05 Dec U.S.: Odd Man Out on Same-Sex Marriage?
05.12.06
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2 Comments
See this op-ed in the L.A. Times. Interesting that even Catholic countries are getting on this bandwagon. Immigration law is likely to be a flashpoint on the question, as the U.S. persists in refusing to recognize same-sex relationships for purposes of preferential admission.
It seems somewhat misleading; South Africa has an extremely liberal Constitution after apartheid, and the only reason for the margin was that the ANC required a yes vote on it. It seems a lot more likely that other factors, such as the War in Iraq and anti-Bush feeling in general are helping propel left-leaving governments to power, who then allow things like gay marriage. The Israel example is strange – Israel only recognizes religious marriages (you can’t just go get a certificate), and no rabbis are about to perform those for same-sex couples. One might as well write an op-ed on the global warming to decriminalize drugs; as Amsterdam and Mexico have done it, and some US states allow it for medical purposes, clearly it is the next global thing.
The Israeli example may be “strange” but actually it is because Israel has only religious marriage that we have a long tradition of registering foregin marriages without addressing their validity in Israel, as many Israelis who could not or did not want to marry in Israel married in Cyprus or elsewhere and then got registered in Israel. So it is this practical solution to their problem which now opened the door (assuming and hoping the legislative inititative to overturn this judgment will fail) – to same sex marriage.
You can read my analysis of the case here
http://www.nyls.edu/pdfs/ln0612.pdf