The struggle against same sex 'marriage' continues in Scotland

OK. So we haven't given up yet:

SENIOR Scottish politicians from all the main political parties this week joined the campaign to save traditional marriage, as the 50,000th supporter signed up to the Scotland for Marriage campaign.

SNP MSP John Mason, Tory MSP Murdo Fraser and Labour MP Michael McCann appeared together at a Scotland for Marriage event on Wednesday in a rare coalition to warn of the dangers of redefining marriage. Several hundred people attended the meeting, one of many planned over the next few months as the Scottish Parliament prepares to consider proposed legislation to change the law.

The SNP Government published the Marriage and Civil Partnership Bill two months ago but the Scotland for Marriage campaign now has more supporters than there are members of the four main Scottish political parties and has pledged local campaigns in all 73 Holyrood constituencies.

(From Scottish Catholic Observer. The website for Scotland For Marriage is here.)

Patrick Harvie MSP -who's been doing Admiral Nelson impressions about arguments against same sex 'marriage' for a while now- commented:

At the end of the day, they are going to have to admit that the battle for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights is being won. Their continued opposition simply comes across as futile and mean-spirited."

He claimed the real purpose of the continuing campaign was to seek concessions in the legislation amounting to the reinstatement of Section 28 or repeal of anti-discrimination laws.

"That's just not going to happen," said Mr Harvie.

As I've said before, I think it's key that we don't just roll over on this one. Quite apart from trying to protect the rights of those who disagree with this innovation, there remains the importance of making clear the case against same sex 'marriage', so that the political success of same sex 'marriage' is not confused with winning the argument in principle. There, I think we have to be careful to realize that we are in a new phase of the campaign. All the evidence I've seen suggests that the measure will breeze through Holyrood whatever we say. Up till now, we've been concentrating on simply mobilizing support against the measure. Now, I think it's more important to make clear why it's wrong, and why laws can be passed and yet remain wrong. I don't think this will make any difference at all in the short term. But what we can do is to make sure that no one is under any illusions at all that the principled opposition to the measure remains and why it remains.