Canada moves toward equal rights, US moves to the right

Posted by Evan Derkacz at 1:25 PM on July 21, 2005.

Sandy writes: "Canada moves left with gay marriage, we move right with John Roberts." But that's only partly accurate. The truth is, Canada made a move toward justice while we rush headlong into corruption and cronyism. Sandy continues: "It’s odd to think things are so different just a short distance away. Previously, same-sex marriage was legal in 8 of Canada's 10 provinces and one of the three territories.

"The federal government's gay marriage legislation passed its final hurdle shortly before midnight following a raucous, emotional debate in the Senate.

"The final word in the debate came from Ione Christensen, the 71-year-old Liberal senator from the Yukon. To a hushed chamber Christensen read an e-mail from a constituent:

You have no idea what a difference it makes to the human spirit to know that you are treated equally under the law."

Evan Derkacz is a New York-based writer and contributor to AlterNet.