Cambodian king backs gay marriage

[NewJerseyDem]

EDIT: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3505915.stm

Cambodia's King Norodom Sihanouk has shown that advancing years are no barrier to an open mind and liberal attitude.

After watching television images of gay marriages in San Francisco, the 81-year-old monarch has decided that single sex weddings should be allowed in Cambodia too.

He expressed his views in a hand written message on his website which has proved extremely popular in Cambodia.

The king said that as a "liberal democracy", Cambodia should allow "marriage between man and man... or between woman and woman."

[Dookus]

1. wow...

now that's unexpected!

I didn't even know there WAS a King of Cambodia!

[mobuto]

2. Old Norodom! Wow.

Look up "survivor" in the dictionary, and you see this guy's picture listed.

I support his decision on gay marriage, but he's a crazy man anyway.

He played the US and the Communists off against one another brilliantly. Just a few years ago, he made the news when he forced his own son - the Prime Minister - into exile. Don't mess with Norodom Sihanouk, he's the kind of guy who gets into a revolving door behind you and comes out ahead of you.

[EXE619K]

3. If the King of Cambodia can do it.

So should we.

And I'm not even gay!

[mobuto]

4. The idea of Cambodia as a "liberal democracy" is interesting

Norodom's always up to something. But hell, it sounds good.

And no, I'm not gay either.

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

7. That was Pol Pot. He's already dead.

[jono]

6. Broken link

NewJerseyDem, your link is missing the "m" at the end.

Here's a working link:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3505915.stm

[NewJerseyDem]

12. Thanks

I've fixed it now.

[MacCovern]

8. What other countries allow gay marriage?

I was thinking about this at work today since I'm not aware of
any European countries that allow it, but I am probably wrong.

Canada allows gay marriage or civil unions, but what other countries
do?

[eridani]

10. AFAIK

The Netherlands and Denmark. Sweden allows civil unions. Taiwan will be legalizing gay marriage, and they have single payer health care too!

[transeo]

11. Belgium has marriage too

France and Germany also have partnerhsip laws similar to marriage but not with quite as many of the privileges.

[varun]

16. civil unions / domestic partnerships...

in one form or the other allowed in Spain, Brazil, Argentina, France, Germany, South Africa, Australia, Norway...and some more that I cant think of right now.

[KDLarsen]

18. Regarding Denmark..

... I think we're somewhat far ahead of the US - we even have 2 members of parliament who're gay & married. One male & one female.

I wonder what the reaction would be in the US, if a gay person ran for Congress or Senate - and won.

[Johnyawl]

19. The US has an openly gay congressman, KDL

His name is Barney Frank, he's from Massachusettes, and he kicks ass!

[mobuto]

20. We have three openly gay members of congress

Barney Frank, Tammy Baldwin, and Jim Kolbe. That last one's a Republican.

[NewJerseyDem]

27. Baldwin was the only one to win election for the first time as openly gay

Barney Frank didn't come out for almost a decade after being elected to Congress and Jim Kolbe was outed by the Advocate in 1996 after voting for DOMA. Also, the Advocate claimed that republicans Mark Foley and Jim McCrery are both gay. Also, former republican congressman Steve Gunderson of Wisconsin admitted he was gay after many years in Congress. And finally one of the leading potential democratic candidates in WI-4 is openly gay, Tim Carpenter.

[KDLarsen]

21. I stand corrected..

.. but I doubt that any of them are married/in a civil union (unless they made a dash to SF recently :D)

[mobuto]

22. Wrong again

Tammy Baldwin is married to a prominent environment lawyer.

Don't think Kolbe or Frank is.

[KDLarsen]

23. Hmm..

.. then I'm confused - I thought that gay marriages were banned throughout the US (with some states permitting it, banning it, permitting it, banning it, permitting it under a different name, banning it etc..).

[mobuto]

24. Ok, you're right

they've been married in a religious ceremony, but I don't think they've been married in a civil ceremony (given that they're illegal in Wisconsin). You could always call her office and ask.

[NewJerseyDem]

14. Website on gay marriage around the world

I think that the Netherlands, Belgium and I guess Canada are the only countries that really have same-sex marriage that has the same exact name and significance as heterosexual marriage. However, Denmark, Sweden and Denmark, I believe, have full marriage rights for gays as well but if I understance correctly they are called domestic partnerships.

http://usmarriagelaws.com/search/alternative_lifestyles/same_sex_marriage/gay_laws_around_the_world_/index.shtml

[foreigncorrespondent]

25. The Netherlands and Canada...

...are the were the only countries allowing marriage. Up until this announcement of course.

Denmark, and Belgium have partner registeries. In fact Denmark was the first country to have partner registeries, when they introduced this back in 1988.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

9. An America, the world's most powerful nation is being held back...

by:

"Religious Fundimentalists, Neo-Cons, Country Music/NASCAR religous reich-wing nutcakes, and ignorance".

How sad this is.

:-(

[Voltaire99]

13. This points up something critical for our future...

We are, unfortunately, your sharp list of regressive identities.

We are a fundamentalist, neo-con, country music/NASCAR religious reich-wing nutcake, ignorant society.

The brief shining era of civil rights and liberal reform is gone. Our challenge now is survival: holding the forces of majority ignorance at bay. Our best, and perhaps only hope, at this late stage, is to stock the courts as fully as possible. The legislative branch is kaput; we might be able to eke out another generation or two of tolerance through the judicial branch. Maybe.

After that, well... Learn to like mentioning NASCAR in your prayers.

[Book Lover]

15. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow.

Although I am completely, categorically, and wholeheartedly dead set against any kind of royalty, thank you King Norodom Sihanouk.

[whirlygigspin]

17. god bless Cambodia

I'm still high on Cambodia, just got back a few weeks ago,
take a look:

http://www.pbase.com/hanjie/cambodia&page=all

[David Zephyr]

26. Look At What San Francisco Has Launched.

Contrast Sihanouk's reaction with Laura Bush's feigned "shock".