Gay marriage in UK set for vote

[crazy canuck]

Can we refocus this discussion away from absolute values of concern to relative ones? I'm considerably less interested in parsing exactly how much Americans care than with the notion that we care so much more than Brits.

Given how much religion is intertwined with your political process it is hard for me to understand your position.

[Razgovory]

This coming from a guy in country who's head of state is also the head of a religion.

[crazy canuck]

This coming from a guy in country who's head of state is also the head of a religion.

Rim shot of all rim shots Raz

[Eddie Teach]

If Brits/Canadians/Scandinavians/etc didn't care at all about the issue, they wouldn't have changed their laws. They cared enough to do so and they have clear majorities in favor of gay marriage so it has ceased being an issue for their press to talk about(though apparently whether Americans follow suit is an issue of considerable interest). Our population has a similar level of interest, though many are opposed, so there are efforts to change the laws and they don't always work. Brits aren't talking about it because they already have it and they've accepted it. This vote on whether to call a marriage a marriage isn't that interesting.

[mongers]

This coming from a guy in country who's head of state is also the head of a religion.

Tony Blair is no longer our head of state.   

[crazy canuck]

If Brits/Canadians/Scandinavians/etc didn't care at all about the issue, they wouldn't have changed their laws. They cared enough to do so and they have clear majorities in favor of gay marriage so it has ceased being an issue for their press to talk about(though apparently whether Americans follow suit is an issue of considerable interest).

Its just that many of us looking from outside in are continually amazed at how such an advanced society can be so backward in so many ways.

[crazy canuck]

This coming from a guy in country who's head of state is also the head of a religion.

Tony Blair is no longer our head of state.   

[OttoVonBismarck]

If Brits/Canadians/Scandinavians/etc didn't care at all about the issue, they wouldn't have changed their laws. They cared enough to do so and they have clear majorities in favor of gay marriage so it has ceased being an issue for their press to talk about(though apparently whether Americans follow suit is an issue of considerable interest).

Its just that many of us looking from outside in are continually amazed at how such an advanced society can be so backward in so many ways.

I always laugh at those sort of comments coming from people who live under monarchies.

[Martinus]

It really required some bizarre reasoning contortions to argue that gay marriage is not important in US politics. If every candidate in the  recent US presidential race was asked about it, and if it is mentioned in the US president's inauguration speech, then I'd say it is important.

[Razgovory]

They also will have said something about corn subsidies in Iowa.

[Valmy]

They also will have said something about corn subsidies in Iowa.

In the inauguration speech?  No wonder I never watch them.

[Eddie Teach]

It really required some bizarre reasoning contortions to argue that gay marriage is not important in US politics. If every candidate in the  recent US presidential race was asked about it, and if it is mentioned in the US president's inauguration speech, then I'd say it is important.

Nobody said anything about politics. My contention is that it bears the same importance in American society as it does in British. The reason both the press and politicians talk about it more is that it is not settled yet. The issue is settled in all but name in Britain and British people all realize the inevitability of its course.

[Martinus]

It really required some bizarre reasoning contortions to argue that gay marriage is not important in US politics. If every candidate in the  recent US presidential race was asked about it, and if it is mentioned in the US president's inauguration speech, then I'd say it is important.

Nobody said anything about politics. My contention is that it bears the same importance in American society as it does in British. The reason both the press and politicians talk about it more is that it is not settled yet. The issue is settled in all but name in Britain and British people all realize the inevitability of its course.

Ok but from that perspective, gun control, abortion or war on drugs are also unimportant, and the main reason why they generate heat is that they are divisive.

From that perspective, very few things people vote for are "important". The country being a democratic republic is probably one, but that is not really voted on. And the state of the economy is probably another, but then this is something politicians have really little influence on. (In a country like Poland, Russia not invading us is also important, but you do not have aggressive neighbours with a greater military power than yours). Nothing else is "important".

[Martinus]

But if you redefine "important" to mean things like "who wins the superbowl is important" or "Jesus being/not being mentioned in the President's speech is important" then gay marriage is important. It's one of the staked out playing fields where people can determine if their "team" is winning or losing, and feel better or worse about themselves.

[Eddie Teach]

Well, yeah, it's not so much that it's unimportant, it's just not a national obsession like Josq was trying to make out. People care about gay marriage in Britain too, they've just mostly come to an agreement on how to handle it.