PASSED: Repeal "Freedom of Marriage Act"

[Separatist Peoples]

The Republic of Burleson supports this repeal.

"Despite the fact that homosexual marriage will remain legal in all member nations?"

[Akorazia]

"And in this we disagree. There is so many loopholes in the FoMA that it must be repealed. The CoCR guarantees the same level of marriage equality, as the resolution states. In any case, the Religious communities and nations such as mine will continue to operate in the same manner regardless of the repeal of this resolution, its time to remove this from the books.

Marriage is a strictly domestic issue anyway, I still hold hope that the WA will pass a blocker next, stating this fact and that it will remain such."

"As it is clear that we cannot come to an agreement on the rights guaranteed by CoCR, I will instead focus on the concept of marriage being treated as a domestic issue. What makes you feel that it should be? It is the stance of the Commonwealth of Akorazia that, as a civil right, equal rights to marriage should be protected by WA law."

[Omigodtheykilledkenny]

Squealing for help from his fellow ambassadors, Mook-Mooki Cho flailed his slippery tentacles smacking against the Kennyites face as his body absorbs the water like a giant slimey octopus sponge. He proceeds to aim his tentacles at the Kennyite Ambassador's mouth as he shoots out the absorbed water-mucus down his throat. The Breki Ambassador shrivels up in the water dying from over absorption as he excretes his water-mucus. Mook-Mooki dies in the reflecting pool and his eyes proceed to explode. After 5 minutes of shock a small baby Breki crawls out of the Kennyites gagging mouth and retakes his seat ordering his secretary to change his name to Mook-Moko.

As the Akorazian ambassador took his seat, the presiding officer gaveled the murmuring body to order, as a forgettable man walked down the aisle toward the dais, pausing mid-way:

"Madam Secretary-General, the Permanent Representative from the Federal Republic!"

For whatever reason, certain delegates shrugged their shoulders and began to applaud wildly as Susa boldly reentered the chamber after his herculean strife, purple ooze dripping from his hair and appendages, striding cockily down the midsection like a conquering hero, as though he were the president about to deliver his State of the Disunion address. Of course, hailing a delegate's return to the floor wasn't standard fare in the GA, but everyone knew how Susa loved to make a good entrance, and any spare assistant wandering the halls will do anything for a fifty-spot, even announce you like a reigning monarch.

Presently he paused at the Breki delegation to playfully scratch Mook-Moko's head, regarding him as though he were an adorable puppy. The emotional dynamic cannot be adequately explained here, but when new life springs from your loi-- er, mouth -- you sort of feel like you're its mom.

Still covered in goo, Susa plopped down with an audible *squish* at the Kennyite speaking box, next to the astonished Secretary Jimmy Baca (who thanks to NSwiki had just received a promotion), eying him warily:

"So, uhhh, how was giving birth?" was the only thing he could think of to say.

"Er, I dunno," Susa admitted. "It sort of reminded me of that time I trained with the Men in Black."

Jimmy only rolled his eyes. "You never trained with the Men in Black," he said.

"Yeah, well, it sure felt like Training Day when me and my boys blew their secret headquarters to Kingdom Come!"

Captain Chiang, seated behind them, used her finger to hold her place in her Guns and Ammo just long enough to lean forward and whisper reprovingly: "There is no Men in Black, gentlemen."

Susa scoffed. "Yeah, not anymore, there isn't!

"Now, if you morons will excuse me, I have to rearrange some other ambassador's face." Dramatically (and slimily) he rose to the microphone to seek recognition.

"For what purpose does the mucous-coated Ambassador from the Federal Republic rise?" absently inquired the presiding officer.

"To deliver the Infinite Justice of Almighty God to the infidel, Madam Secretary-General."

The officer heaved a bored sigh. "The Ambassador is recognized for two minutes."

