Parliament and the SSM debacle

The great hoo-ha in Australia over a ridiculously costly and unnecessary plebiscite about same sex marriage is dominating the airwaves.
Ad nauseam.
My response continues to be of both annoyance and indifference. Apart from being appalled at the expense of the proposal – and the time consuming debate of this annoying topic to the almost exclusion of all other more important matters - I have little to say.
And that will be my response to the question if we ever have a plebiscite. (And seems like that’s a big IF now).
 
But, if a plebiscite is to be, I will be a law abiding citizen and I will front up to the polling booth (or whatever it will be called) and I will collect my form to be filled out and I will take the said form to the private booth. I will then fold the piece of paper and take it to the ‘posting’ box and deposit its blankness.
Can you guess that I couldn’t ‘give a rat’s’ about the topic?
 
Actually, when I claimed ‘I have little to say’… not true!
I have lots to say!
I have no qualms about people being allowed to love whomever they choose. I have no issue with whoever other people wish to share their lives.
It’s simply none of my business.
 
Throughout history ‘marriage’ has had many and varied interpretations -  (and you are free to explore the weird and wonderful variety of such by means of Google).
It has not always been the sole ‘privilege’ of including one man and one woman and it was only in 2004 that our PM, John Howard amended the (Australian) Marriage Act to state: “Marriage means the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life.”
(I know these words well, from writing out hundreds of marriage ceremonies conducted by my husband, when he was a marriage celebrant).
Mr Howard, our conservative, 1950s devotee ‘man of steel’, with apparent and surprising (?) prescience decided to use his power and right wing sentiments to block any moves of future occurrences of which he did not approve.
Hence this annoying and persistent debate.
 
What is it about the term “Marriage” that makes it so appealing? Why is it that gay and lesbian people wish to be married? In fact why does anyone wish to be married nowadays? Many people don’t bother any more. It is quite acceptable to live together, without the certificate of Marriage; no longer the old ‘living in sin’ attitude. So, what’s the attraction?
Am I being cynical in suggesting it has a lot more to do with a wedding than a marriage? Is it for a party, with a centre of attention core of two, that people are so desirous?
 
And, by the way, it’s not even logical for people to be marching in protest about the SSM debate, carrying banners shouting, “Love is Love”. No one is stopping people from LOVING anyone else…None of anyone else’s business! Nothing to do with a SSM plebiscite!
 
FFS, can we stop wasting time on this subject and perhaps get the politicians and the general public to start worrying about real things like CLIMATE CHANGE – just one of the pressing - and lately largely ignored -  needs of this world.
 
The almost laughable latest talk on the News (‘News’? for goodness sake!) concerns the worrying (not!) fact about whether it might be against human rights for a wedding cake maker or florist to refuse to accept orders from gay & lesbian couples for wedding products if they are not sympathetic to SSM!
Give me strength!
The cake makers and florists will be jumping over the moon with excitement if SSM is approved. Imagine the extra business!
And doesn’t this give further hints that perhaps this has more to do with the party aspect of a wedding than actual marriage?
 
And, don’t get me started on the topic of how new divorce laws will have to be drafted to sort out the wording.
 
It’s beginning to be rather stupid as well as annoying.
I just wish it would go away, so that we can get on with things that matter.
 
Yes, yes, I know it’s a very real concern for the few gay and lesbian people who truly wish to be married and I can feel for them BUT, is it really a matter of National importance?
I think not.
 
And please put away all those bloody rainbow flags.