Constitutional amendment on marriage equality - VOTE YES

The Communist Party of Ireland calls on working people to come out and vote Yes to the constitutional amendment on marriage equality.  This is a matter of democracy and of equal rights. Rights denied to one are rights denied to us all.

        For democratic reasons it is important that all forms of discrimination are challenged, whether they are based on a person’s faith, race, colour, nationality, or sexual orientation. You cannot have inequality in rights.   Establishing the right to marry would complete the legal equality of people with a different sexual orientation, and strike a blow at the continuing social prejudice and discrimination they face.  The defeat of the amendment would constitute a serious setback and negate much of the progress made in recent years.

        We know that the liberal elite, while lecturing people about equality, perpetrate and promote through their policies gross inequality. They continue to wage wars under this false flag. The system itself cannot exist without inequalities and exploitation.

        The establishment, by its economic and social policies, promotes a two-tier health system, two-tier education, and inequality in services. The right to work, the right to housing, the right to a free health service, the right to a pension, the right to security, the right to proper food, the right to join and be represented by a trade union, are all central and important rights to working people, and all are denied us.   Now they want to take away the right to water.

        They will not willingly agree to a referendum on these fundamental human rights. The liberal establishment does not consider these important human rights. Instead it has built a toll-bridge society: if you have the money to pay you pass through, if not, wait in line. Their pyramid of rights is based on giving all rights to capital and business, giving them the maximum opportunity to defend and protect their rights and interests, which means huge restrictions on workers’ rights and our ability to defend ourselves.

        Once again we ask working people — despite our reservations about sections of the Yes campaign — to vote Yes. But to we need to go further and challenge the narrow understanding of rights allowed us. Workers need to push forward for deeper economic, political and social changes.