Fighting words

Recently I read about a nerdy Christian socialist who wants gay couples to enjoy the happiness in marriage that he’s found in his own. It’s JC Junker, Prime Minister of Luxembourg, who leads the Christian Social Party (CSP).
A committed Christian like our PM, he also believes in the separation of church and state- and has been a same-sex marriage supporter for sometime. In 2007 a marriage bill was defeated by nine votes in the Luxembourg Parliament. Then it was JC’s party who were the obstacle. But 2 years on, the party has changed its mind and Justice Minister, François Biltgen, says the bill will be voted on as soon as possible.
Luxembourg will then become the 8th country to legalise same-sex marriage- the 6th in Europe to do so. When Portugal does the same later this year, same-sex marriage will be legal in 1 in 4 EU countries.

Meanwhile, in the US, where gays can marry in 6 states, the cause is attracting supporters from new and unusual quarters. When George W Bush took office his pick for Solicitor-General was Ted Olson, the lawyer who’d won his presidency in court despite the Democrats getting more votes. But Olson is now one of two attorneys fighting to overturn Prop 8 and re-legalise same-sex marriage in California. Olson claims he’s never taken a case he couldn’t win. He believes in it so much he’s even discounted his legal fees. Says Olson, It is a conservative value to respect the relationship that people seek to have with one another -” a stable, committed relationship that provides a backbone for our community … conservatives should value that.

Meanwhile, our Christian socialist PM refuses to defend his policy. At the NDA we have a chance to force him to; to ask why celebrants must be forced by law to remind gay wedding guests that this country discriminates by stating Marriage … is the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others?

To ask why, if keeping gays out of marriage is about ensuring kids are brought up in stable homes, we allow rapists , murderers, even known child abusers, to marry, so long as they’re heterosexual? Unlike JC Junker, Kevin Rudd says he’ll never let you marry while he’s in office. And unlike Ted Olsen’s open conservatism he’s committed to a radical form of discrimination that most Australians want done away with. If you think you’d make a better parent than a rapist, this weekend is the time to let your voice be heard.