France: Adoption article for same-sex couples passes in marriage equality bill

As the marriage equality bill is being debated and voted on article by article, tonight the French Senate approved the portion of the bill that guarantees adoption rights to same-sex couples.

Anti-gay groups had been hoping this aspect of the bill would be their last stronghold.

Happily, they were wrong.

From Le Monde:

Après l’adoption de l’article 1 du projet de loi sur le “mariage pour tous”, ouvrant la voie au mariage homosexuel, le Sénat a donné son feu vert, mercredi 10 avril, à l’adoption par des couples de même sexe. Les débats ont été monopolisés par les sénateurs de droite, qui ont affirmé à nouveau que l’adoption de ce texte ouvrirait la voie à la procréation médicale assistée (PMA) et à la gestation pour autrui (GPA) puisque, selon Gérard Roche, “il n’y a pas assez d’enfants adoptables”.

Here’s what Bing translator says that means:

After the adoption of article 1 of the draft law on “marriage for all” paving the way for same-sex marriage, the Senate gave its go-ahead Wednesday, April 10, to adoption by same sex couples. The debates were monopolized by the right senators, who said again that the adoption of this text would pave the way to the assisted medical procreation (PMA) and surrogacy (GPA) since, according to Gérard Roche, “there not enough adoptable children”.

In any case – Vive la France!

Forward!

Marriage equality passes in Uruguay

Blabbeando shares the news that Uruguay gave final approval to marriage equality tonight after its House voted 92-71 to pass the bill.

President José Mujica says he intends to sign it.

This brings the number of countries that offer marriage equality to 12 as Uruguay joins The Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Canada, South Africa, Norway, Sweden, Portugal, Iceland, Argentina, and Denmark.

Three countries – Brazil, Mexico, and the U.S. – offer marriage in parts of each respective country.

France: Marriage for all – Senators say ‘yes’

Sources are reporting that the French Senate has approved the marriage equality bill in France by a vote of 179-157.

This is the Google translation of the first article I could find:

In France today, the Senate approved by 179 votes against 157 the first article of the bill on gay marriage, the most important, who opens the marriage to persons of the same sex.
 
This article was adopted “in conformity”, that is to say, without modification from the first reading vote in the National Assembly.  

This vote becomes final unless the entire bill is rejected after consideration by the Senate. It will not be subjected to a second reading in the National Assembly.


“Despite attempts to obstruct the right, the Senate just adopted Article 1 which allows same-sex couples to marry, “said François Rebsamen PS in a statement after the vote.

“The adoption of this article by a vote of the entire Senate majority, puts an end to the discrimination that resulted from sexual choices of citizens,” he added. “Given the abuses that took place either by manifestations of violence in the street, either by verbal excesses in the chamber, the vote on this article marks a victory for the fight against homophobia, tolerance and the of democracy,” he concluded.

More from AmericaBlog:

“The French Senate just voted on the most important provision of the proposed gay marriage law, and passed it. That means we’ve basically won. But there are still a few more steps before gay marriage is legal. Apparently, the way it works over there — and I’ve been conversing with a friend in Paris via Facebook for the blow-by-blow — the law is broken up into its component parts. And each part of the law gets voted on individually. In this case, the marriage part just got voted on and passed. The next step is for the other parts of the law to be voted on (it’s almost like voting on amendments, to put it in American parlance). Then, once all the parts are voted on, the Senate will one more time vote on the ENTIRE thing. But since they already voted in favor of the gay marriage portion of the law, passage of the entire pack is all but assured.”

(source: AFP)

Glenn Beck: Marriage equality is about freedom and “the principle of it is right”

Glenn Beck took a sanity pill recently and gets to a place of clarity regarding marriage equality:

“We have been so foolish. It’s not about gays, it’s not about homosexuals. It’s about freedom. The reason why they have won is because they’ve made it about freedom….By not getting it and turning in to it soon enough, you’ve been painted into the corner of a bigot. That’s why they won. Because the principle of it is right. The principle is easy to understand: “Who are you to say?…”

Who knows how long the meds will last?

