This is a big deal. Only about 22 years after legalizing homosexuality in Ireland, the voters of that country voted to also legalize same-sex marriages. And it wasn't a close vote either. Those voting to allow same-sex marriages scored a big victory.
YES (62.1%) 1,201,607 votes
NO (37.9%) 734,300 votes
I am happy for the gay/lesbian couples in Ireland, and proud of the Irish people -- and I have to admit it makes me a little prouder of my own Irish heritage. What they actually did was vote to amend their constitution. As amended, Article 41 of their 1937 Constitution now reads "Marriage may be contracted in accordance with law by two persons without distinction as to their sex.".
Having said that, I must also say that I am glad our own constitution cannot be amended that easily. Anything that can be accomplished with a majority vote, can be overturned by a future majority vote. And I believe constitutional rights are too important to be subjected to a majority vote. Rights should never be subject to the whims of a majority of voters.
Fortunately, it is a much more difficult process to amend the U.S. Constitution -- and that's a good thing, because it protects those rights contained in that constitution. I believe same-sex marriages will be legal throughout the United States very soon, and that will happen as a defense of constitutional rights -- not an amendment to those rights.
I say this because of two reasons. First, the Supreme Court, in the Loving decision, has already declared marriage to be a constitutional right. Second, the Fourteenth Amendment establishes clearly that all citizens are guaranteed the same rights under the law. If marriage is a right, as the court has ruled, then bans against marriages by same-sex couples cannot be constitutional. The LGBT community deserves the same rights as all other American citizens.
Goddess bless the Irish.
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