WTF France? "Mass Paris rally against gay marriage in France"

[FrodosPet]

As much as people want to believe that Europe, and particularly France, is so much more civilized and forward thinking than the U.S., it isn't always true.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21004322

Hundreds of thousands of protesters have taken to the streets of Paris over plans to give gay couples in France the right to marry and adopt children.

~ snip ~

The organisers put the number of marchers at 800,000, with demonstrators pouring into Paris by train and bus, carrying placards that read, "We don't want your law, Francois" and "Don't touch my civil code".

Police said the figure was closer to 340,000 and one government minister said the turnout was lower than the organisers had predicted. A similar march in November attracted around 100,000 people.

~ snip ~

An opinion poll of almost 1,000 people published by Le Nouvel Observateur newspaper at the weekend suggested that 56% supported gay marriage, while 50% disapproved of gay adoption.

~ snip ~

[TheMightyFavog]

1. Isn't France a heavily Catholic country?

[Lithos]

2. Actually not that large

The labor bill back in 2006 drew something like 2.7 million protesters on just one day of a multi-day protest- most of those were students. There were also several other days around 1 million or more protesters. Other issues have drawn as large as well.

France is a much more vocal country than the US. Also with an efficient mass transit system, they are able to mobilize more than could ever be done here in the US.

[onehandle]

4. Exactly. Good or bad, people care about issues in France.

Over here, they care about American Idol and Dancing With The Stars.

[Mrs. Overall]

3. But Paris was the refuge for so many gays and lesbians in the 1800s & early to mid 1900s--

I'm sure Gertrude and Alice would be shocked by this rally on the streets of Paris.

[Mass]

5. The law will pass. This does not mean there is no opposition.

BTW, this is not a large protest for France.

[Recursion]

6. Look at what happens when France moves towards letting employers lay off workers

Cars flipped over and set on fire; millions of people in the street.

This isn't much.

[Rex]

7. What is it like

being Frodo's pet?