Not So Different

In just the past week, the Massachusetts legislature postponed discussions on a constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage in the Bay State. Should gay marriage allowence be ammended, the decision would then move to public, where citizens would vote for or against gay marriage. As it stands, same sex marriages/unions are legal in Massachusetts, and it looks like it will stay that way for a while.

Today, South Africa announced that its parliament, in a 230-41 vote, favored a bill that allows same sex and heterosexual marriages to people over the age of 18. South Africa is the first African country to allow same-sex marriage.

The Mail and Gaurdian, a South African Newspaper online, has more complete coverage of the story here

I found it interesting that this is such a hot button issue in the U.S., about which states will allow it, which ones won't- that we often forget the global perspective. Same sex marriage allowances are few and far between across the globe. In the linked article, "Pan Africanist Congress of Azania MP Motsoko Pheko said same-sex marriages 'are so repugnant' that only three other countries in the world have allowed it."

Afrcia is an entire continent that is normally referred to as "third world", and it is evident when visiting the news site that the problems that plague the continent are much different than our own (The newspaper has an AIDS/HIV Barometer, a section of the newspaper devoted solely to this topic). However its most modern (and mostly European influenced) country is progressing toward a more accepting view of all people.

Now if only the rest of the U.S. could be a little more like Africa...