Parliament in Iceland has voted unanimously to allow gay marriage.
The Althingi parliament voted 49 to zero to change the wording of marriage legislation to include matrimony between “man and man, woman and woman,” in addition to unions between men and women.
Iceland, a socially tolerant island nation of about 320,000 people, became the first country to elect an openly gay head of state in 2009 when Social Democrat Johanna Sigurdardottir became prime minister after being nominated by her party.
“The attitude in Iceland is fairly pragmatic,” said Gunnar Helgi Kristinsson, a political scientist at the University of Iceland. “It (gay marriage) has not been a big issue in national politics — it’s not been controversial.”
The prime minister’s sexual orientation garnered far more interest among foreign media than in Iceland, where the attitude toward homosexuality has grown increasingly relaxed in the past two or three decades, Kristinsson added.
This is all wrong. I mean, that unpronounceable volcano already erupted awhile ago. What are the chances another natural disaster happens in Iceland anytime soon? How will Pat Robertson et al claim God is punishing da gays?
Filed under: Same-sex marriage | Tagged: Gay, Iceland, Johanna Sigurdardottir, Same-sex marriage |
For the Sake of Science 
Hasn’t Pat Robertson spontaneously combusted into a pile of steaming goo yet? How can one man have so much hatred of fellow humans as Robertson?
You know what would solve the whole marriage debate? taking the state out of marriage entirely.
Allow judges and churches and notary public’s to marry whomever they wish to and stop recognizing marriage by government entierly. Make the marriage valid at the time of issuance of the license.
Like I said in another post: I am against gay marriage But I also think that government should have no role in it either way, it should be left to the individuals involved in the marriage and the individual performing the marriage.
Nate, your statements are contradictory. You said take government out of the marriage entirely and make the marriage valid at the time of issuance of the license.
If governments are out then there is no need of licenses at all. I would be all for that. Getting married would be just like having sex – with whom you want, when you want and the government would have no business in it at all.
The problem is that people would never give up the tax benefits and the rights that go along with marriage. No more spousal medical benefits, survivor benefits, legal rights, etc.
I didn’t intend them to be contradictory of course. I am assuming that people getting married would still want some documentation of the event, you wouldn’t have to call it a license I guess, and the government doesn’t need to be the one issuing such documentation.
Your correct in your last bit obviously, people will almost never give up entitlements of any kind. Even though most of the “rights” of marriage can be assigned with other legal documents.
Iceland also happens to be one of the most atheist countries in the world. Coincidence ? I think not
They have a state church.