Report on gay marriage in Ireland
Report on gay marriage in Ireland
MarriagEquality's report in pdf: A staggering 81%, or eight out of ten people believe that all people living in Ireland should receive equal treatment from the state regardless of whether they are lesbian, straight or gay. Indeed, six out of ten people believe that denying marriage to lesbians and gay men is a form of discrimination. The same number, six out of ten, further believe that excluding lesbians and gay men from marriage in a registry office is unfair.
Above text courtesy of Dermod Moore: http://delicious.com/bonhom.ie
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EU Should Admit Greece is Bankrupt | Christian Rickens
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The mistake isn’t the size, but the construction of the bailout package. It isn’t geared to the requirements of the people of Greece but to the needs of the international financial markets, meaning the banks.
How else can one explain the fact that around a quarter of the package won’t even arrive in Athens but will flow directly to the country’s international creditors? The holders of Greek government bonds are to get some €30 billion as an incentive to convert their old paper into new bonds. The aim is to keep alive the illusion that Greece isn’t bankrupt — after all, the creditors are voluntarily forgiving part of the debt. The financial sector is cleverly manipulating the fear that a Greek bankruptcy would trigger a fatal chain reaction.
That leaves €100 billion. But that too isn’t geared to what Greece needs in order to get back on its feet. It’s linked to an estimate of how much debt the Greek economy can bear without collapsing. International technocrats agree that with debts amounting to 120 percent of gross domestic product, the country can just about go on servicing its debt. That’s the level at which the cow can go on supplying milk without dying of exhaustion. So 120 percent became the goal.
Collaboration, with our European partners | Cunning Hired Knaves
The European project was supposed to be a bulwark against the dangers of fascist ambition, but now it is the instrument used to dismantle European democracy in the interest of the risk adverse looking for a steady income stream from the provision of the social net by those who cite the words and actions of old fascists while doing so.
The post Collaboration, with our European partners by Richard of Cunning Hired Knaves summed up in one sentence. For much better sentences and many more urgent points read the post.
On Sunday there were massive demonstrations throughout the Spanish state, with half a million people on the streets of Madrid and 450,000 in Barcelona, protesting against the labour ‘reform’ planned by the Partido Popular, the right-wing party that most closely represents the interests of the power elites that conserved their position when the transition from dictatorship to democracy was undertaken.
S.P.A.R.K. protest at cuts to lone parents, Dublin 18th February 2012
Many families were cut in the last budget but lone parent families were particularly hit by the Fine Gael/Labour Party government.
The key elements are that single parents can’t take advantage of training such as Community Employment (CE) Schemes and when the youngest child turns 7 years old, the parent is declassed as a lone parent but treated as an ordinary worker even though there are few affordable creche places. There is a bill coming up in March which will copper fasten some of the worst elements of government plans.
There is particular anger directed at the Labour Party because they are associated with women’s rights and a more progressive society.
Please share the link to this video
Exiting the euro | Michael Roberts
Michael Roberts argues that those in Greece who cite the example of Argentina when suggesting that Greece should leave the Euro are not necessarily looking at the whole picture. The situations are not the same, Roberts points out, citing Argentina’s former central bank governor at the time, Mario Blejer and his recent piece in the Financial Times. He also points to research based on the the experience of five recent devaluations of economies in crisis (including that of Argentina) which “shows that they lead to a 10-20% fall in real GDP and take five to ten years to recover to previous real GDP levels. But that is not to say that there is no alternative to “lowering wages, privatising the state sector, reducing taxes for the corporate sector (especially big business) and ‘deregulating’ labour markets i.e. the super-exploitation of the Greek people to raise profitability.”
But the left could also find an alternative policy to exiting the euro where Greece negotiates a full default on its debt to private and foreign bondholders; takes over the banks; and uses the savings from bond and interest repayments (€17-20bn a year) to start state directed investment in jobs, technology and funding small businesses, while staying in the euro to protect the savings of the people from destruction, keeping down inflation and avoiding a rise in foreign debt. The question of exiting the euro then becomes an issue for the Euro leaders to impose (and to be resisted by a campaign within Europe), not as the main policy plank of the left.
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Solidarity campaign to support the people of Greece
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Chris Dillow | Capitalism against freedom
[...]
During the Cold War, opponents of communism routinely, and not entirely wrongly, claimed to be champions of liberty. Freedom for capitalists and freedom of speech and thought go together, it was claimed. “Freedom is indivisible” wrote Bruce Winton Knight in 1952. “Economic freedom is…an indispensable means toward the achievement of political freedom“ wrote Milton Friedman in Capitalism and Freedom. And back in 1944 Friedrich Hayek complained that “We have progressively abandoned that freedom in economic affairs without which personal and political freedom has never existed in the past.”
