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Loading ...UK PM blasts Prop 8
03.06.2009 2:05pm EST
(London) British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has blasted the California law banning same-sex marriage. Brown called Proposition 8, as it is known, “unacceptable” and said it was a setback for civil rights in the United States.
Brown made the comments during a speech to British gay rights leaders during a reception at the Prime Minister’s official Residence 10 Downing Street the British Broadcasting Corporations reports.“This attempt to undo good that has been done is unacceptable,” Brown said. “This shows why we have always got to be vigilant, always got to fight homophobic behavior and any form of discrimination.”
The Prime Minister praised UK gay leaders for pushing to have civil partnerships legalized in 2005, giving same-sex couples all of the rights of marriage except the name.
He praised the rights leaders for “changing opinion” about same-sex unions.
“You have shown how the legislative process, by your pressure, can respond,” he told the group.
Last May the California Supreme Court ruled in favor of same-sex marriage. Some 18,000 gay and lesbian couples married before voters by a slim 52 percent approved Proposition 8.
Brown’s comments came only hours after the California high court heard arguments challenging the legality of the proposition. It could be up to 90 days before a ruling is made in the case.
The Brits were smarter than we are by accepting the Civil Partnership compromise and moving forward rather than getting bogged down in a pointless fight over the word “marriage”.
Civil Partnerships in the UK are legally equivalent to opposite-sex marriage and the fact of their existence has been subtly shifting British public opinion. Gay celebs like Elton John, John Barrowman and Darren Hayes are openly partnered. Even some prominent Conservative politicians like Alan Duncan and Nick Herbert are partnered as well.
The result is that the general public there is getting less and less anxious about the idea and increasingly the word “marriage” is being used in the media to describe when prominent gays get partnerships. In a few years they’ll be able to change the name legally and it’s doubtful that most people will even notice.
On Gordon Brown’s front, I don’t think he can be accused of “meddling” given the extent to which the U.S. interferes in foreign politics and renders public judgment of other countries’ civil rights behaviors. And Brown is in a position to look down his nose at us on this topic given the Labour Party’s role in legalizing civil partnerships in the U.K. Also, Brown has an impressive number of openly gay people in his Cabinet, which is a lot more than can be said of Barack Obama!
Prop 8 is just the beginning. Enforcing old sodomy laws is the final goal. Remind Brown that the UK is in EMP range of Iran’s missiles in the UK wants a faggot war.
thanks brown that made my day…. our day will come…its just a matter of time… I was one of the 18 thousand to get married and I am so happy I got to share that moment with friends and family no one can take that day away from me….honestly I think people would sing another tune if a blk man was told he could not get married or someone who is Latin could not be married your giving it to some and not others…
Yeah! This is how I feel about it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_qgVn-Op7Q
Couldn’t have said it better myself!
TJNV,
Fighting for mediocrity only gives you mediocrity!
I think know that it would be a great step forward for the U.S. to have civil unions with all the same rights as marriage at the federal level. True some states have marriage and some domestic partnerships or civil unions. Bu most states have NOTHING. As long as it is truly the same legal standing, one word is not all that big a deal to me.
I find it hard to understand why some are crtical of what Gordon Brown said when he is on our side. What I do hate is how some want to fight any equality for us in many states.
Tom in Long Beach
Tom in Long Beach
Only a matter of time folks before “civil union” is replaced by “marriage”. In fact I believe that there’s a lawsuit coming up for trial that would do just THAT! Hopefully, Great Britian will take her place amongst the other progressive, civilized nations of the world that have embraced our Civil Rights movement. Cheers! =))
Tammy,
“Our marriage is as valid in the UK under the Civil Partnership Act, as any “marriage”.”
You mean your civil union is valid.
“I can’t understand the desire for a slash and burn mentality of so many gays that refuse to accept the term civil partner, assuming it conveys all the rights of marriage.”
Because it sets the precedent that gays, and to a larger extent any ‘new’ minority group, shouldn’t be included into the same rights and privileges currently granted to the majority. That they should be given something different.
You can’t say that a group of people are equal to another group when they are being refused the same title or titles that grant such equality.
Civil unions are a concession to people who do not want to accept in equal status gay relationships to their own. That’s why they don’t want to call it marriage to begin with, it’s not for religious reasons like they say either. What about religions that do accept gay marriages? Isn’t that a denial of their religious freedom and equality to not accept their gay marriages?
You know, it’s like telling Rosa Parks, ‘What was the big deal of having to sit at the back of the bus? After all, sometimes white people have to sit back there too, and isn’t everyone getting to the same place anyway?’
Domestic partnerships were allowed in California that have ALMOST the same standing as straight marriages and guess what the supreme court said 2 days ago in the argument about making gay marriages legal? They questioned the need for gay marriages if such similar privileges existed legally through domestic partnerships already..
That’s great, how dehumanizing of them..
See what happened there?
“I’m thankful for the accepting attitude of most Brits.”
You aren’t being accepted. That’s why gays aren’t allowed to marry in the UK.. Is it really that hard for you to see that?
Its great to have a world leader speak so openly and passionately about our issues. Yes, Britain only has civil unions, but that wasn’t the PM’s doing.
I would love to hear that kind of support from our leaders, but they are too afraid of the religious right. And until our leaders completely support equal rights its gonna be a long and tough uphill battle through the court system.
I’m a female American living in the UK, with my British wife (we were married in Canada in 2004). All you Americans clamoring for same-sex marriage or nothing, should really get your heads checked. Our marriage is as valid in the UK under the Civil Partnership Act, as any “marriage”. I’m legally a step-parent to my wife’s kids, we are jointly responsible for our debts, we are each other’s next of kin for all legal, medical and all other reasons. I can’t understand the desire for a slash and burn mentality of so many gays that refuse to accept the term civil partner, assuming it conveys all the rights of marriage. At least then, I would have the option of living in my own country with my wife, rather than living in the UK and paying my tax to the British. I’m thankful for the accepting attitude of most Brits.
In my opinion the government has no business in marriage anyway, and they should all be civil partnerships, with people who want a separate marriage in a church having one, AFTER their government sanctioned civil union.
Civil unions do not equal marriage. If they are suppose to be equal to marriages then they would be called marriages.
Until that happens I don’t care what people say it’s still wrong because it ultimately says that you are not going to be viewed as being equal and it also makes people view it that way, otherwise, why not call it marriage?
See, it just keeps the prejudice and bigotry going, it also makes it easier to NOT have equal rights because you’ve gotten something almost similar – like how the Supreme Court was saying just recently regarding marriages vs domestic partnerships.
Never settle for anything else but 100% equality and treatment, don’t sell yourself out!
Obama hasn’t felt the need to address gays when when we were hurt and angered by Rick Warren. He did come out against Prop 8 before he hit the Whitehouse, but has been deafeningly silent regarding gay civil rights since.
Bravo PM Brown! It’s good to see a leader with the stones to speak up for what’s right, not just what will garner votes. President Obama, you are looking more and more like a fair weather friend to the gay community! SPEAK TO US!
Well, finally he said what Obama won’t. At least one head of state was brave enough.
Also, England, Spain, Canada, etc have marriage/civil union for their WHOLE COUNTRY, not going from state (or equivalent) to state. What did they do that we can’t do getting a federal law passed?