Same-sex marriage campaign’s Valentine’s Day protest at Scottish Parliament
Opposition party leaders have signalled support for equal marriage rights Picture: Phil Wilkinson
MORE than 1,000 campaigners for same-sex marriage marched to Holyrood yesterday.
The demonstration began on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile and featured a giant Valentine’s Day card to First Minister Alex Salmond with the message: “Roses are white, thistles are blue, we believe in equal marriage and we hope the Scottish Government will too!”
Marchers from the Equality Network, NUS Scotland, Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transsexual Youth Scotland and Stonewall Scotland, took part with Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament as part of its Love Equally Campaign.
Currently, same-sex couples can enter into a civil partnership but cannot get married. The Scottish Government has consulted on whether the law should be changed and has said it “tends towards the view” that same-sex marriage should be introduced, but faith groups should not be obliged to solemnise it.
A rally was addressed by Youth Parliament chair Grant Costello, SNP MSP Marco Biagi, Patrick Harvie, co-leader of the Greens, and Marilyn Jackson, of the Humanist Society of Scotland.
Email to a friend
Print this page- Family mourn death of Glasgow ‘fight’ schoolboy
- Rangers takeover: Duff & Phelps threaten legal action against BBC
- Today’s youth not fit to be employed, says car firm Arnold Clark
- Rangers administration: Fans fear Duff & Phelps claims could scare off Green
- Rangers takeover: triple penalty punishment enough, says Johnston
- Alistair Darling leads ‘No to independence’ fight over tea and biscuits
- Scottish independence: SNP flip-flops over Nato
- Scottish Independence: SNP ‘won’t be Yes campaign’s only voice’
- Scottish independence: Alex Salmond’s pledge to sign up 1m voters
- Today’s youth not fit to be employed, says car firm Arnold Clark
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Edinburgh
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North east
Comments
There are 25 comments to this article
Page 1 of 2
Faceless_bureaucrat
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 08:12 PM#23 - Good comment , a view held by the silent majority.
Faceless_bureaucrat
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 08:10 PMStudy the picture - one lesbian, one a militant homosexual zealot, a moonbat liberal and bleeding heart former social worker. What a sad state of affairs, to think these people have the power to create laws. Scary indeed.
allymax
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 03:14 PM#22 stoppleman; don't be stupid; the article clearly states Tom French "DEMANDS" a change to Scotland's laws. So, you're wrong!...........Jesus have mercy!...........................Because you think this proposed evil law change will make no difference to you, you have no right to force it on Scots society. Moreover, the fact you have to ask me what difference the proposed evil law makes to Scots society, shows you have no idea what you are talking about; are you another 'decadent fancy', that likes to believe he is 'fashionable' because he's ;different'? For God's sake man, grow up; this evil law change will change Scotland's society for the worst. If you don't like all the 'political correctness', 'equality', and Post-modern rubbish like the evil lies and synclastic words that Bliar forced us to believe to make war on Iraq, then you must never allow a miniscule minority of gays & lesbians to force a change in Scotland's law. If you do, you are to blame for aiding and abetting the demise of the individual rights of every Scot, the civil rights of Scots citizens, and the initiation of the evil & horrendous over-bureaurocracy of 'Institutional Authority'. You clearly have no idea of what society will be like if you support this evil law. Go and live in America for a few years, and you'll soon find out why 'so-called' unequal 'Equality' legislation is severely damaging to all the good things in society. Our Scots society in particular.
stoppleman
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 09:32 AMallymax. no5. what a rant. they are requesting a change in law, not demanding that you must marry someone of the same sex as you. It will make no difference to me if the marriage law changes, what exactly alarms you so much? As you point out, the numbers are not big enough to topple our society.
Arthur G
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 12:09 AM#`14 spacecadet =================================================== Ah the 'bigot' word again! I am disinterested (not 'uninterested': as you seem to have a difficulty in defining words properly it's best I make the distinction) in whether people wishing to have a 'marriage are male, female or any combination of the two. ==================================================Not agreeing with the view of another does not make one a 'bigot' it merely means that he or she is exercising the right to dissent. 'Bigot' seems to be the Scottish equivalent of 'Nazi' and as Godwin's Law tells us, the argument is conceded by the first one to introduce the term 'Nazi' into an internet discussion. Perhaps the same rule should apply to the first person in an argument to utter the 'bigot' word.
