Public hearings began today in South Africa as the country continues to mull over exactly how they’ll be dealing with gay marriage. LGBT organizations and politicians gathered in White City in the township of Soweto (yeah, we think it’s a bit tacky, too) to debate whether the proposed Civil Union Act creates a separate – and decidedly unconstitutional – class for gays of the marrying type. Obviously, gay activists maintain the Act’s inequality, while the conservative folk insist on securing the sanctity of marriage.
The hearings were interrupted temporarily as all the people who lost their lives fighting apartheid rolled in their graves.
Andrew Owen
I know that a lot of what makes this blog what it is relies on comment and irreverent remarks. However, I think your representation of the debate in SA to be insensitive and distracting.
White City is a symbolic name for a country still struggling with a traumatic and racist past, located in the depths of site of much of the struggle. You describing it as “tacky” only exposes the shallow depths of your understanding of the context in which these debates are taking place. Also, referring to those who died in the apartheid struggle, demonstrates a truly tacky gesture.
The fact that the debate around gay marriage is being given a forum in a continent with a dubious reputation for gay rights is massively significant. I know you struggle with truly understanding things happening outside the states (although I’m sure your recent “road-trip” to far flung Canada has helped that) but the debate in SA is far more significant (in it’s depth and impact) than the trivial and petty attempts to get gay marriage onto the US political agenda. Those who died, fought the struggle so that such debates could take place. A little respect wouldn’t go amiss.
It might be better if you restrict your coverage of international events to simple facts, rather than commentary that undermines your whole agenda.
Halo
Well said Andy:)