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Ian Stewart | The mathematical equation that caused the banks to crash
In The Observer, Sunday 12 February 2012
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Greece: a Sisyphean task | Michael Roberts
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As Greece stares into the abyss, Europe must choose | Maria Margaronis
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The trouble with historical metaphors is that they can obscure the present: what’s really at stake here is not Greece’s identity but Europe’s. All eyes are fixed on Athens, but the way out of the crisis requires a choice about what kind of Europe we want. The one we have now, with its deep structural inequalities and its rigid adherence to a failed economic ideology, protects neither democracy nor human rights. Stiff-necked and punitive, it prefers to eat its children.
Comment by: Martin Beirne
Jul 19th 2009 at 18:07
Sir/Madam
I am writing to try and explain to you why same sex marriage is wrong and in the hope that my argument may at least encourage you to have another debate about your party’s open support of it. I am a retired art teacher of art who played in rock bands for over two decades so I probably fall into the ‘assumed liberal’ category.
I totally support civil unions between homosexuals. They should have the right to pass their property and monies onto their partners when they die.
Marriage? No.
Here are my reasons:
1. The institution of marriage was created primarily so that babies could be created and come into a mother-father setup. Of course it isn’t perfect and single women will continue to bear children and rear them either alone or with a boyfriend/partner.
2. Why would two men want to get married when they cannot produce babies? As a stepping-stone to legal adoption only. Otherwise, civil union should be enough for them.
3. Neither can two lesbians (married or not) create a baby. Even with clever use of semantics, ‘their’ child is either someone else’s or was carried by only ONE of them who was impregnated by male sperm. The other one is nothing to the child (apart from mother’s lover) no matter how often they say the “two mummies” mantra.
4. Not enough research has been done on children who have been raised by same-sex couples. Who knows who or what they will blame if they turn out to be (as a percentage no doubt will) criminals - “oh the boy had a very strange childhood - he was raised by two men your honour and never knew who his mother is.”
5. The same-sex marriage idea is being pushed by a minority group. Why can’t other minority groups look for marriage too? Brother and sister? Son and widowed mother? Uncle and 14-year old niece? “Oh don’t be ridiculous” I hear! It’s NOT ridiculous. There are small minority groups out there who would accept/support those unions - like it or not. Why give in to the most vociferous minority group?
6. And another “Oh don’t be ridiculous” argument: What if . . . same-sex marriage became even more fashionable than it already is? What if, in 100 years time, more than 50% of Irish people decided that they wanted to marry someone of the same sex? What if, in 500 years time, more than 90% of Irish people decided that they wanted to marry someone of the same sex? You know what - total chaos. No children. No schools. No students. No new graduates. No jobs. Armegeddon.
Think about it.
Martin B.
Comment by: D-Patrick
Aug 26th 2009 at 01:08
This is a direct comment on the first by “Martin B.
I am a twenty-one year old recent graduate from County Cork.
To be perfectly honest after reading your statement I’m personally offended. I believe that Gays and Lesbians have been fighting for equal rights for many, many years and we like African Americans (I hope that is the proper ethnical term) and other unrecognised ethnicities have the right to be like everyone else.
Homosexuals have been persecuted for being different for far too long.
If America can vote in a spectacular African American President, why can’t Ireland vote in Gay Marriage?
I myself, have personal and just reasons why Gay-Marriage should be made legal in Ireland;
1. In February 2009 a survey indicated that 62% of Irish people supported same-sex marriage and would vote in favour of it if a referendum were held.
2. In my personal opinion Marriage is yes, a sacred union between two people who love each other dearly and are prepared to spend theirs lives together. Whether they are an opposite sex couple or a same-sex couple, all that matters is that the love they carry for one another is pure.
3. Same-sex couples are entitled to adopt or can find a seraget to have a child for them. There are many options available to all couples, from all walks of life. I do in fact know of a couple that have done this and are blissfully happy.
I have spoken to my family previously and have warned them that if I were to meet that special someone that I would want to marry him, I would want to spend my life with him and share all my love and affection with him forever.
Civil Ceremonies provide security but that does not have the same effect or security that a marriage provides.
I have always wanted to be a father and when that time will come and trust me, it will, I want to be married. I want to be recognised as married by Irish law. It may not mean much to those who are not of the homosexual persuasion “so to speak”, and I do not to be a stereotype, I mean only to get my point across.
Homosexual men and women have the right to want to marry like their parents. We see other countries such as; Belgium, The Netherlands, Norway, Spain & Sweden, all with Marriage legalised. Is it too much to ask for the same here?
D-Patrick, Cork
Comment by: r kelly
Sep 8th 2009 at 02:09
I fully agree with you patrick. if were left to some people in ireland and I must single out the church in this regard we would be left back in the dark ages with candles. its all rather sad to think that we are still debating this kind of stuff still in Ireland.
