready yet.

[bodlon.livejournal.com]

I believe my icon says it all.

Note to self: buy some almond-stuffed queen olives.

[brewsternorth.livejournal.com]

Didn't know they came in almond flavour, but yes, drinkies is a good idea.

[bodlon.livejournal.com]

I actually prefer the almond ones because they have a less intense flavor than pimento, which lets both the olive and the martini stand on their own.

Drinks designed for emergencies must be planned carefully.

(Speaking of plans, I will also need to make ice...)

[griffen.livejournal.com]

I'm terrified, too.

You're not alone in this.

[brewsternorth.livejournal.com]

I feel like whatever happens there it will become the emblem of momentum for one side or the other.

As witness the Google ads at the end of that first CNN article: "Act to End Traditional Marriage" and "Is Same-Sex Marriage a Sin?" were the headlines on two of them.

[stardragonca.livejournal.com]

If wee win, we have to worry about bigots. If we lose we have to worry about bigots. Winning's better.

[contrarywise]

I'm trying to hold onto my cautious optimism about Tuesday, but am prepared to hear they're upholding Prop 8. I'm so not looking forward to the ensuing shitstorm, regardless of how the CA Supreme Court rules.

OTOH, yay for the C of S, and hopefully the State Dept. will go through with that policy change. *crosses fingers for all*

[nobodyreally.livejournal.com]

Reminds me of why I adore Secretary Clinton. Screw the bullshit, just issue an order and expect the mouth-breathers to endorse it. At least there will be a fresh line in the sand to clarify things a bit. So disappointed in Obama and the whole "Don't Ask. Don't Tell. Don't stop discriminating." debacle.

Fingers crossed for California.

I keep hoping that I will wake up one day and the stupid will be over. All people being allowed to be people, equality for *all*, blah blah blah...

[stef-tm.livejournal.com]

Word on the street is Prop 8 will be upheld given Gavin asked a delayed decision so it wouldn't fall on the week of the White Night riots and Harvey Milk's birthday.

Despite my impending divorce, I am not soured on gay marriage. 3rd time is the charm ;-)

[antelope-writes.livejournal.com]

You might be interested to know that according to the news around here (NZ), the british government said not giving the scottish preacher the job based on his sexuality alone is in flagrant violation of their labour laws.

[stardragonca.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry? Their being U.K. or their being N.Z.?
Canada's constitution forbids it under an 'equal protection' thingy.

[antelope-writes.livejournal.com]

UK laws, sorry for the confusion.

[stardragonca.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the clarification.

[jendaby.livejournal.com]

They aren't currently even eligible for emergency evacuation? That's horrid!!!

[dichroic.livejournal.com]

They probably do get evacuation in cases of widespread emergency like earthquake or volcano - I think the State Dept does that for all American citizens. However, in countries without medical care up to US standards, medical insurance seems to include evac to somewhere with better facilities. For instance, during the SARS epidemic, I remember someone living in China wrote that if her family caught it, they could be evacuated to Hong Kong for care.

Still pretty horrid, though.

[stardragonca.livejournal.com]

Fáilte Church of Scotland!

[dichroic.livejournal.com]

I am an expat myself, though not a diplomat.... so I *know* exactly how screwed you'd be in a foreign country where you don't have help or benefits, especially if you don't speak the language. OK, maybe I'm a wimp; plenty of people emigrate to the two countries I've lived in without any of that, many with far less education, money and resources than I have. But that's *hard* - harder than I think most people living in their home country can realize. It's certainly given me a new viewpoint on what my own great-grandparents went through to get to the US. (Of course, for them health benefits were probably best described as "none in either country - eat some chicken soup instead".

I've known a number of people who got married specifically in order to get the benefits for their spouses, which doesn't bother me that much when the choice is available.

But denying benefits to unmarried couples *and* denying them the right to marry.... um, yeah, I think 'barbarous' is the correct word.