HM The Queen opened Parliament today in London with a Speech from the Throne written by the newly elected all-Conservative government. From the official United Kingdom Parliament YouTube channel:
The State Opening of Parliament took place on Wednesday 27 May 2015. State Opening marks the formal start of the new 2015-16 parliamentary session. The primary purpose of this colourful state occasion is to set out the Government's legislative agenda in the Queen's Speech.
A few more street scenes for the pageantry junkies among us:
And Black Rod explains the bit about the doors being slammed:
Wonderful news from the Emerald Isle, where voters in yesterday's referendum approved marriage equality by 62 to 38 percent, with a turnout of 60 percent. The crowd in Dublin reacts:
The Taoiseach, Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenney, who endorsed a Yes vote, welcomes the change:
And a straight taxi driver's jocular comment has caused mirth all around the world:
Kate is totally lying, of course, about the etymology of sod/sodding - also, you notice she doesn't say a word about buggers/buggering, which the British are so fond of. What a queer omission.
Sixty percent of Americans now support same-sex marriage, as the Supreme Court prepares to rule on its constitutionality next month. This is up from 55% last year and is the highest Gallup has found on the question since it was first asked in 1996.
Though same-sex marriage continues to be politically divisive, support for its legal status has reached new highs among Americans of all political stripes -- with Democrats at 76% support, independents at 64% and Republicans at 37%.
Last month, Gallup estimated that about 780,000 Americans are in same-sex marriages.
In addition to their changing views on the origins of being gay or lesbian, Americans' views on the morality of same-sex relations have also shifted in recent years. Currently, a record-high 63% of Americans describe gay or lesbian relations as "morally acceptable." That became the majority view in 2010. Only a decade ago, a majority thought same-sex relations were morally wrong.
Since 2001, increasing percentages of both Republicans and Democrats say gay or lesbian relations are morally acceptable, though Democrats continue to be much more likely to express that view. Notably, for the first time, a majority of Republicans believe that same-sex relations are morally acceptable. Democrats crossed the majority threshold more than a decade ago.
First, a video in favor of gay marriage, by a straight ally:
Next, a serious anti-marriage ad and a satirical ad - guess which is which:
And a fuming, sputtering anti-marriage advocate gets a big laugh at a "people's debate" last January:
In the same debate, a lesbian makes an impassioned plea for equality:
While we're on the subject, you ought to read the moving commentary by Ursula Halligan, one of Ireland's top journalists, who just came out this week in the Irish Times.
And I'll end this post with a brilliant little clip about a lone straight family determined to maintain their righteousness in the apocalyptic world that will surely follow marriage equality:
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is discord, harmony; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. Grant that I may seek not so much to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.
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We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.
and welcome to the Blue Truck, a blog for mature gay men with news and views on gay rights, history, art, humor, and whatever comes to mind. Plus a few hot men. The truck's all washed and gassed up, so hop in buddy, let's go.
CAUTION: For mature gay men only beyond this point. Some posts and links may not be suitable for children or the unco guid. You have been warned.
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My Story
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Churches say that the expression of love in a heterosexual monogamous relationship includes the physical, the touching, embracing, kissing, the genital act - the totality of our love makes each of us grow to become increasingly godlike and compassionate. If this is so for the heterosexual, what earthly reason have we to say that it is not the case with the homosexual?
It is a perversion if you say to me that a person chooses to be homosexual. You must be crazy to choose a way of life that exposes you to a kind of hatred. It's like saying you choose to be black in a race-infected society.
If God, as they say, is homophobic, I wouldn't worship that God.
Note, 9/15/26: For the past week, Blogger has not updated most of the posts in this sidebar. I don't know what to do about it. You can still access the websites below by clicking on the titles of each one.