Now really, idiots, I think it's already been explained plain enough: if you can wank your way around COCR, you can wank your way around FOMA. Meaning it doesn't fucking matter if FOMA's left on the books or not: subverting one anti-discrimination law (no matter how the precise the language, no matter how specifically it indicates marriage as opposed to any other service) is as good as ignoring another. Besides, I don't think anyone in the opposition has yet demonstrated why it's so important to keep FOMA on the books when it only outlaws discrimination based on gender, and not race, or religion, or nationality, or threesome, or even--

Susa paused to indicate the newborn Breki consul with an uncharacteristically loving smile...

--species. Now, if someone in this chamber still isn't convinced that COCR covers marriage -- and I honestly can't see why they would be; no one else has ever complained about COCR's "exclusionary" nature...at least not before we tried repealing a fluffy mainstay like FOMA -- *ahem!* -- like I was saying, if they're still not convinced, and want to make sure all bases are covered, and introduce a replacement proposal that covers not only the sex of marriage participants, but all the other things I mentioned before as well -- and leaves out that ridiculous "religious communities" loophole within FOMA that the Brutlander dude said he could exploit back when it passed -- more power to them. But since the Secretariat has already ruled that COCR broadly covers all sorts of things apart from marriage, I don't doubt they'll rule you out of order for Duplication, too.

I yield back the balance of my time, Madam Secretary-General.

*squish!* Susa flopped back into his chair.

"You forgot to threaten to explode yourself," Chiang absently noted, into her magazine.

The ambassador had returned his gaze to Empress Jhessan's plentiful endowment, his unused suicide vest still securely fastened to his torso. "Nah, I didn't," he said distractedly. "Damn alien slime shorted out the detonator."

He raised his thumb and pinky, trying to draw the empress' attention. "Call me," he mouthed to her.

[Parliamentary Republic 4077]

Our state has a semi separated relationship between church and state. Our sovereign is the supreme governor of the Church Of Bristol. For this reason we cannot allow universal homosexual marriage as it would require the church, of which our sovereign is earthly head, to preform such acts against their religion. We have also extended an exemption to 'any religious government employed marriage provider' and 'any religious institution non government employed'.
The COB aside, our state provides exemption to 'any secular non-government employed marriage provider' who wishes not to preform the act.
I support this, because we never implemented the law in practise anyway.

[Assorted Sucrose-Based Lifeforms]

The Republic of Burleson supports this repeal.

"Despite the fact that homosexual marriage will remain legal in all member nations?"

"I would like to take this moment to note that Burleson 2 has shown extreme disregard and even contempt for International Law in the past, with anti-WA legislation still present in its constitution to this day.
I would not take the opinions of a nation, with regards to laws which they never even intended to follow, to be worth very much."
--From the office of the Empress, The Eternal Empire of Assorted Sucrose-Based Lifeforms

[Hirota]

Oh look, here come the nations out of the woodwork who like to naively pretend they are above the rules. Bless their ickle cotton socks, arn't they just adorable!

[The Empire of Ebola]

The Republic of Burleson supports this repeal.

"Despite the fact that homosexual marriage will remain legal in all member nations?"

It is not legal in The Empire and never will be, despite what some silly scrap of paper shoved under our doorstep says.

We support this repeal is solidarity with our brother and sister sovereign nations who value their inalienable rights to govern how they see fit.

[Sierra Lyricalia]

Now really, idiots, I think it's already been explained plain enough: if you can wank your way around COCR, you can wank your way around FOMA. Meaning it doesn't fucking matter if FOMA's left on the books or not: subverting one anti-discrimination law (no matter how the precise the language, no matter how specifically it indicates marriage as opposed to any other service) is as good as ignoring another.

Wh... buh...

Steph rolls her eyes skyward, sighs, and closes her eyes a moment prior to continuing; pacing her words slowly, not sure even in her own mind whether she's doing so for educational reasons or just to be a dick.

Because specific language? Is harder - inherently more difficult - to masturbate cartwheels around. Even for the top-notch self-gymnasts that populate this assembly in droves. A 720-degree double foot massage is necessary when the resolution says "use of hands and line of sight contact are specifically forbidden." The metaphor's getting away from me, but the point stands.

