David Burrowes is an arse

Throughout the process of debating the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill, David Burrowes MP has repeatedly explained that his opposition isn’t due to homophobia or bigotry or hatred but simple disagreement with redefining marriage.

We are supposed to believe that Burrowes is really a friend of gay and lesbian people. Because, you know, on paper, Conservative Christian Fellowship types are well-known for their friendly relations with the gay community, right?

Anyway, I just checked and Burrowes is full of shit when he claims he’s supportive of gay people.

In 2008, he supported amendments to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill that attempted to deny IVF treatment to lesbian couples.

In 2007, he voted against the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations which forbids discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation in the provision of goods and services.

When Burrowes claims he’s just against marriage for same-sex partners, that’s bullshit: his voting record makes it clear that he’s against access to in-vitro services for lesbians and he’s against laws forbidding discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation.

Which is what I expect from a bigoted arsehole like Burrowes. Except I’m sure that by calling him a bigoted arsehole, I’ve hurt his widdle feelings.

Wikinews just published the article I wrote on the same-sex marriage bill. Go read it.

David Burrowes has accused David Lammy of “playing the race card” because Lammy compared the systematic discrimination of gay people with the systematic discrimination of black people.

If only there were some thing that was the same between those two things that would justify making such a comparison.

The pitch for the new Xbox One is pretty compelling: you can watch TV on your Xbox. You know, the one attached to your TV.

David Cameron: “I think we should think about it like this – there will be young boys in schools today who are gay, who are worried about being bullied, who are worried about what society thinks of them, who can see that the highest Parliament in the land has said that their love is worth the same as anybody else’s love and that we believe in equality. I think they will stand that bit taller today and I’m proud of the fact that that has happened.”

It’s not often I feel proud of our Prime Minister, but Cameron actually seems to get why this matters.

I saw a UKIP sticker on someone’s car the other day. It said something like “EU: didn’t vote for it”. Yeah. Guess what, idiots? You didn’t vote for the NHS either. Or the Act of Union. But you don’t suddenly think that you are being denied some almighty democratic right because you don’t get to vote in elections that happened before you were born.

If you are going to start pulling on that logic, the reasoning behind Hume’s response to Locke on the origin of the social contract is a pretty fucking potent acid. If the EU is illegitimate because you didn’t consent to it, so is the British state. If we should leave Europe because there are people who didn’t consent to it, then we should get rid of the British government too. Libertarians tend to think that’s awesome because they no longer have to put up with the government telling them that they have to pay their employees minimum wage or not discriminate against women and queers and Johnny Foreigner. But once you’ve logically unravelled the state, there’s no cops to call when the peasants invade your swimming pool. Careful what you wish for, UKIPsters.

ControlPlane is the new MarcoPolo but it works with Lion/Mountain Lion. Why’s that interesting, you say? Because it allows contextual-computing hackery… which is fun.

It’s not very nice to be called a swivel-eyed loon, but when the shoe fits so well…

Yesterday, we had MPs saying that Christians are being oppressed by the evil aggressive homosexuals. Today, we see yet another story of a serious homophobic assault. This time in London…

Tony Baldry: “Humanists are nice people but this amendment, if passed, would effectively open up marriage, not just to humanists, but open it up to pagans, Jedi Knights, spiritualists”

Cripes. Pagans, Jedi Knights and Spiritualists? We have to keep strict, socially approved limits on the types of magic-sky-fairy believers who are allowed to conduct wedding ceremonies…

Following the #equalmarriage debate on Twitter is like being a kid on a very long car journey. “Are we there yet?” No. Not for a while longer yet…

Next up, MPs will vote on a clause to protect the embattled institution of heterosexual marriage by forcing any young man found with Lady Gaga on their MP3 payer to watch a loop of Pamela Anderson on Baywatch in slow motion.

Makes as much sense as some of the other bollocks being debated in the House today…

Having people beat the shit out of you for being gay is sooo last week. Having people think of you as a bigoted prick for saying ghastly things is the horrifying new face of discrimination.

If you think state and church shouldn’t intermingle, they call you an “aggressive secularist”. If you think marriage shouldn’t just be for straight people, they call you an “aggressive homosexual”. If you aren’t keen on being turned into a Findus ready meal, they’ll call you an “aggressive horse”.

I am an “aggressive” homosexual according to some prat in Westminster. You can tell because my pinky finger sticks out while I am drinking a a G&T, obvs.

Have not been watching the marriage debates but am already drinking…

At the Thames Barrier with @envagency.

Today, the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill returns to the House of Commons. More fun and charades watching politicians debate and vote on my rights. This time, I won’t be watching (or drinking along). I do hope they make the right decision though.

Ladies and gents, now that Tumblr’s fate has been sealed (long, slow decline into the sunset), fire up your scrapers to save the porn.

Yahoo! are proud to announce they are buying Tumblr and will not be treating it like they did Upcoming, MyBlogLog, eGroups, blo.gs, Zimbra, ONElist, Jumpcut, Delicious or GeoCities. Because that would be bad.

That reminds me. I need to actually finish the transition off Tumblr. Having your own domain is so useful.