One Hour Video: Interview With Sir John Swan
Sir John Swan sat down with Bernews today for a live interview on our Facebook page, discussing a wide range of topics including the waterfront, America’s Cup, and airport redevelopment. Speaking with guest interviewer Jeremy Deacon, the former Premier also touched on race relations, same sex marriage and more.
The 58-minute live video replay is below:
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Oh, I thought he was throwing his hat in.
Sir John would be elected tomorrow and would have vote…
Too bad he did’nt make de Freedom Fighters Hall of Fame.
Always like to listen to discussions with Sir John Swan. He goes to the heart of the question, doesn’t cover it with rhetoric, and in the final analysis presents lucid explanations on why he forms a certain opinion.
It is quite a shame that to often people seem unable to sit, listen to various opinions, and discuss them rationally. Then ultimately they can realize that the best possible solution will always require compromise from all stakeholders. Something Sir John seems to point to in this interview.
Mr. Swan is amazingly uninformed when it comes to the issues surrounding SSM. If he wants to support it because he feels it’s the right thing, that’s OK. But much of what he said made no sense and his specific comments regarding the wording of the referendum questions and the European Court of Human Rights are undeniably false.
Agreed. The European Court of Human Rights clearly does not convey SSM as a human right or a mandate to the countries under its guidelines. Case after case has legally proven that SSM is in fact not a human right and as recently as June 2016 with Chapin & Charpentier v France the ECtHR again reiterated its stance that SSM is not a human right. None of the human rights legislation that Bermuda may consider, the Bermuda Human Rights Act, the European Convention on Human Rights nor the United Nations-Universal Declaration of Human Rights says that SSM is a human right. Sir John is simply mistaken. Others within the EU have enshrined and re-fortified marriage in their constitution between a man and a woman. Many EU countries will not sway on this.
Many international business hubs across the world, such as in Asia, Dubai, etc don’t have SSM. In reality only 22 of about 193 nations have legalized SSM. The notion that whole world is moving in that direction is untrue.
Bermuda should not have to go along to get along. This cultural imperialism where Europe and the west financially imposes its values on the Caribbean and every other culture is in itself wrong.
Also, quoting Darwin, the survival of the species and the laws of nature seem to be a misfit with regard to this conversation on SSM. Don’t see how evolution, if you believe in it has made any provision for SSM.
How are they false?
SIR JOHN SWAN – thanks for your support of SAME SEX MARRIAGE.
Bermuda may well see EQUALITY soon
Not sure if our former premier should establish morality for everyone. Bermuda’s laws have been subject to guiding principles beyond any one individual’s values.
While the former premier is apparently well versed on many topics, we can’t take his advice on SSM. He admits that initially he stood against it for political interests and now he stands with SSM for personal family interests. His interests whether political or personal can not be the barometer we use to make laws governing our society.
The former premier conflates standing for marriage with hating people. People can disagree on many things, it doesn’t mean you hate the people you disagree with. Are all of the people who used to stand against SSM homophobic and hateful, even the former premier and other notable political leaders.
The Premier made a big mistake with the referendum.
The politicians weaseled their way around this issue.
Shame on those that voted for Wayne Furbert’s Legislation, I like to refer to as a Legislation of Discrimination.
20 PLP and OBA MP’s voted for a bill that would deny EQUALITY for Same Sex Couples. Indeed the Premier even abstained on the vote in the lower house…. which is arguably worse.
One way or another Human Rights for Same Sex Couples will be made good in Bermuda – even if we have to go all the way to the Privy Council. One hopes the Justice Etta Simmons rules favorably for the same sex couple to be granted a marriage license.
They should just decriminalize ssm in small amounts.