LEGALIZING LOVE

Leadership rears its head in Spain, as a top government official takes the morally correct stance of supporting the right to marry, gay or straight.

MADRID (Reuters) &151; Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero defended a new law allowing gay couples to marry on Wednesday, in a veiled counter-attack on the Roman Catholic Church which has thrown its weight against it.

The Spanish parliament last month gave initial approval to the law, prompting the Spanish Bishops' Conference to step up its campaign against the measure by calling on all Catholics to resist applying the new law.

"I will never understand those who proclaim love as the foundation of life, while denying so radically protection, understanding and affection to our neighbours, our friends, our relatives, our colleagues," Zapatero told parliament in a "state of the nation" address.

"What kind of love is this that excludes those who experience their sexuality in a different way?" he said.

Sounds like someone's been receptive to the concept of compassion.

[Thanks to J.L. for this.]