A few words on the Irish Marriage equality referendum.

*I originally posted this to facebook a few days before the Irish Marriage equality referendum.*

Friday May 22nd, 2015. A date that will live in gay infamy. The marriage equality referendum will take place and voters will be asked to vote yes or no on the subject of marriage equality in Ireland.

I have no problem with the no side voicing their opinion and campaigning accordingly. This is democracy in action and fair is fair, however when the campaign consists entirely of lies, unrelated nonsense and the exploitation of people's emotions with regards to children, it ceases to be a democratic campaign and becomes nothing more than propaganda and scaremongering.

The no campaigners are not stupid, they understand how to manipulate the masses and they are both well funded and well organised. They understand that a poster saying, 'vote no because we hate gay people,' probably isn't going to win the hearts and minds of Ireland. So they lie, they distort the truth, they focus on something completely unrelated and hope to confuse people just long enough to push through their agenda.  In this case, they are playing the classic, 'someone please think of the children' card. Of course, this referendum has absolutely nothing to do with children or adoption laws. Gay marriage will not take children from their parents, gay marriage will not change the law regarding adoption in any way. Even if it did, (which it does NOT) their campaign makes no sense, they like to say that children deserve a mother and a father. In truth, children deserve loving parents who don't discriminate against any group in society. Children deserve to grow up in a world in which they can love and marry whomever they want.

Religion is a huge part of the thoughts and ideas behind the no campaign, Ireland is still a country steeped in Catholicism. You may not notice it in every day life, but think back to when you were a child and chances are you attended mass regularly. The power of the Catholic church is dwindling all across the world and will continue to do so until we as a people outgrow the need for superstition and simple answers to complicated philosophical questions. However that day is still decades away and for now, the bible still holds sway for many Irish people, especially in the older generation. It is an ingrained indoctrination and it harbours the biggest threat to equality and progress in our society. Science represents the evolution of ideas based on available evidence while religion insists upon a fixed doctrine regardless of new knowledge and experience. Religion is the antithesis of science, the opposite of common sense and a barrier to progress. If religion is your reason for voting no, then I urge you to look deeper, read about the founding of the catholic church, read about the specifics of its stance on homosexuality and read about what else it disapproves of. Let he who is without sin cast the first no vote.

With this referendum Ireland will have the chance to become one of the most forward thinking and socially evolved countries on the planet. The first to legalise gay marriage by popular vote, we as a nation have the chance to become a catalyst for positive change all across the world. Just as woman were once upon a time not allowed to vote, just as people were kept as slaves in many parts of the world in the past, our society will eventually evolve. One hundred years from now, future generations will look back at a time when gay people were not treated as equal citizens, they will be shocked to learn of the hatred and bigotry of the past as they ponder just how far they've come since that day. Let that day be Friday, May 22nd, let Ireland lead the way in equality. Don't become a relic, stuck in the past clinging to outdated ideas, don't impose your faith or belief on the freedom of others, after all, isn't the cardinal rule of Christianity to love and respect your fellow man?

Although a yes vote seems likely to win the day, this is no time for complacency. Your facebook friends are all voting yes, celebrities are telling everyone to vote yes, you even convinced your Grandmother to vote yes. However the no vote is silently strong,  there are three certainties in life, death, taxes and that old people will vote. So be sure to make the time to get out there and have your say, play your role in history and be a part of something very special that will resonate all across the world.

A yes vote is a vote for equality, a vote for freedom, a vote for love and a vote for progress. A no vote is a vote for bigotry, hatred and discrimination. Think about one important question above all else, will it negatively affect you in any way if gay marriage is legalised? The answer is undoubtedly no, so why stand in the way of the dreams of others? Vote yes on May 22nd, be a part of something fundamentally good, your children will thank you some day.
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