Besides, I don't think anyone in the opposition has yet demonstrated why it's so important to keep FOMA on the books when it only outlaws discrimination based on gender, and not race, or religion, or nationality, or threesome, or even--

Susa paused to indicate the newborn Breki consul with an uncharacteristically loving smile...

--species. Now, if someone in this chamber still isn't convinced that COCR covers marriage ...[snip]... more power to them. But since the Secretariat has already ruled that COCR broadly covers all sorts of things apart from marriage, I don't doubt they'll rule you out of order for Duplication, too.

Eh. Alright, fine. Opposition withdrawn. Fair warning, though - replacement blocker proposals will likely be pissed on and burned in effigy. Repeal away.

Oh, and uh... mazel tov!

[Omigodtheykilledkenny]

IC: We thank the Sierra Lyricalian delegation for the magnanimity, and for their sincere expression of congratulations. [again gestures toward Mook-Moko:] He's so cute! Anyway, we retain full confidence that under the terms of the Civil Rights Charter, no resolution attempting to block the right of marriage equality would be allowed to vote...and the we have no intention whatsoever to submit such a blocker, or support any that might be introduced in this chamber.

OOC: OK, two things: I've been considering adding language about the benefits provided to married couples. My thinking is, even though the resolution bans discrimination in distributing benefits "provided by the State," there's nothing to stop nations, a la Brutland and Norden, from privatizing some benefits so as to de-facto permit discrimination by not doing anything to stop private companies from shutting out same-sex couples. COCR, under the "services provided to the general public" clause, forbids companies from doing so, effectively closing off that loophole. But it's just another example of how COCR is better equipped to handle discrimination in marriage, and another area in which FOMA fails. Would citing this be a good addition, or just an unnecessary pile-on?

Secondly, do outside links work in telegrams? I wanted to link to COCR with the standard [url] tags, but wasn't sure if TGs automatically converted NS [url] links to internal links, the way dispatches do.

[Separatist Peoples]

"Despite the fact that homosexual marriage will remain legal in all member nations?"

It is not legal in The Empire and never will be, despite what some silly scrap of paper shoved under our doorstep says.

We support this repeal is solidarity with our brother and sister sovereign nations who value their inalienable rights to govern how they see fit.

"Who are you, again?"

[Golgothastan]

THE TELEVISION TIMES

Letters To The Editor

Dear Sir,

I am very excited by recent events on "The World Assembly". After a very dull Season 7 bedeviled by continuity errors, the show has rebounded with what already appears to be exciting plans for Season 8, including more legislation by last year's breakout star Benjamin Bell, the return of beloved favourite Jenny Chiang who got so little screentime last year, and best of all, fistfights looming after last week's episode seemed to tease a possible repeal of "Freedom of Marriage Act". Spirited debate! Casual accusations of homophobia! Defenestration! This is the shot in the arm this show needed and I will be watching with rapt attention.

Yours,
Danival Daðason
Yfirborð

[The Empire of Ebola]

It is not legal in The Empire and never will be, despite what some silly scrap of paper shoved under our doorstep says.

We support this repeal is solidarity with our brother and sister sovereign nations who value their inalienable rights to govern how they see fit.

"Who are you, again?"

An Empire where homosexuals will never have any special rights, least of all marriage.

[Separatist Peoples]

"Who are you, again?"

An Empire where homosexuals will never have any special rights, least of all marriage.

"Right. Read: "impotent and obnoxious tinpot regime." Gotchya. Well, should this succeed, we know that nothing will change in your neck of the woods.

"The author can expect my tentative support. I can imagine a replacement that improves the minimum accorded rights to a homosexual couple being positively recieved, though I know that no such replacement is intended."

[Bari]

The Barisan ambassador to the World Assembly, HE Mr Michael de Abrincis, stood up and said, "The Barisan Delegation shall support this proposal to the fullest extent. We find it to present a cogent and refined line of reasoning. Our only hope is that this proposal does not become embroiled in polemics."

