Originally Posted by
Bropro
Very few people here are making reasoned and grounded arguments on either side on this thread with a few exceptions.
Firstly, let me declare that I was very firmly in the no camp at the beginning of all this and am still leaning a little this way albeit less so now on the eve of the vote.
I do agree that the campaign on both sides has done absolutely nothing for me and my position - the shift has come because of a minority of well thought-out and reasoned agruments but I have to stress, very few on the yes side and only two I heard on the no side would have made me stop and pay them any attention.
I have my views, yes, but I am always willing to listen to opposing views and am willing to change my mind on any subject if the argument is well made, well thought out and, more importantly, made in a respectful fashion.
I have quite a few gay and lesbian friends and I certainly do not want to be seen as against them by wishing to vote no - I am only too acutely aware of the issues they face with regards to the legal recognition, tax, inheritance and loads of other issues they face due to this inequality. However, I do believe, sincerely, that the manner in which this is been driven and conducted, by the yes side in particular, and the fact that anyone who raises even an inkling of an objection is castigated as being "anti-gay" and "anti-equality" in some way rubs me up the wrong way and this kind of conduct including some on here would tend to push me more towards the no side - not a good reason but that's that.
My issue is that, while I wholeheartedly agree with the sentiment behind allowing marriage in this way, particularly with regards to the matters I mentioned above (not exclusively), I feel that we are opening up a legal quagmire for everyone because the simplicity of the change in this referendum has not been fully teased out as to its potential legal implications down the line and that the government and other parties have not fully thought this through and are afraid to raise reasonable argument for the same reasons as outlined above. It is very easy to be populist..... Not so to put your head above the parapet.
Can the answer to all these issues be simply resolved by making this one, small change, allowing same-sex marriage in the constitution? I would genuinely love the answer to be yes - do I believe it? Definitely not!
When it comes to it tomorrow and I finally get back home to vote - when presented with the ballot paper, I may vote yes, only because of the hope, not the belief, that it will make a difference to the quality and security of the lives and families of some of my closest friends and that of same-sex couples everywhere, which I do agree they deserve.
Therein lies my deliema.