South African court changes definition of marriage

[JI7]

<Pretoria, South Africa, Dec. 01 (LifesiteNews.com/CWN) - The South African Supreme Court of Appeal has issued a ruling that may end with the country being forced to accept homosexual marriage.

In a method that has proved itself successful in other countries, homosexual activists in South Africa have bypassed legislatures and used the courts to force the government to change laws defining marriage. A lesbian couple sued to have the common-law definition of marriage changed from being a "union between a man and a woman" to a "union between two persons."

A spokesman for the organization that staged the effort said that the ruling is only the beginning. "It only takes care of a common-law principle, and that means even though judgment was in favor of the appellants, it's not possible for people of the same sex to be currently married due to the limitations in the current marriage formula and other regulations in the marriage act," said Evert Knoesen, of the Lesbian and Gay Equality Project.

The next steps will be legal actions to change every aspect of legal marriage in South Africa. The work has been ongoing for some years. In 1994 Nelson Mandela signed the new constitution which was hailed by gay activist groups for a clause making discrimination based on sexual identity illegal. Since then courts have ruled to allow homosexual partners to adopt children.

With those beachheads won, activists have moved on to the legal definition of marriage. "We have to go ahead with legal action to fix up those somewhat more minor legal problems and we foresee that within the next 12 months or so, same-sex couples will indeed be married," said Knoesen. "The principle has been won.">

http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=33763

[BayCityProgressive]

1. Thank God

The ANC prevailed in South Africa!!! They have seen some amazing progressive changes!

[Komrade _azul]

2. To think that South Africa leads the US in civil rights....

Once upon the time apartheid was the law of the land and segregation in its most extreme form was considered normal. Now the ANC is leading the fight for equal justice as Amerikkka is left in the bushes.

[JI7]

3. Dick Cheney supported Apartheid in South Africa

[Betty]

10. That's the first I have heard of that

yet another thing our asshole media conveniently ignores

[JI7]

11. yup

they make a huge thing out of some comments Teresa made about Laura Bush and work. which they took out of context also. and they make a huge thing about how Kerry mentioning Mary Cheney being lesbian.

yet on these things like Cheney supporting apartheid they act as if it's no big deal. it's really disgusting.

[Judi Lynn]

15. Wanted to preserve the old South Africa

Ignorance seems to be a guiding principle among the Administration’s hawks. Dick Cheney supported South African apartheid and voted against a congressional resolution to free Nelson Mandela from prison. According to Frances Fitzgerald in the NY Review of Books, Cheney didn’t trust Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev and advised President Reagan to keep up Cold War pressure rather than encourage Gorbachev’s reforms.

http://www.commondreams.org/views02/1004-07.htm



Which one is _Cheney?

[VegasWolf]

4. It is indeed astonishing isn't it? Good for them! Why is that the

extreme religious nutcakes are so intolerant, it is
not as if they are even remotely perfect.

[BayCityProgressive]

5. Yes Dick Cheney

is evil nazi scum. I am soo glad Edwards brought this up in the debates. Dick Cheney labeled Mandela a TERRORIST and voted to keep him in prison in the 1980's! After the debate Cheney told a news reporter that he does not regret that vote! What a racist fucking pig!

[aquart]

16. Got a loooooooooooonnnngggggggg way to go.

[aquart]

17. Got a loooooooooooonnnngggggggg way to go.

[NYC Liberal]

6. At least somebody gets it.

[Kagemusha]

7. You people don't get it.

You have no idea what killings will now begin in that country thanks to this ruling. The judges may escape with their lives. A lot of other people won't.

Enjoy your moral victory while blood runs in the streets. I wish it wouldn't, but I'm a realist about how Africa feels about homosexuality in general.

[BayCityProgressive]

8. So would you say

we shouldnt fight for civil rights because white supremisists killed little black girls in churches? Nothing comes without great sacrifice. Look how many died to end Aprtheid.

[VegasWolf]

9. Exactly how will a law cause bloodshed? and if it does, then

is it not more symptomatic of a much larger problem? Thanks.

[Der Blaue Engel]

13. "You people"

That's a very interesting phrase.

Yeah, they should have kept their place. :eyes:

[aikido15]

12. Well at least one nation

has entered the 21st Century!

[fernsibal]

14. Canada.

Well, parts of it.