New Zealand MP Maurice Williamson,
whose colorful and powerful speech on gay marriage went viral on
YouTube, has urged other nations to legalize such unions.
Williamson gave his “big gay rainbow”
speech in support of gay nuptials just before the New Zealand
parliament approved a marriage bill.
“It's great for those it affects but
for the vast bulk of people it will have no impact on their lives,”
Williamson wrote in an op-ed for The
Australian. “All gay marriage does is allow consenting gay
couples to get married. That's it. I would say to the countries yet
to have the gay marriage debate: Be Ye Not Afraid.”
In the 4-minute speech before
parliament which turned Williamson into an overnight celebrity, he
said that he was told that the marriage bill was the cause of a
drought.
“Well, if any of you follow my
Twitter account, you will see that in the Pakuranga electorate this
morning it was pouring with rain. We had the most enormous big gay
rainbow across my electorate,” he told colleagues.
(Related: Maurice
Williamson's “big gay rainbow” speech goes viral.)