Comment by: caz
Nov 10th 2009 at 10:11
I am deeply angered by the fact that in this country as we face into public sector pay cuts and low income wage cuts that i am expected to pay the taxes the same as everyone else (which i am more then happy to do) but am unable to expect the government to acknowledge that as a lesbian i may want to get married and have children.
we are all shouldering the full force of the recession in taxes and pay cuts but where the hell is our equal treatment in the eyes of the state?
why in 2009 are we even having this argument ? why should it matter to the state who i want to get married so long as i remain a tax payer and law abiding citizen.
ireland has come a long way since the dark days prior to legalisation in ‘93 and we have come so far. lets not fall on the last hurdle.
it is indeed a human right issue.
Comment by: caz
Nov 10th 2009 at 10:11
by the way, the above comment with the clear emphasis on ‘them.’ surely we are not all people ? i do not refer to people with different lifestyles as ‘them.’ we are all the same. we eat, drink, walk, talk and are the same. but the more we use terms like ‘them’ and ‘us’ to define ourselves. the bigger the divide we create.
Comment by: donagh
Nov 10th 2009 at 16:11
You’re absolutely right Caz, and right to be angry. And what is more most Irish people agree with us. It is only the government that is out of step. It seems we don’t have a government for the people - only for some people and we all know who they are.
Comment by: Daly-Patrick
Nov 11th 2009 at 03:11
I fully agree with both of you, as I’ve already stated in the second comment on this article. “We” (being anyone with an open mind, which is most of Ireland by now) should not have to be afraid of who we are or what we represent. Most of Irish citizens at this stage have accepted Homosexual men and women and agree that equal rights should be given to “us” also. We breath, talk, laugh & cry just like everyone else. And, I also agree that the government is “out of step”.
One thing is for sure, the Irish Government is mostly made up of TDs that stuck in the past & are refusing to budge.
Comment by: Danny
Dec 16th 2009 at 03:12
Hello,
My name is Danny and I strongly believe in human rights and the support of equality in marriage. We are all human and I know that God made all of us. Whether we are gay or straight, God made us all individually and loves us all uniquely. I’ve been brought up in a home of love, compassion, understanding, and acceptance. Love comes in many forms, and love cannot be stopped. Love is like a fast flowing river that breaks through dams and reaches unfathomable distances. Love cannot be hindered. I believe that if two people are truly in love… that they should be able to marry. We as humans have accomplished many great things… accepting gays with open arms with love and acceptance will be such a great step for all of us. How can you judge two people in love? God made all of us and God wants us all to love each other and accept each other hand in hand. God wants us to live lives of love, happiness, charity, acceptance and pure togetherness. Each and every one of us is meant to be with someone else… whether they be of the same gender or not, for love is unstoppable. I am a person of Faith, who believes in Love, Equality, Acceptance, and Understanding. God made all of us and His Love is everlasting.
Comment by: Liam McDuibhir
Feb 4th 2010 at 19:02
-Martin B,
Homosexuality,I’m sorry to say,will not increase with
more legislation in place that gives us the rights that we are being denied!
There has always been a similar hetro to homosexual ratio,and I dont think the way people are born will
be changed due to which sex I or anybody else wish to marry.
In countries like the neatherlands,belgium,norway and sweeden,they certainly have not seen the dramatic rise in open homosexualality amoung their citizens that you fear could take place.
6 out of 10 people beleive that homosexuals should have the right to marry.6 out of 10 people would also vote in favour of gay marraige when there is a referendum.These ‘beleifs’sir, are by no means the of a minority,but a country!
Comment by: cash
Jun 2nd 2010 at 02:06
hiya poeple …i would like to say something . ok am from mauritius n am in ireland form nearly 3 yrs now
n am in a very serious relationship with a man yes a man we r living together looking after each other as life is going .but first of all those poeple who says that gay marriage should not be legal in ireland they actually r not human n who know tomorrow there might be a gay child growing up in there own household then they will be the first one to accept gay marriage . am here studying n working .i have my own car ,i pay 2000 euro every year for college fee ,tax , rent , spending money in day to day living ,if i would marry a woman it would be no problem at all but fortunately i love a man i feel like its a big deal for this government n some people in this country its a petty i want to stay here with my husband but its kind of becoming a dream . if people would know in what condition s my partner then they will realise that a relationship is not ony love n sex but caring a lot i mean it a lot for each other i have to look after my partner a lot koz of his health n am affraid that all this will result as one day i will have to leave this country koz am not n eu citizen or am not married to him .then what do we call this . funny i have a mauritian friend who is married to an irish woman n he is way better than me . ok he is mauritian , i am,he is studying , i am , he is living in ireland n paying tax , i am , but he is married already but am on waiting list hahahaha like god know what gonna happen …. will i be able to get married i reall have to pray a lot i think
……