DevilWearsZrada
56p87 comments posted · 11 followers · following 5
3 months ago @ Equality on Trial - 3/14 open thread · 2 replies · +4 points
1 year ago @ Equality on Trial - 3/22 open thread w/ UP... · 1 reply · +1 points
But there have been only two referendums in the history of Cuba and both are constitutional ones. So is a referendum on marriage equality _really_ necessary in Cuban political system?
1 year ago @ Equality on Trial - 3/22 open thread w/ UP... · 2 replies · +1 points
1 year ago @ Equality on Trial - 3/22 open thread w/ UP... · 1 reply · +3 points
1 year ago @ Equality on Trial - President Biden revers... · 8 replies · +2 points
1 year ago @ Equality on Trial - President Biden revers... · 1 reply · +2 points
As for Australian vote, it couldn't mean much if it would have negative result with low turnout. But there actually was high turnout and an overwhelmingly positive result reflecting public opinion at that time which Australian politicians already knew about before the "survey". It was yet another needless obstruction.
1 year ago @ Equality on Trial - President Biden revers... · 6 replies · +4 points
Now the only useful referendum of such a kind that can be held, especially in the US, is to finally get rid of those nasty constitutional amendments, which are still on the books even if struck down by SCOTUS. I wonder why no US state hasn't held such a referendum (except Nevada which did just that last November)? By "no US state" I mean California first of all.
By the way, the Swiss bigots' pointless appeal to the federal constitution that was adopted in 1999, didn't define marriage at all and, according to one interpretation, expressly forbids discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation simply shows how frustrated they are that they weren't sneaky enough to drag that anti-gay definition in the constitution's text 20 years ago. Without it their stance seems to be intellectually bankrupt at this moment.
1 year ago @ Equality on Trial - President Biden revers... · 0 replies · +2 points
1 year ago @ Equality on Trial - President Biden revers... · 0 replies · +2 points
1 year ago @ Equality on Trial - President Biden revers... · 8 replies · +6 points
In early December 2020, the Council of States, Switzerland’s upper house voted in favour of same sex marriage, finalising a government decision to change Switzerland’s laws to allow marriage equality for all. Since then those opposed to the idea have been busy.
The proposed referendum is entitled: Yes to marriage and family, no to marriage for everyone. The committee behind it describes themselves as: The non-partisan referendum committee against marriage for everyone and access to sperm donation for lesbian couples, suggesting the vote is focused on a specific element of marriage equality: medically assisted procreation.
The organisers, who describe same sex union as pseudo marriage, believe the planned legal changes required to implement it undermine the constitution. Article 14 of Switzerland’s constitution guarantees a right to marriage and family, and vote organisers argue that this means the natural union of men and women, a definition that excludes same sex marriage.
According to the initiative website, the committee behind the recent initiative includes a number of members of the Swiss People’s Party (SVP/UDC), the Democratic Christian Party (CVP/PDC) and the Federal Democratic Union (EDU/UDF). https://lenews.ch/2021/01/14/swiss-referendum-lau...
Note: I had to rewrite the headline as the original one implied that enough signatures have been already collected for the referendum to be held. Actually, the initiative committee is quite frank about it on its website:
"From December 31, 2020 to April 10, 2021, we need to collect at least 50,000 certified signatures. Unfortunately, corona measures make collecting signatures very difficult."
I hope they won't collect enough signatures. Human rights, especially minorities rights, should not be placed on ballot. Even though referendums are a common practice in Switzerland, if held, such a referendum would set a harmful precedent for other countries.