Group wants law changed to give gays equal rights

Trust chairman Dr Elena Moran is delighted at the support from Island groups and individuals

MORE than 140 gay or lesbian Islanders have said that they would like to enter into civil partnerships.
They have added their names to a Jersey Community Relations Trust campaign calling for the States to change the law and allow same-sex ceremonies.
The issue is due to be debated by the States next week, when the Chief Minister is due to bring a proposition to give homosexual couples the same rights as people who are married.
The trust, which was established by the States in 2004 to promote equality, has also gained the backing of several Island companies and prominent individuals.
Those business and people include the Jersey Evening Post, Hanson Renouf, KPMG Channel Islands, Viberts and Cooper and Co as well as Sir Philip and Lady Bailhache, the Rev David Coote and Collette Crill. (from JEP)

homosexuals and lesbians should have the same rights to get married as heterosexuals .

Thistle wrote:homosexuals and lesbians should have the same rights to get married as heterosexuals .

WHY?

Why not?

Time and money which IMO could be spent on more important issues.Like what the hell the islands are going to do for income if the financial services industry leave the Islands,that's why not.

bug1 wrote:

Thistle wrote:homosexuals and lesbians should have the same rights to get married as heterosexuals .

WHY?

they are human beings and just the same as the rest of us on this planet.they are just as loving to each other in a relationship as heterosexuals,just as caring as heterosexuals so why should they be treated any differently to other people.

bug1 wrote:Time and money which IMO could be spent on more important issues.Like what the hell the islands are going to do for income if the financial services industry leave the Islands,that's why not.

sorry bug but what has the state of the islands finances dire as they are got to do with whether homosexuals and lesbians have a right to marry or not.

Civil partnerships giving equal rights - nothing wrong with that at all. I guess they are referring to rights of inheritance as legal next-of-kin and all that stuff.
HOWEVER..... It mentions "ceremonies". That's a different ball game. The religious variety would be a matter for the church etc. to decide upon. If it is a Greffe affair, then it should become legal if and when the civil partnership law is passed.

they could have blessings as is done in other countries.where theres a will to do these things there is a way.

What time and money Bug? A civil partnership/gay marriage law isn't rocket science, it would be quite easy to crib from one of the many laws which already exist elsewhere. If the greffe charged for the ceremony then it would be a modest money spinner rather than a drain. Following your logic we shouldn't do anything in the way of new legislation to respond to social changes in our community because of the cost involved. If that stance had been taken 25 years ago then homosexual acts would still be punishable with lengthy prison sentances with hard labour.

This is obviously a very emotive subject.I am not objecting,per se,to legitimising homosexual relationships.Even if certain,recent,high profile relationships and subsequent separations have indicated a low level of commitment.All I'm saying is.It should't be a priority in the current climate.
PS The time and money it takes to legislate for anything.

A lot of low profile, local marriages appear to indicate a low level of commitment too:
"Half of all marriages in Guernsey are ending in divorce according to
official statistics. Figures released in the annual health report show
newlyweds now only have a fifty fifty chance of making it."
Taken from:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/guernsey/content/articles/2008/09/04/bbc_channel_islands_reports_september_2008_feature.shtml

bug1 wrote:Even if certain,recent,high profile relationships and subsequent separations have indicated a low level of commitment.All I'm saying is.It should't be a priority in the current climate.
PS The time and money it takes to legislate for anything.

Interesting comment but I am not sure if it relates to Gay marriages or conventional marriages. Or perhaps it relates to both which would indicate a certain amount of equality between Gay marriages and conventional marriages. You are also suggesting that gays are less committed when they have made a committment than non gays who have made a similar committment.

If Jersey get in before everyone else they could become the Las Vegas of the Channel Islands with loads of couples visiting to get married. Good for tourism, boosts the economy, good substitute for finance. The new waterfront area could have permanent marquees set up, so a white elephant could be turned to some good use, a win win for all.



Before anyone comments the last para' about the waterfront is written tongue in cheek.