(via RightWingWatch)

David Letterman on excluding gays from marriage: “It is absolute stupidity”

With Rachel Maddow sitting as the guest, no less.

Said Letterman:

“I’m just sick and tired, and I think it has really crossed the line of being nonsense. This ongoing, politically nuanced, religiously nuanced discussion of gay marriage, gay rights. It is absolute stupidity….

“Humans have the right to do what humans do, that’s it. End of story. There’s no argument. There’s no exceptions. Humans have rights and they get to do what humans get to do. Case closed. Good night.”

Illinois: GOP Sen. Mark Kirk supports marriage equality

Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL) has announced his support for marriage equality.

From Buzzfeed:

“When I climbed the Capitol steps in January, I promised myself that I would return to the Senate with an open mind and greater respect for others,” Kirk wrote on his blog.

“Same-sex couples should have the right to civil marriage. Our time on this earth is limited, I know that better than most. Life comes down to who you love and who loves you back– government has no place in the middle.”

Kirk is the second sitting Republican Senator to endorse marriage equality, following Ohio Republican Sen. Rob Portman last month.

Marie Osmond supports marriage equality

After the Osmond family hosted an anti-gay marriage event this week in Utah, this is a surprise.

Says Marie: “The God that I believe in is a god of love, not fear. I don’t tell my children if you’re not good you’re going to Hell. I tell my children that God will be there for them when they struggle. That’s the God I believe in.

“I believe in [my lesbian daughter’s] civil rights, as a mother. I think my daughter deserves everything that she desires in life. She’s a good girl. She’s a wonderful child. I don’t think God made one color flower. I think he made many…”

Several news sources reporting DOMA likely to be repealed

From TalkingPointsMemo: Emerging from Wednesday’s Supreme Court oral arguments on the Defense of Marriage Act, CNN’s reporter Jeffrey Toobin said the Court was likely to overturn the 1996 law based on the skepticism of crucial swing vote Justice Anthony Kennedy.

“I think DOMA’s in trouble and I think it’s in trouble because Anthony Kennedy was repeatedly concerned that the Defense of Marriage Act violates states’ rights,” Toobin said on CNN.

“Anthony Kennedy as we all know the swing vote on this Court is someone who is concerned about gay rights although he said very little, I think nothing about the issue of whether the Defense of Marriage Act violated gay people’s constitutional rights. He was clearly very concerned that the Defense of Marriage Act was invading the province of the state to define marriage. That’s a state function, usually. And that would certainly be suggesting that he was going to strike down the law. And certainly the other liberals, the four Democratic appointees looked like they were going to vote to strike it down.”

In addition, NBC News Justice Correspondent Pete Williams reported that there seemed to be five votes to invalidate the law.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Williams said comments from Justice Anthony Kennedy indicated that he had problems with law: whether Congress had the right to say what marriage is, as well as the lack of narrow focus in the 1996 law which may make it unconstitutionally over-broad.

Bill O’Reilly slams gay marriage opponents

Bill O’Reilly: “The compelling argument is on the side of homosexuals. That’s where the compelling argument is. ‘We’re Americans. We just want to be treated like everybody else.’ That’s a compelling argument, and to deny that, you have got to have a very strong argument on the other side. The argument on the other side hasn’t been able to do anything but thump the Bible.”

Sen. Kay Hagen supports marriage equality

Sen. Kay Hagen of North Carolina has come out in favor of marriage equality:

“I know there are strong feelings on both sides, and I have a great deal of respect for their opinions, but after much thought and prayer on my part this is where I am today.

“I know all our families do not look alike. We all want the same thing for our families. We want happiness, we want health, prosperity, a bright future for our children and grandchildren. After conversations I’ve had with family members, with people I go to church with and with North Carolinians from all walks of life, I’ve come to my own personal conclusion that we should not tell people who they can love, or who they can marry. It’s time to move forward with this issue.”