Korean Job Discussion Forums

Octavius Hite

So now SA has moved ahead of Ameirca when it comes to human rights and equality. Good for them:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6147010.stm

thepeel · Joined: 08 Aug 2004

No need for the hyperbole.

Some American states have legalized SS unions and others are sure to follow.

But, I agree that this is great news. I hope that it sets an example for the rest of the region and beyond.

Moldy Rutabaga · Joined: 01 Jul 2003 Location: Ansan, Korea

Now everybody has the equal right to be shot at and robbed during their wedding! Way to go, SA!

Ken:>

freethought · Joined: 13 Mar 2005

I don't think there's any hyperbole there. Look at what's going on in America today. There's a massive drive to amend the constitution, a drive supported by the president, to ban gay 'marriage' in any and all forms. That should be appalling to 'freedom lovers', but instead it's warmly embraced, or politely ignored.

When you couple that with things like the Military Commissions Act and the Patriot Act, which essentially call into question the fundamental freedoms that America was supposedly founded on, and Octavious' comments are far from hyberbole.

On the other hand · Joined: 19 Apr 2003 Location: I walk along the avenue

Slep · Joined: 14 Oct 2006

dogbert · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Location: Killbox 90210

That's in South Africa's own interest.

More gay marriage = fewer babies born.

Fewer babies born = less baby rape.

Gopher · Joined: 04 Jun 2005

On the other hand · Joined: 19 Apr 2003 Location: I walk along the avenue

Octavius Hite · Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2006 7:59 pm Post subject:

Yes, I did it intentionally to get people to read it. I think its important for people to see that civilised countries are including all citizens under their rule of law and that is not bringing about the rapture or anything else we warned about in those fairy tales.

Gopher · Joined: 04 Jun 2005

Adventurer · Joined: 28 Jan 2006

Countries are liberal on certain issues and not liberal on other issues. I cannot compare South Africa to the U.S. What are conditions like for women in South Africa? What rights do workers have?
Anyway, few European countries have gay marriage. Few countries in the world do, period. Canada, Norway, the Netherlands, Spain, and South Africa are the few countries that permit it. I think what happened in the U.S. is that after Canada passed gay marriage by a majority but not an overwhelming majority, gay activists underestimated the difference in culture between the two countries and did so, mind you, when a president elected by the Christian Right was in power and not Bill Clinton who was barely able to get the "Don't ask don't tell" idea across to the people. I think more Americans nationally are open to civil unions, and a large percentage are open to the idea of gay marriage. I think if gay marriage is going to come through in the U.S. it will take probably about 10 to 15 years or so. The younger voters may have a different take on those vote today.
You said liberals do not pay enough attention to this issue. You are right. The homosexual constituency which is far less than the African American and Hispanic ones are weakened by the Log Cabin Republicans who put too much faith in the GOP. When you are a homosexual, you need state and societal intervention to uplift your segment of the population and that also applies to people of poverty, so the people of the Log Cabin are holding a contradictory political alliance.
Also, South Africans are probably not as beholden to the ideas of traditional Christianity in the same way Americans are in the U.S., and the same applies to Canadians. In the two party system with fierce competition among the Democrats and Republicans find the issue to be
too divisive, too much of a hot potato. I think people should have waited until another presidency before pushing for this in the U.S., from a tactical stand point.

On the other hand · Joined: 19 Apr 2003 Location: I walk along the avenue

Octavius Hite · Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2006 9:11 pm Post subject:

It's funny you mention the NFB, probably the best and most underrated (at least by the movie going public) film studio in the world.

As for the article, I had no idea I used a Rocky Balboaism but thats just as kool, some of the old film school coming out in me.

Kuros · Joined: 27 Apr 2004

In the 2006 mid-terms, there were state constitutional bans on gay marriage (or similarly worded propositions) in 7 of 8 states in which such propositions were proposed, including South Dakota (who rejected the ban on abortion), and Arizona. Only Arizona defeated the ban.

Arizona is considered a very young state. 27% of Arizona is under the age of 18 versus 25% in the rest of the country. Arizona also registers a growth rate of 15%, three times that of the national average.

If I may offer some anecdotal evidence as well, in my experience younger people are much more comfortable with gays than older people. It's a different environment. It's undeniable that open homosexuality is more prevalant in the US than it was in the 1950s (Right, Ya-ta Laughing

?). People of my generation are just a lot more comfortable about it.

I guess what I'm saying is that it's going to take time. America in terms of civil rights has often chosen to settle things on a state to state issue. Again, Ya-Ta Boy could tell you how Western States' initiatives pushed universal manhood sufferage. And of course, slavery was a state issue. Eventually, I believe that the federal government will step in to support gay marriage, but its going to take some time. In the meantime, the biggest tragedy will be that American gays abroad cannot marry their partner in order for that partner to become American. Because in America, more often than not two gays can live together in a virtual union even if they don't usually get the tax breaks.