This is going to be a short yet sweet diary. The conversation about marriage equality is ongoing in the United States. With the existence of DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) it proves that we have a ways to go as far as valuing LGBT Americans. Today is a day of celebrating for LGBT people in Portugal...
An article from the AP by Barry Hatton titled, Portugal's president ratifies gay marriage law notes:
President Anibal Cavaco Silva said he would not veto the bill because majority liberal lawmakers would only overturn his decision. The country must focus instead on battling a crippling economic crisis that has increased unemployment and deepened poverty, he said.
"Given that fact, I feel I should not contribute to a pointless extension of this debate, which would only serve to deepen the divisions between the Portuguese and divert the attention of politicians away from the grave problems affecting us," Cavaco Silva said.
If only more Conservatives in the United States recognized that marriage equality is no big deal, and to place their opposition to civil rights aside. Thank you President Silva for doing the right thing. This is a major human rights victory as each nation that enacts marriage equality strengths our argument for full equality. Civil marriage is definitely a civil right denied to Gay couples, and it is wonderful the nation of Portugal recognizes that in law now.
Please continue to have conversations with your friends, family, co-workers, and law makers about the need for marriage equality in the United States. The repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act here at home will be vital on our path to achieving equality here in America as our LGBT brothers and sisters have today in Portugal. The more this dialogue broadens and continues the more likely we will finally see DOMA repealed and full marriage equality attained here in this nation.