But nobody said anything about singing!
Shortly after the 77 to 44 vote was announced, onlookers in the gallery raised their voices to recite the lyrics of “Pokarekare Ana,” a famous kiwi love song. One day, when this happens in the United States, we’ll be in the gallery with a boombox ready to start a singalong of our own.
MikeE
this brought tears to my eyes.
it was incredibly moving.
Gigi Gee
Congratulations!
Kieran
Let Freedom Ring! If not across America, atleast across New Zealand.
Dionte
@MikeE: mine too
jwrappaport
Our legislature is doubly embarrassing after seeing this.
Sohobod
They are essentially British.
hamoboy
@Sohobod: You’ve never been here to cloudy land have you? Or did you just go south? 🙂 Either way, so happy for my country, and proud of us. Next up, finding that special someone I’d want to exercise this new right with.
Aaron in Honolulu
This made me tear ;
MuscleModelBlog.com
Amazing! Congrats, New Zealand!
plaintom
Kiwis, you are a class act.
DOFEK
WOW good for you Kiwi guys! and the USA Anthem, in fucking English 🙁 WTF!. AdamHomo
Marcos
Note that at the beginning, he says “can I ask that you refrain from any comments, there will be a waiata after the clerk has announced the third reading”… waiata is Maori for “song”, so this was planned. = nobody was saying “Oh, they told us we can’t comment, but we will spontaneously sing!”
zrocqs
Wow! What a beautiful and moving example of civilization.
MikeE
@Marcos: no one claimed that it it was a reaction to “refrain from comments”. whether the song is planned in advance or spontaneous is entirely irrelevant.
that they used a song to celebrate something like this is what is moving.
that the New Zealand parliament voted in marriage equality is what is moving.
put that all together and it creates one beautiful, memorable, moving moment.