MITT ROMNEY'S VIEW ON GAY MARRIAGE WHILE GOVERNOR

In this interview, Mitt Romney, currently running in the Republican primaries, states that he does not think that marriage should be extended to same-sex couples. This clip is posted on this website for a variety of reasons.

First, it is often the case that the West lectures other countries on human rights issues, as if they are in the lead in every single dimension while others, such as Russia or other former Communist states, are behind. The reverse is also sometimes true, that many people in other nations think that everyone must be treated equally and fairly in the West, the bastion of equality. This issue highlights the fact that this is not true and there is a need to progress and debate human rights more widely, across issues.

Second, many of the former Communist republics made progress in the first years of independence by removing some laws that were used to discriminate against minorities based on sexual orientation, such as Ukraine and Belarus.

Third, and perhaps more importantly, this issue is one where many former Soviet Republics could take a leading position by joining a small group of countries that have legalised same sex marriage and thus endorsed equality in a very progressive way. In the same way that the Soviet Union adopted the 8 hour working day, taking a leading position in the twentieth century, and by endorsing women's rights, the right to vacations, access to education, etc. this issue is also one where much could be done.

John Rawls argued, convincingly I think, that we should not judge countries so much by how well they treat the majority or economically successful, but by how well they use their wealth to protect, engage, or treat the minority and poor in their societies. (This is paraphrased).