Ireland Becomes First Country To Legalize Gay Marriage By Popular Vote
Mark Ireland as ahead of the United States on the issue of marriage equality.
With ballots from 34 out of the 43 voting areas counted, the vote was almost two to one in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage. All but one of the districts that were counted voted yes, and it appeared to be statistically impossible for opposition votes to overcome the ayes.
Turnout was large — more than 60 percent of the 3.2 million people eligible to vote cast ballots. Government officials, advocates and even those who had argued against the measure said that the outcome was a resounding endorsement of the constitutional amendment.
Not long ago, the vote would have been unthinkable. Ireland decriminalized homosexuality only in 1993, the church dominates the education system and abortion remains illegal except when a mother’s life is at risk. But the influence of the church has waned amid scandals in recent years, while attitudes, particularly among the young, have shifted.
Copyright 2015 Liberaland
14 responses to Ireland Becomes First Country To Legalize Gay Marriage By Popular Vote
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Jake May 23rd, 2015 at 14:58
From the BBC website “Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny said it was a “small country with a big message for equality” around the world.’
……and that message is….”THIS IS THE 21st CENTURY PEOPLE!”
Obewon May 23rd, 2015 at 15:06
Equal rights reality defeats dogmatic delusional dinosaurs.
Chinese Democracy May 24th, 2015 at 01:42
Deeply religious conservative … went from gay being illegal 20 yrs ago to legal gay marriage . ISIS not so much
KABoink_after_wingnut_hacker May 24th, 2015 at 06:45
Pretty perfect pontificating, partner….;-)
arc99 May 23rd, 2015 at 15:43
As I mentioned in a post a few days ago, looks like we have a new Land of the Free, and it ain’t us.
I think it is no accident that when we discuss the changes for the better in this country, right wingers virtually always frame it in terms of the Republican and Democratic parties (or in their ignorant parlance ‘Democrat party’). Anyone knows that the major American parties of 150 years ago are nothing like they are today.
In the 19th century and first half of the 20th century, the Democratic party was the more conservative of the two parties, resisting equality for blacks, women and immigrants. Now that the Republican party is the more conservative of the two major parties, those constituencies are solidly Democratic.
Marriage equality is coming to this country and the rest of the western world. Humanity will have taken one more step forward towards the ideal of liberty and equality for every one. Having apparently learned nothing from the struggles throughout our past which made the world a better place for everyone, conservatives in this country and around the world will once again be on the wrong side of history.
Ladies and gentlemen, here is an interesting reminder of what it means to be a conservative. You are always resisting change for the better. This early 20th century member of the Democratic party illustrates exactly what I am referring to. It is not a political party which opposes progress towards social justice, it is a political philosophy.
That philosophy is conservatism. Nothing ever changes for the better if we continue to do things the way they have always been done. Perhaps one day, conservatives will understand that basic premise.
http://sfpl.org/pdf/libraries/main/sfhistory/suffrageagainst.pdf
Argument Against Women’s Suffrage, 1911
Prepared by J. B. Sanford, Chairmen of Democratic Caucus
KABoink_after_wingnut_hacker May 24th, 2015 at 07:13
Great point and your link to the argument against women’s suffrage is an excellent reminder of how backwards conservatism is.
A common trick amongst wingnut bloggers is to conflate today’s Democratic party v/s GOP with the pre 1964 Dems v/s GOP.
When LBJ signed the civil rights act all the white supremacists, hate filled segregationists, bigots, evangelical fundamentalists, racists, anti-science and anti-education folks who are so easily terrified by change, all left the Democratic/Dixiecrat party and found a home with the republicans with their guns and bibles.
That’s why it’s important to not let wingnut bloggers deliberately confuse the ‘Republican party’ v/s the ‘Democratic party’ by conveniently ignoring history and to always use the terms conservative v/s progressive or liberal.
Just my opinion.
tracey marie May 23rd, 2015 at 16:00
Damn, Ireland leads the way while our evangelicals call for the destruction of “the gays” yet rally around a pedophile, incestuous one at that.
bpollen May 23rd, 2015 at 18:20
Conservative in a lot of ways, Ireland has a deeply ingrained love of freedom. Go Micks!
robert May 23rd, 2015 at 18:53
the gop must have their heads in the oven after hearing this Its getting slim when looking for tax shelters and cheap labor
Bunya May 23rd, 2015 at 19:37
This is big for Ireland, considering it’s a predominantly Catholic country. I guess compassion trumps religious dogma – and that’s a good thing.
Robert M. Snyder May 23rd, 2015 at 22:48
Related news from Ireland:
“Christian bakery guilty of discrimination over gay marriage cake refusal”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/11614694/Christian-bakery-guilty-of-discrimination-over-gay-marriage-cake-refusal.html
“Bert and Ernie gay marriage cake row could force Muslims to print Prophet Mohammed cartoons”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/11477809/Bert-and-Ernie-gay-marriage-cake-row-could-force-Muslims-to-print-Prophet-Mohammed-cartoons-lawyer.html
Chinese Democracy May 24th, 2015 at 01:37
happy out leaping about the place! Congrats Ireland !
KABoink_after_wingnut_hacker May 24th, 2015 at 06:42
And the Irish score is:
Human rights 1
Bigots 0
William May 24th, 2015 at 17:51
Meanwhile in the good ol’ You-ess-of-‘ey