Up Front by Emma Hart

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Up Front: Choice, Bro

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  • Kyle Matthews,

    Wow. John Banks to vote for the bill.

    It feels wrong to be on the same side of a debate as that man.

    I shall compensate by taking tremendous joy from the fact that he's going to vote the right way, and hate every fucking second of it. Double rainbow!

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • merc,

    John, drink your tea John.
    John, it's cold John.
    John, it's colder outside John.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Today's New Zealand Herald editorial backs marriage equality, if in an oddly passive way.

    And for balance, Bruce Logan is invited in to make some weird arguments against it. Ggiven Logan's previous issues, we ought to be glad that he is only plagiarising his own columns for other newspapers now.

    Although the ODT's bio note:

    "Bruce Logan is an educator and writer who has been director of the Maxim Institute in New Zealand."

    Is more useful than the Herald's:

    "Bruce Logan is a former Auckland schoolteacher now living in France."

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Tim Michie,

    That would be insane.

    For the protection of my sanity I've stopped listening to Colin self-justifying once I've heard his stance.

    I get that he may become important if National wants to exchange John for 2014 support but not yet for me to listen.

    I'm glad marking diffrence to Colin has encouragd John to listen to advice.

    Auckward • Since Nov 2006 • 614 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Campbell,

    I'm continually being confused by these competing ideas coming from the antis:

    "Gay marriage changes everything, it will destroy our society"

    "Gay people already have all the rights of marriage in civil unions, it's a tiny change, why bother"

    Really I guess we're really arguing about a word "marriage" - who gets to use it, on the right we have people who want to use it as a type of apartheid, separate but equal, they're putting up walls around their lager to protect against the majority who accept and love their gay friends and family ... and now the gays want to move into the neighbourhood, buy the house next door, start a family, send them to their schools

    Of course it's about more than a word, it's also about adoption too - something no one's really talking about - I bet they see a future with a bunch of Modern Families moving in next door - guess what - there are gay families with kids everywhere already, they're already next door - they don't just happen when two guys adopt ....

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Don't NZ newspapers expect reprint rights on their content?

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Paul Campbell,

    Of course it’s about more than a word, it’s also about adoption too – something no one’s really talking about

    To be fair, Paul, there’s been a lot of talking about adoption law reform for years – and it’s as messy as it is complicated. But it’s not as sexy for the lamestream media as “OMFG, teh gayz are greasing the slippery slope to Crazy Cat Lady forming a harem of bestial polygamy with her petz!”

    It feels wrong to be on the same side of a debate as that man.

    Yeah. Well. Whatever. Never voted Labour in my life; exceedingly unlikely I ever will. But during the term of the Fifth Labour Government, even I had to admit the Liarbore Dykeocracy got it right occasionally. :)

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Attachment

    Speaking of pets, Paul Brislen was briefly under the impression that the Colin Emma addresses here was Colin the Cat of Point Chevalier. So for the avoidance of doubt ...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • andin,

    Sez Brucey

    In becoming the author of marriage the state must eventually erode religious freedom and then freedom of speech.

    Eh, Talk about drawing a long bow! This one is gargantuan

    raglan • Since Mar 2007 • 1891 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Russell Brown,

    And for balance, Bruce Logan is invited in to make some weird arguments against it.

    His argument is not so much "weird" as tossed-off word salad that would get a WTF? F in a first year philosophy paper. I can't respond to something where there's no actual argument to engage with.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Old Nat feeling very proud of ALL the younglings today.

    In a rare move of political unity, the Young Nationals, Young Labour, Young Greens, Mana Rangatahi and Act on Campus have issued a joint statement urging all their MPs to vote in favour of Louisa Wall’s same sex marriage bill at its first reading on Wednesday.

    Does make one feel the scar tissue wasn't for naught.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Pussy Right...

    Speaking of pets...

    So Colin is in the Tom Tom Club?

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    So Colin is in the Tom Tom Club?

    Or the "Tom Cat" Club. Oh no, they got a divorce . Goss from the Herald last week, was, she's doing well, he's losing weight.

    Coat gettin'

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Brodie Davis,

    I really don't get it, even if it is a "choice" why should anyone oppose the right for marriage for all? Aside from just being small minded bigots, it just doesn't make sense to me.

    (please note, I don't believe sexual preference is a choice, I just don't understand why it makes a difference)

    Since Aug 2008 • 54 posts Report Reply

  • Bart Janssen, in reply to Heather Gaye,

    I can't think of anything that'd convince me he's made this (or any) decision based on human rights and basic decency

    My guess is he discovered that some homosexual people are rich.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report Reply

  • Emma Hart, in reply to Brodie Davis,

    please note, I don't believe sexual preference is a choice, I just don't understand why it makes a difference

    In some of the incredibly squicky reading I did yesterday, it was stated that US law provides protection for minorities as long as they're "born that way". Now, given they also have freedom of, oh, religion, it's clearly not that simple, but it seems there are a number of people who believe this, that rights around gender and ethnicity have (and should have) more protection than rights around, say, disability and religion. But mostly it is the "if you choose you can just stop, ergo I don't have to support your deviant lifestyle."

    I wish someone would support my deviant lifestyle: it's quite expensive.

    Paul Brislen was briefly under the impression that the Colin Emma addresses here was Colin the Cat of Point Chevalier.

    Soz, Colin. I meant the Colin less capable of critical thought.

    given Logan's previous issues, we ought to be glad that he is only plagiarising his own columns for other newspapers now.

    That Bruce Logan column was my very favourite batfuck insane anti-equality piece until I found this: Marriage equality causes abortion. Beat that.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Marriage equality causes abortion. Beat that.

    I’d rather not get fuckwit juice all over my good riding crop. Will this seal club I prepared earlier do?

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    I’d rather not get fuckwit juice all over my good riding crop. Will this seal club I prepared earlier do?

    There's been no reason to take that guy seriously ever since that plagiarism incident.

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • Emma Hart,

    And if people haven't seen it, get some morning lulz by typing familyfirst.co.nz into your address bar.

    Don't let your domain names lapse, people.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Emma Hart,

    Familyfist.org.nz was cyber-squatted offline by we-know-who.

    And for more lulz, check out the (now offline) Righttosmack.co.nz. In particular, this stood out:

    3. Once this had been done, the geological projectile therapy should begin. Ensure that none of the projectiles are more than 6000 years old.

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    I'm assuming that NZ First, UF and the Maori Party don't have youth wings. (I thought NZF had one for the under 65s?)

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Rich of Observationz,

    I’m assuming that NZ First, UF and the Maori Party don’t have youth wings. (

    The less I think about New Zealand First the happier everyone else is, but even if Winston's personality cult had a youth wings why would you think he'd take a blind bit of notice of it?

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    I’m assuming that NZ First, UF and the Maori Party don’t have youth wings. (I thought NZF had one for the under 65s?)

    There are posters downstairs in my building trying to entice uni students to NZ First's. I guessing they cost host their first national conference in a phone booth or similar.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Phil fryer,

    Well I don't get why people would choose to join the military - anywhere !
    I don't really know -why folk would wanna marry,
    surely, its not a piece of paper, that means commitment, a will means ya stuff goes where ya choose !
    Aren't people more likely, to stay together, without legal compulsion, name change,
    civil union, or is it just "the religious & state approval".
    I just prefer a range of concurrent lovers, which seems to work well fro me !
    But , I guess life would be a bore, if we all saw the world in the same !

    Laingholm • Since Mar 2011 • 34 posts Report Reply

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