[Fauzjhia]

Fauzjhia is very Insulted by this proposal, we do not wish to see such a ridiculous back-ward retard policy in the world assembly,

Fauzjhia highly Support the freedom of Marriage and strongly oppose all proposal of repeal.

[Tinfect]

Fauzjhia is very Insulted by this proposal, we do not wish to see such a ridiculous back-ward retard policy in the world assembly,

Fauzjhia highly Support the freedom of Marriage and strongly oppose all proposal of repeal.

Did you even read the Repeal? Or are you just up in arms over the idea?

[West Angola]

Fauzjhia is very Insulted by this proposal, we do not wish to see such a ridiculous back-ward retard policy in the world assembly,

Fauzjhia highly Support the freedom of Marriage and strongly oppose all proposal of repeal.

Decorum, ambassador, please. And read the repeal, if you would.

[Sierra Lyricalia]

Secondly, do outside links work in telegrams? I wanted to link to COCR with the standard [url] tags, but wasn't sure if TGs automatically converted NS [url] links to internal links, the way dispatches do.

OOC: If I'm remembering that one telegram right, [url=] tags wouldn't work to produce a hyperlink in the preview, but the bare URL wound up being clickable in the final sent version. Happy to do single-tg test runs if you like.

[The Dark Star Republic]

Secondly, do outside links work in telegrams? I wanted to link to COCR with the standard [url] tags, but wasn't sure if TGs automatically converted NS [url] links to internal links, the way dispatches do.

OOC: If I'm remembering that one telegram right, [url=] tags wouldn't work to produce a hyperlink in the preview, but the bare URL wound up being clickable in the final sent version. Happy to do single-tg test runs if you like.

Any internal link to nationstates.net is clickable. A link to an external url eg. picturesofgoats.com is not.

[Omigodtheyclonedkenny]

Submission edition: http://www.nationstates.net/page=UN_vie ... 1422380084

Approve for great justice!!!

[Omigodtheyclonedkenny]

QUORUM YAY!!!

If this fails it'll be our tenth! Stay tuned, people...this may be the rowdiest episode of World Assembly yet.

[Lord solaris]

As a Catholic nation, and delegate Alliance Of Catholic Nations, of one of the largest Catholic regions on Nationstates, I will obviously be rejecting this repeal, along with my brothers and sisters.

We were quite tolerant in accepting FOMA given its clause on religious exemption for LGBT marriage. Whilst we would obviously prefer all nations shared our views, we are accepting of how other WA nations perceive this issue, however we will not accept any resolution that bars us from following the rites and teachings of the Catholic Church.

You are welcome to entertain such matters as you see fit, but we will not be pressed in to accepting any resolution at odds with our beliefs. Obviously it goes without saying that in the event of a FOMA repeal, which probably won't happen as most WA nations who agree with your concept won't actually read the blasted proposal and vote it down anyway, we as a region will look to create a new proposal which will make Religious Freedoms on this matter more clear and apparent.

Thanks for reading,

God Bless,
Lord Solaris

WA Delegate of Alliance Of Catholic Nations.

[Sahrani South]

Leviticus 18:22 - You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination.
Leviticus 20:13 - If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death. Their blood guiltiness is upon them.
Romans 1:26-27 - For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.
I Corinthians 6:9 - Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
I Timothy 1:8-11 - "But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.

Marriage is defined by god: 1 MAN 1 WOMAN = 1 MARRIAGE

It is a shame how radical atheists are pushing their agenda via the WA!

[Hirota]

Marriage is defined by god: 1 MAN 1 WOMAN = 1 MARRIAGE

It is a shame how radical atheists are pushing their agenda via the WA!

Why in all the multiverses should we lavish special attention on what one book on one religion has to say on the matter? Especially given the multitude of other faiths which may or may not have a differing opinion on the matter?

[Golgothastan]

MUNCHES POPCORN FURIOUSLY