Skeptic lawyer went to a really nice reception last night at the Scottish Parliament building, which is apparently almost as ugly as the Experience Music Project here in Seattle, and in much the same style –
…a fellow lawyer suggested that it looked like someone had eaten a giant jigsaw and then thrown up on the Old Town.
Behold the EMP:
Very much as if someone had thrown up a huge jigsaw.
But that’s not the real subject. The real subject is that reception; what a jolly occasion it sounds.
it was a reception for equal marriage (same sex marriage) held at Holyrood and co-sponsored by all four parties currently represented in the parliament.
To quote from the linked article in the Scotsman:
Labour’s Johann Lamont, Ruth Davidson of the Conservatives, Willie Rennie of the Lib Dems and the Greens’ Patrick Harvie signed a pledge expressing their backing for homosexual weddings.
The four opposition leaders signed a declaration saying that they would “campaign to beat the ban on same sex marriage”.
At an event in the Scottish Parliament organised by the Equality Network, they cut a wedding cake to symbolise their support for a change in the law. The cake-cutting ceremony was carried out before MSPs of all parties attended an evening reception co-sponsored by the openly gay SNP MSP Joe Fitzpatrick.
That makes me very wistful. Such an event couldn’t possibly happen here, in the land of paleolithic views married to relentless pandering.
It pissed off the right people, too. Guess who got all scowly.
Last night John Deighan, parliamentary officer for the Catholic Church in Scotland, said: “It is disappointing that party leaders have been so cavalier in joining the bandwagon for redefining marriage. We deserve a more reflective approach from those in a position of political leadership.
“Marriage is essentially linked with recognising and supporting the roles of mother and father. There is a lack of real tolerance when that view is sweepingly likened to a form of discrimination or bigotry. This is, of course, an attempt to win a political position by intimidation rather than by coherence of argument.”
Disgusting as always – the bullying Catholic church accusing elected politicians of intimidation.
But the party leaders were unrepentant, indicating their strong support for changing the law.
Oh that makes me so wistful. Here they would be falling all over themselves to apologize and mollify and attempt a compromise.
Skeptic lawyer has some wonderful commentary on Roman law and the Theodosian code.
Apparently, the reason the Theodosian Code is so hysterically bad is because it wasn’t drafted by lawyers, but by various Christian mates of the emperor. The Roman legal profession kept its paganism with great tenacity, only capitulating when — after repeated professional harassment — they were all threatened with the loss of their practicing certificates (ius respondendii) if they failed to convert. At the same time, women were driven from the Bar and shortly thereafter, the Greek schools of philosophy were closed.
In other words, the conservative Christian attempt to define marriage so that gays and lesbians can’t use it is intimately linked to misogyny and hostility to intellectual freedom. That’s worth keeping in mind.
That’s just a snippet; read it all.