MADRID, June 30 - The Spanish Parliament gave final approval today to a bill legalizing same-sex marriage, making Spain only the second nation to eliminate all legal distinctions between same-sex and heterosexual unions, according to supporters of the bill.

The measure, passed by a vote of 187 to 147, establishes that couples will have the same rights, including the freedom to marry and to adopt children, regardless of gender.

"Today, Spanish society is responding to a group of people who have been humiliated, whose rights have been ignored, their dignity offended, their identity denied and their freedom restricted," Prime Minister José Luis Rodíguez Zapatero told Parliament.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/30/international/europe/30cnd-spain.html?hp

With the human rights violations that our government is causing in world today, it is nice to know that other countries are moving forward with human rights issues and doing the right thing.

Kudo's to those cuntries that are wise enough to get beyond bigotry and hatred.

FYI - both Spain and Canada are christian countries that understand what their religion is truly about. Love, not hatred.

A lot of Catholics in Spain.

FYI - both Spain and Canada are christian countries that understand what their religion is truly about. Love, not hatred.
I'm thinking not really. From what I've seen and heard about the protests in Spain the Catholics are just as vehemenous as the fundimentalists in the US. I think the population of Don't-Care followers is larger there though. The government itself is actually quite socialist and got a boost from their removal of the conservatives and from pulling out of Iraq. They have done a lot of good with that increased power, but it'll probably die down within the next year.

its only a matter of time before it happens here. It's something that cannot be stopped - just like interacial marriages was once illegal.

Times change and people become more acceptant & less bigoted over time.

Originally posted by DrewM
its only a matter of time before it happens here. It's something that cannot be stopped - just like interacial marriages was once illegal.

Times change and people become more acceptant & less bigoted over time.

I hope you're right Drew...

I do think it's interesting that this passed in a country that has been dominated by the Catholic church in the past.

Not only a lot of Catholics in Spain, but a lot of Muslims as well. It is rather surprising that after caving to the Muslims on another issue, the Spanish gov't took this truly bold step. Hooray for them.

Europeans always tend to have a more realistic view of things than Americans in general. America is so big that there is a deep divide between city dwellers and rural people in the small towns.

In small town america there is really only a few things to do beyond work - you either go to church & spend your energy on that or you snort meth amphetamine. Couple that with a TV fueled sense of reality & you have a ripe breeding ground for people who see life in simple terms.

People are religious in Europe too & I am sure there were many against this new Spanish law, but intelligence has the upper hand where in the US intelligence comes in a close 2nd.

another lecture on how great Europe is, whoopie

What part of what I wrote didn't you agree with Trav.

I think it's fairly evident that if i thought Europe was so great I'd be living there not here. I have the option to live in either Europe or the US & I go back and forth not infrequently.

That aside, it doesn't change the validity of that fact that rural US is a blend of either addiction to bigotry or addiction to meth.

Originally posted by DrewM
People are religious in Europe too & I am sure there were many against this new Spanish law, but intelligence has the upper hand where in the US intelligence comes in a close 2nd.
Yeah, we're all dumb here. Kudos to you, Drew, for calling it like you see it. In particular, I thought your breakdown of our southern people was brilliant.

I don't think everybody in the US is dumb - far from it, and I made no mention of southern people. The US is a huge place, far greater in size than European countries and it leads to a different dynamic. There is a wide gap between rural and urban mindsets in the US. The closest European country in terms of wide differences between those 2 groups is France, but France is also quite different. In France people get their reality from TV far less.

Originally posted by DrewM
I made no mention of southern people.
True, you didn't, it was rural US you were bashing, and you were probably right. I hate to admit it, but our educational system sucks in this country. There's no argument for that...

Si, como no? Viva Espana!
Speaking of marriage, Paris Hilton wants a royal wedding because she says she's the closest thing to royalty we have.
Even though the 4th is past, it's nice to be reminded why we rejected the monarchy 229 years ago.
She 's a royal pain in the ass, I'll give her that. Too bad she can't marry Henry the VIII.

Originally posted by lovejones
Too bad she can't marry Henry the VIII.
I'll second that notion! :)

Drew, I think I agree with you somewhat on the rural US issues that you pointed out. My hometown's nicname is "Meth Valley" and it is well known throughout PA as well as NY. Those that are wrapped up in it, are those that were the so-called dopers, druggies and losers (for lack of a better word) from high school.

So, like Prae said, it is definitely from the lack of education, or, should I say good education, that this comes. We need to concentrate more on our own Country's problems instead of rushing off to solve or criticize everyone elses.

Kudos to Spain, btw. Let's hope that USA turns itself around soon.