The battle that is raging in this country isn't essentially about politics. It's about rights. Politics is the tool used to batter people with. In the meantime, the silent or small voices on all sides of the political divide are being trampled on and worse ignored.
Rubbish, I hear many say. It's all about politics. Those on that side, hold 'that view' and we on this side, hold 'this view'. Not so.
I give a couple of recent examples of proof of what I am saying.
Goodes BooGate. Anybody who didn't support the theory, that booing Adam Goodes was racism, was immediately branded a racist. Sports administrators, B grade (so called) celebrities, media hacks, social media trolls were screaming at people from their various vantage points. Racist, racist!!!
It didn't matter what your reasons for not supporting Goodes were (or are), and there are many reasons why people don't support or like him. Nothing to do with his indigenous heritage. They simply don't like him and his behaviour. The racism branding team simply wasn’t interested to hearing our opinions. We were simply put into the racist box or the not racist box. Putting people into little boxes makes it easier for people on both sides to attack the opposing view.
The social media traffic highlighted the problem. They boo; they must be Liberal supporters. They support Goodes; they must be Labor or Green. It really had nothing to do with with politics. The Essential poll released yesterday proved it. The majority of people polled didn't think it was racism at all and they came from all groups. Labor, Greens, LNP and Independents. Similarly those who did think it was racism cut across all political groups.
It's Was Question of Rights not Politics
Now we have the SSM marriage issue. It's being played out as a LNP vs Labor/Greens/LGBT battle. Let's throw in a bit of religious bullying to sweeten the mix; another string to bow of the pro-lobby.
Yesterday, the LNP party room discussed and agreed on their collective position with regards to marriage rights in this term. The vote went 66 status quo 33 free vote. Some people even accused the Prime Minister of vote stacking (including the now feral Christopher Pyne) for including the Nationals in the discussion. Malcolm Turnbull has also come out condemned the decision. Unbelievable.
The vote even without the Nationals would still have been, status quo. It is the LNP that governs the country. Not Liberals on their own. Those attacking Mr Abbott for including the Nationals in the discussion, and the party room vote, would have been happy to take away the rights of the Nationals because as country folk, more of them are in the anti SSM camp. Disgraceful.
Once Again It’s A Question of Rights not Politics
Tony Abbott has conveyed that he wants to ask us, what we think about SSM. He is advocating for a plebiscite at the next election. I say great, it should be down to us. This isn't about legal change it's about social change and that impacts on all of us.
Given the lauding of the 'rainbow' lobby and their supporters over Ireland's referendum, you would think they would be appalling a plebiscite here. But no, they are doing exactly the opposite. They praise Ireland, but seek to deny me and you the same right. Hypocrites.
They are using politics as the tool to beat up the very person advocating for my rights to voice my opinion. And they are denigrating anyone who supports him.
If you dare to disagree with these pressure groups, you are automatically accused of being anti-gay. Not so. I am simply concerned about what this change means and where will it with lead in the future. I know, many share that concern. This is not a hysterical concern, as some try to claim. It is a legitimate concern, based on what has happened overseas. And, what is now emerging in some of those countries who have gone down the SSM path, with respect to 'other' groups demanding the same right. It also cuts to the core of rights with businesses forced out of business for saying no.
Consider this, it wasn't so long ago that prostitution was illegal in this country. How many people consider prostitution immoral and an abuse of women? I suspect the number who do is significant. I feel very strongly about the treatment of and exploitation of women in brothels. But, the people had no say, it just happened. Social change driven by self-interest lobby groups has a habit of creeping up on society. We see it day in day out. As a result our rights are being eroded.
The ‘rainbow’ lobby are even trying to force TV stations to cancel ads from the Marriage Alliance who are trying to get their opinions into the public forum. That is suppressing free speech.
Those who are concerned about this come from all sides of the political divide not just from the conservative side of politics. A poll running on Seven News today has the public vote at 50/50 (currently). That is not a majority.
I maintain, this is a question of rights, not politics. Time to take a stand.
