Australian lawmakers are set to begin debating marriage equality, and the anti-equality brigade is not happy at all.
The Australian Christian Lobby鈥檚 managing director Lyle Shelton is the public face of the campaign against marriage equality in Australia.
I certainly don鈥檛 agree with him on everything, but I do agree with his motto, which can be aptly summarised by Helen Lovejoy鈥檚 catchphrase, 鈥渨on鈥檛 somebody please think of the children.鈥 But for once in my life I should make a minor confession: I mostly agree out of pure narcissism.
This is my open letter to Shelton.
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If you listen to most Western politicians you could be forgiven for thinking that refugees are a pesky annoyance, greedy 鈥渆conomic refugees鈥 from the Third World illegitimately trying to break into this wealthy country.
Their now monotonously routine scapegoating of refugees for the pain and insecurity that more and more people feel, even in the richest countries in the world, translates into plain abuse out there in the public.
The Baird Coalition government is rushing its legislation for the privatisation of NSW power assets through the Legislative Assembly, without waiting for the report of the Legislative Council鈥檚 inquiry into the sell-off, due on June 2.
The move to fast track the bill before the inquiry, chaired by Christian Democrat leader Fred Nile, releases its report, exposes the inquiry as a sham, according to Greens NSW MLC John Kaye. Premier Mike Baird has ridden roughshod over the process and denied the public a proper investigation into the long-term impacts of the sale.
ADELAIDE
Watch a film with us: Class Dismissed: How TV Frames the Working Class on Saturday June 20 at 6.30pm. The film examines whether TV portrayals of the working class are accurate, and how they affect the ways viewers think and behave. Salvation Army Worship and Community Centre, 70 Marion St, Unley. Ph Matthew Buckley 0406 822 894.
BRISBANE
March at a rally to welcome refugees on Saturday June 20 at 11am. King George Square. Ph Paul 3392 3843. Email.
CAIRNS
Marriage Equality has come to Ireland through a popular referendum. The result was hailed by the May 23 New York Times as placing Ireland 鈥渁t the vanguard of social change鈥.
This will be surprising to many, considering Ireland is a country in which transgender status is not recognised by the state, abortion is illegal, gay couples are denied access to surrogacy, unmarried couples cannot adopt, and homosexuality was decriminalised as recently as 1994.
Here's this month's radical record round-up, with an emphasis on International Workers' Day, May 1. What album, or albums, would you suggest? Comment below, on or .
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