(Embarrassing) News from the Motherland

In today's news of "Living Under a rock on The Rock", the OBA (One Bermuda Alliance) is standing its ground regarding the June 23rd referendum on same sex marriage. At the Supreme Court this week, the Centre for Justice argued that holding the referendum, which asks citizens whether or not they support 1) same sex marriage, and 2) civil unions, would be in breach of the Constitution and the Human Rights Act. Chief Justice Kawaley was a welcome voice of reason, telling the lawyer representing the Government that the idea of a referendum in this case is "absolutely absurd."

You got it, man, I mean, Your Lordship. I really have trouble understanding the Government's reasoning. From the linked article:

Mr Howard [lawyer for the Government] said it was “perfectly permissible” to ask the electorate how the Government should recognise same-sex unions.

The options being either legally and not at all. Isn't that just a fucking opinion poll? Why is a referendum necessary? More importantly, though, is that opinions don't really matter when it comes to human rights. Can you discriminated based on sexual orientation? No. So Adam and Steve are good to go. It's uncomfortably embarrassing that this is still an issue for Bermuda. 

From the OBA perspective, I can see how they don't want to steamroll the legalization of same sex marriage through. It would be a pretty terrible move, politically. But a referendum? A non-binding referendum? Best case scenario: they're geniuses. They know that there's secretly a lot of good will for same sex marriage, but people will only admit to it alone and in secret (in the ballot box). Then, with the results supporting same sex marriage in hand, the OBA can carry on because "it's what the people want". 

I doubt that's going to happen. 

More than likely, it's going to be a narrow majority against. Then what? The OBA will either wuss out because the people don't support it, or they'll do the right thing and move ahead with legalizing it and make themselves even more unpopular than they were in the first place. Truly, it would be a noble move. But we're talking about politicians here. 

(Also, something like half the polling stations are in (openly homophobic) churches. Because that makes sense.)

(Also, the Royal Gazette's writing is painful.)