"Clearly, if it is sensible to hold a referendum on independence, it is crucial that we have one on marriage. It is the only way the country can move forward on this issue. Let all those who have a view on this subject place their trust in the Scottish people and let Scotland decide."
Cardinal Keith O'Brien, leader of the Catholic Church in Scotland, requesting that the Scottish government hold a referendum on proposals legalizing same-sex marriage. Same-sex couples in Scotland currently may enter into civil partnerships, but not marry. Legislation is expected to be announced this week by the Scottish government favoring same-sex marriage. The Catholic Church remains fervently opposed, with O'Brien, who has been quite vitrolic on the subject (at one point he went so far as to compare the effort to legalize gay marriage to "legalising slavery"), leading the charge.
In response, The Equality Network, an LGBT organization, noted that a referendum would "Americanize" Scottish politics, encouraging well-financed anti-same-sex-marriage campaigns by lobbyists. Said the Equality Network's Tom French,
"Our MSPs were elected on clear manifesto commitments to consider the evidence, and decide, and we have confidence in them to do that. A referendum would be un-Scottish, unfair and a colossal waste of taxpayer's money."
Source: BBC News
Get Last Word updates in your inbox. Join our mailing list.
