Forbidden Distinctions
From the desk of The Brussels Journal on Wed, 2008-04-16 21:41
A quote from the Dutch press agency NIS, 16 April 2008
Marriage registrars [in the Netherlands] who refuse to perform same-sex marriages must also be denied from performing marriages between men and women, the Equal Treatment Commission (CGB) ruled yesterday.
In October 2007, the municipality of Langedijk placed an ad for two marriage registrars. The municipality demanded that applicants be prepared to conduct both heterosexual and same-sex marriages. The CGB judged yesterday that municipalities may indeed make this requirement. A local authority is "not violating the equal treatment law if it refuses to appoint a marriage registrar who does not wish to marry persons of the same sex on grounds of religion". […]
CGB also passed judgement yesterday on a case concerning the personnel policy of feminist magazine Opzij. The magazine may not exclude men from editorial positions, according to CGB. By exclusively reserving the position of editor for women, Opzij is making a forbidden distinction on grounds of gender.
Role of government?
Submitted by Amsterdamsky on Thu, 2008-04-17 11:13.
Is there any limit to government intrusions in our lives? I take the extreme libertarian view than any recognition of maritial status by the government is a violation of equal protection rights of the individual. Having the government even perform marriages (same sex or not) is unbelievable.