We’re so in love with Irish president Mary McAleese!
Taking a stand against homophobia today, McAleese told her country comrades that it’s their national, democratic duty to take on homophobia
Celebrating and respecting diversity among young people is at the heart of this important forum. Homophobic bullying continues to be a society-wide issue, including in our schools and the link between it and suicide sends a clear message that this trend must be reversed.
…
By working together, by standing up for the democratic values that we share, by refusing to go along with loudly-voiced prejudices, we can overcome the bias and hostility experienced by many young gay people throughout the country. No-one should have to suffer on account of their sexual orientation.
We just wet ourselves…
JJ
There must be something better about these parliamentary systems they have in Europe. Their leaders are so much more clear thinking and progressive. Sarah Palin would be a fringe party candidate there.
tallskin
JJ, I hate George Galloway, but he was magnificant when called to give evidence in your Congress
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=HrdFFCnYtbk
difference is that parliaments are combative places and the Prime minister has to answer Live. Consequence is a greater ability to actually THINK
john
She’s very pretty, smart and compassionate. I love her.
CitizenGeek
I’m lucky enough to have her as a president! This isn’t the first time she’s taken a strong stand against homophobia, either. It’s a pity our president has very little executive power, but she is influential and popular.
Sexorcism
Wow. I like that!
Dave
Why can’t our chicken S**t politicians do the same thing in the US. Europe is miles ahead of us in advancing civil rights for Gays. I love Europe!
John
In the parliamentary system, the ruling party decides who gets to be Prime Minister and/or President. So, many of these leaders have maneuvered their way through the bureaucracy for years. They know how to govern effectively, even when their party has been out of power, because they participate in “shadow” cabinets. And since there’s no “separation of powers,” they all have a little bit of legislative, executive, and judicial experience. This produces more well-rounded politicians. Since this system rewards cooperation and compromise, the emergence of a Sarah Palin would’ve been a near impossibility within a parliamentary system as well.
However, the parliamentary does have flaws. Because it is controlled by academics and technocrats, government has a tendency to treat the average citizen like dumb idiots. There’s certainly a “Nanny State” mentality within parliamentary democracies. Moreover, referendums are held sparingly. And if the ruling class doesn’t like the results, they will sometimes overrule the public.
The parliamentary system also operates largely on consensus. So, they might move more slowly than we’d like. This is especially true in Scandinavian countries (where particular issues are debated and examined for decades at a time). There isn’t a lack of public support to legalize same-sex mariage in Denmark and Sweden, for instance, but they’ve been “studying” the matter since the 1990s.
John
How Proposition 8 would work in a parliamentary system:
“We want to ban same-sex marriage!” – The People
“No, we don’t think you do” – Parliament
“But we really, really, really want to stop the homosexuals from marrying!” – The People
“No, you don’t” – Parliament
“Look, we’ve even gathered a million signatures. We demand a referendum on this right now!” – The People
“Well, our experts have advised us against it. Sorry, but no dice” – Parliament
Rigato
In that case, John, hooray for the Parliament!
Quill
I’ve always liked my Irish half — they’re the genes that give me all my hair. Now I love it even more. Can we import Mary McAleese and clone her? One to Canada, one to the States.
M Shane
That’s a real republic; much better than the U.S where the Pres. Can just steamrole the congress and everyone else (Bush).
The Catholic Church has fucked up peoples heads about sex for centuries.
The Irish seem to do pretty well once they got England off their backs.
I think that homophobia is no more than an ugly remnant of a society which is heterohegimonious. The less we worship power and angry acts the less do acts of the stong preying on the weak seem apealing.
M Shane
Cirian Doyle, Colin Farrel, J Rys Meyers,Steven Rea, K Branagh etc have played gay parts or been in gay themed movies .
It strikes me that many gay people are more open to different kinds of people .
Although in America we have some real greaseballs. My own family were a bunch of catholic fanatics.