The Plebiscite for Marriage Equality

[delcan]

I've seen countless friends and myself supportive of marriage equality posting and sharing the last week. I never thought of myself as progressive - some of my friends are, but I thought it was normal to support marriage equality. I just saw the first person I know post "Man + Woman. I stand for God's original design" and it makes me feel sick. I just wasn't prepared for this.

 

[Isee]

I've seen countless friends and myself supportive of marriage equality posting and sharing the last week. I never thought of myself as progressive - some of my friends are, but I thought it was normal to support marriage equality. I just saw the first person I know post "Man + Woman. I stand for God's original design" and it makes me feel sick. I just wasn't prepared for this.

I agree it is quite confronting how people you know and assume thinks the same way you do say things like that. I hope the comments your friends make don't get really ugly, as it can totally change a friendship. When this issue was being discussed in NZ I was privy to some conversations and arguments I have never forgotten. I am lucky the most memorable was from a friend of a friend, but it definitely gave me a glimpse to a whole side of this friend. I knew she was a born again christian but she is very full on evangalical about it nowadays.

 

[Columbo]

The opposition to marriage equality is both sickening and bewildering to witness. The Government had a chance to do something and they chose the coward's way out.

 

[Consuela]

The Plebiscite* for Marriage Equality

*Survey.

Fingers crossed the High Court blocks it. I'd rather wait than face the 'respectful' debate.

 

[delcan]

The opposition to marriage equality is both sickening and bewildering to witness. The Government had a chance to do something and they chose the coward's way out.

It's terrifying that a Government can deny people their basic human rights.

 

[delcan]

*Survey.

Fingers crossed the High Court blocks it. I'd rather wait than face the 'respectful' debate.

You mean, you don't want a bunch of douche bags dilly dally over people's basic rights? This world is fucked up

 

[timmy]

*Survey.

Fingers crossed the High Court blocks it. I'd rather wait than face the 'respectful' debate.

This is 100% my view.

It is a survey not a plebiscite; that is the only reason the LNP can get away with it without Senate approval. And it's only binding if the result is "no". It's a complete farce, but in the event we are stuck with it, we have to fight for our rights and of those of our family and friends to be allowed to marry the person they love.

 

[Tuttle]

Well, if it comes to be, I will vote, and vote YES, because they'd be happy with people not voting.
Totally ridiculous situation for this country in 2017. Just do it.

 

[Consuela]

It's a complete farce, but in the event we are stuck with it, we have to fight for our rights and of those of our family and friends to be allowed to marry the person they love.

Well, if it comes to be, I will vote, and vote YES, because they'd be happy with people not voting.
Totally ridiculous situation for this country in 2017. Just do it.

Yeah you just know they're hoping for a low turnout and high no vote. I did see an ad tonight during Survivor to enrol/update with the AEC. Ad authorised by the ABS though. Talk about gymnastics.

 

[delcan]

This is 100% my view.

It is a survey not a plebiscite; that is the only reason the LNP can get away with it without Senate approval. And it's only binding if the result is "no". It's a complete farce, but in the event we are stuck with it, we have to fight for our rights and of those of our family and friends to be allowed to marry the person they love.

That's what I can't get - why people can't see that love is love. If 0nly people analyzed heterosexual love as much.

 

[delcan]

Well, if it comes to be, I will vote, and vote YES, because they'd be happy with people not voting.
Totally ridiculous situation for this country in 2017. Just do it.

It's embarrassing, Especially given people in the US have rights, but a lot of the country has turned into a White Supremacist cult

 

[timmy]

It's embarrassing, Especially given people in the US have rights, but a lot of the country has turned into a White Supremacist cult

Bit different there. The US govt didn't legislate for marriage equality: the Supreme Court ruled it in constitutional to deny it.

 

[oddjob]

To have it put to a vote whether any class of people should be treated equally by the law and other public institutions in a free and democratic country is an absolute fucking disgrace.

 

[Fiona]

I appreciate that many will vote no, whether that is through religious beliefs, upbringing, ignorance of other ways of other ways of life other than theirs, etc etc. It's not as if equality will affect their marriages/relationships. What I am wondering is how many people really don't care one way or another and will vote yes, just to get the situation out of the way and passed by the powers that be, but as the yes is non binding, that could still not happen. Why is a no vote binding and a yes vote isn't? I will, for the record, vote yes.

 

[qtkt]

To have it put to a vote whether any class of people should be treated equally by the law and other public institutions in a free and democratic country is an absolute fucking disgrace.

AGREE!!!!
And then to add insult to injury by making it a non compulsory, non binding "survey" beggars belief.

 

[timmy]

in constitutional

oops, that should have read "unconstitutional" of course.

 

[timmy]

Why is a no vote binding and a yes vote isn't?

If it's "No", the LNP will drop the issue and a bill will not proceed. If it's "Yes", they will put a bill forward but the vote will be a conscience vote, which could possibly still fail to pass due to naysayers in parliament (mainly Nationals' members, but a couple of Labor members could also vote against it as well).

I have faith that it will pass. Although I am concerned at the exemptions the LNP will load the legislation with. The previous bill that went to the Senate committee got a lot of criticism for overstepping the mark on many issues. Why remove one form of discrimination only to impose a whole new raft of them?

 

[jessy_girl]

Ugh this whole thing is so dodge. I totally get and respect that everyone has different beliefs, and I have become much more conservative as I've gotten older, but the thought of being so against something that doesn't affect you that you would vote against it seems so weird!!

They should at least tighten the laws on marriage between a man and a woman! Maybe increase the legal age, introduce rules about a minimum period of dating prior to getting engaged, no big age gaps, no one with multiple divorces already etc. Not that I necessarily object to these things, but if they are going to be so pedantic about two people getting married based on very little, they should extend the pedantry to everyone, right?

Literally there is no legal reason a man and a woman can't marry each other currently, incest aside. Although you can actually marry some blood relatives. So that hardly seems fair.

 

[Isee]

Ugh this whole thing is so dodge. I totally get and respect that everyone has different beliefs, and I have become much more conservative as I've gotten older, but the thought of being so against something that doesn't affect you that you would vote against it seems so weird!!

They should at least tighten the laws on marriage between a man and a woman! Maybe increase the legal age, introduce rules about a minimum period of dating prior to getting engaged, no big age gaps, no one with multiple divorces already etc. Not that I necessarily object to these things, but if they are going to be so pedantic about two people getting married based on very little, they should extend the pedantry to everyone, right?

Literally there is no legal reason a man and a woman can't marry each other currently, incest aside. Although you can actually marry some blood relatives. So that hardly seems fair.

oh don't forget to add to your list a man and a woman only getting married if you are planning on procreating, as marriage is all about having children according to so many no arguments I have seen. Obviously If you are unable to have children, are too old to, or simply don't want to marriage is not for you.

 

[Fiona]

oh don't forget to add to your list a man and a woman only getting married if you are planning on procreating, as marriage is all about having children according to so many no arguments I have seen. Obviously If you are unable to have children, are too old to, or simply don't want to marriage is not for you.

That reminds me of people saying that Christmas is all about the children. Er, no. It isn't. It's for everyone who chooses to celebrate it, for whatever reason.
As for marriage, I am too old to have children and I didn't want to have them, so lucky for me that I didn't want to get married either.