minionofmidas
Lewis Trondheim
Atlas Institution
Posts: 58,206
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« on: October 22, 2004, 09:58:50 AM » |
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Clearing some things up...
Abortion - the issue has been big in Europe for decades, but it's apparently settled now, outside Ireland. The difference between Europe and America is that the issue never got quite as polarized. Most US Ultraliberals want rules far more liberal than anything existing in Europe (where abortions are usually totally legal in the first trimester, near-impossible to get afterwards), while radical anti-abortionists are totally a fringe group almost everywhere in Europe.
Guns - yep, Shira's right. Not an issue. There's simply nowhere as many guns and nowhere as many gun murders, so this should be hardly surprising.
Gay Marriage - very much a subject of political, polarized, debate, but not an election winner. Some form of gay marriage or civil union has existed in the Netherlands and Scandinavia since the eighties, and in recent years Germany, France and Belgium have followed suit. Spain is debating the issue right now.
Exact legal frameworks differ from country to country, but the basic pattern is no full equality with breeders, but not far off either. Another emerging pattern is that change comes under Left wing governments, in the teeth of Conservative opposition, but conservative governments, once they come into power, do not attempt to turn back the tide.
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