As much as I think equal rights are a cute idea, marriage is dictated by the government, and you have no rights to tell them how you wish them to dictate the law to you. You may at best have the privilege to complain, but that’s a s far as it goes in even the most liberal of countries.
I think what you should be more concerned about is any consequence of being openly gay. It should be however no country’s “right” to interfere with the workings of other countries. If you support the idea of a country/government/nation, or whatever you want to call it, then you also support that individual nations should have the power to govern themselves however those countries/governments/nations see fit. It simply is not up to you or anyone else to decide.
However, if you side on the humanist side of things, then you empower yourself with as many rights as you see fit in order to achieve justice for the homosexuals, or anyone else who you feel are being oppressed.
BTW, I would appreciate some love for the heterosexuals amongst us. I feel we don’t get enough love these days.
If the gay vote can’t swing the election, then it’s not the voting block I thought it was.[/quote]
Surely in terms of numbers it can’t make a difference can it ?[/quote]
Gay-friendly politics does not just win over gays, but their friends and families, as well as people who just believe everyone should have the same rights.
Unfortunately, Hillary’s speech didn’t get much play in the US… I even had to tell a few newshounds where to find it. Regarding the OP’s question, I get that countries are sick of the US’s imposing of its values, but this is one area where I think they got it right. A friend of mine who lives in Malawi questioned whether it was right for the US to link LBGT rights to aid. Of course it is right. Are countries being asked to allow total freedoms for the LGBT, or to simply stop hunting them, killing them, and taking their free will away? Even if you think it is a shame to be gay, why do some people have the right to destroy their lives? That aid is conditional on basic human rights being given to the LGBT community in countries where they are imprisoned or killed just for how they like to have orgasms is similar to withholding aid to murderous regimes. Is the blind aid given from China to the most corrupt leaders really a better way to go about it? That fosters a country’s development more quickly? The Obama approved speech by Clinton–and this is coming from a lifelong cynic who has spent most of the past 20 years deep into a bottle of wine–was an amazing moment.
the way she restyled herself lately … her hair, clothes … :ohreally: 