Arthur G
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 12:08 AM#`14 spacecadet =================================================== Ah the 'bigot' word again! I am disinterested (not 'uninterested': as you seem to have a difficulty in defining words properly it's best I make the distinction) in whether people wishing to have a 'marriage are male, female or any combination of the two. ==================================================Not agreeing with the view of another does not make one a 'bigot' it merely means that he or she is exercising the right to dissent. 'Bigot' seems to be the Scottish equivalent of 'Nazi' and as Godwin's Law tells us, the argument is conceded by the first one to introduce the term 'Nazi' into an internet discussion. Perhaps the same rule should apply to the first person in an argument to utter the 'bigot' word.
james(1)
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 11:21 PMMichael the word marriage is just that. It is a ceremony between a man and a woman. There is no confusion and no misunderstanding. The church does not recognise same sex marriages. Why is that I hear you say? Because The Bible which is the book on which the church beliefs are based does not accept it. So we have to ignore the Bible to appease a minority because if we don't the will have a hissy fit. Sometimes minorities do not get their way? I know, in this day and age it's hard to imagine people not giving into minorities but after all it is their church at least until gays rewrite the Bible and I believe it is on their "to do" list so until then it means marriage is between a man and a woman.
michael domini
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 10:38 PMIt greatly surprises me that some people feel justified in denying a right they have--civil marriage--to other people--in this case same sex couples. I question the sense of ego and superiority one must possess to coldly, and sometimes cruelly, tell others they may not partake in a civil right because of who they love. And when people want to deny others the use of the word "marriage" for what is legally "marriage" it reminds me of some friends who were both pregnant and who both wanted the same name for their baby, yet didn't want the other person to use it for their baby too. Resentfully, they ended up using the same name and their friendship suffered a bit. A few months after the children were born, the mothers repaired their friendship and laughed at how silly they were to damage their friendship over a name.
allymax
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 10:15 PMBTW, spacecadet, we have many many laws from 'the dark ages' that are very much a strong part of our social system; 'debauchery', and 'abominable acts' are a couple!
allymax
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 10:12 PMspacecadet; I notice you attempt to try and use the 'Equalities legislation' con; don't bother. Equalities legislation is now found to be against ECHR; Ha!..........So, according to our 'modern democracy' you talk of, you, are in the tiny, tiny, tiny, minority, and you are illegal! ...........How do you like thems apples!
allymax
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 10:09 PMspacecadet; you call everybody that has commented here a 'bigot'; why?.........Regardless of what you think, the word 'bigot' refers to 'a religious heretic'; and, a 'heretic' is someone with the minority opinion and view. Now, since there is only one of you, and 8 of us, how can you even begin to think you are justified in using that word 'bigot' .........The truth is, YOU'RE the bigot. ...............................................Bigot;noun;a person who is bigoted: religious bigots he was a fanatical bigot, determined to crush heresy.Origin:late 16th century (denoting a superstitious religious hypocrite): from French, of unknown origin..........You embarrass yourself.
spacecadetrik
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 09:53 PMAh it was a raging certainty that the bigots would come out to play. Get a grip of yourselves. It is 2012, not the dark ages. This is a modern democracy with equalities legislation, by all means continue to rail against the change but it is coming, so get used to it or get out.
KINGFISHER1
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 08:05 PMIt would appear my earlier comment has been moderated. RESERVED AND REDACTED COMMENTS. TWO MODERATIONS TODAY. I am losing my form.
Niebiosa tam sa naprawde nieskrzydlowe ludzie tam
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 07:59 PMNah, it's just twa chancersa hoping to have their cake & eat it
Buford Van Stomm
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 07:47 PMThe demonstration, which will feature a giant Valentine’s Day card to First Minister Alex Salmond ==================================================== dafties....had they turned up with a giant box of milk tray they might have seduced eck.
Page 1 of 2
Your view
Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.