PM to block gay unions: report
“Prime Minister John Howard will overhaul the marriage act to stop Australian courts recognising foreign gay unions.”
…
“Proposed amendments to the act could result in marriage being defined in legislation as between a man and a woman.
The move follows US President George W Bush’s move to ban same-sex marriages” (Age)
And the next day:
“Prime Minister John Howard denied he was targeting gay people when he signalled a ban on same sex marriages”
…
“Mr Howard says he wants to overhaul the Marriage Act to say that marriage could only be between a man and woman, and to stop courts recognising foreign gay unions, to defend traditional families.”
(Age)
How is that not targeting gay people?
And what is with the ‘defending traditional families’? I’ve never been able to work out how having more people in legally recognised relationships would harm traditional familes. Perhaps I should write to John Howard and ask him to ‘please explain’.
And, infuriatingly, “Labor is not likely to oppose Mr Howard’s amendments.
Opposition attorney-general spokeswoman Nicola Roxon has said Labor would consider closing off Australian recognition over overseas gay marriages.”
I’ve been drafting my letter to Opposition Leader Mark Latham. This is what I’m thinking of writing:
Dear Mr Latham,
According to The Age newspaper
(http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/04/27/1082831561732.html), Labor
is “not likely to oppose” the Prime Minister John Howard’s proposed
amendments to the marriage act to prevent courts recognising same-sex
marriages.
Can you explain to me how this fits with your supposed belief in
“opportunity for all”?
As Democrat Senator Greig said, “Denying same-sex couples the right to any formal legal legal recognition of their unions just imposes social, legal and financial discrimination on them”.
I’ve voted Labor all my life, but if your party does not take this
opportunity to support the possibility of gay marriage in Australia and
make a stand against Howard’s determination to treat gay Australians as
second-class citizens, I will never vote Labor again.
Yours sincerely”
I’m sick of feeling like my own country doesn’t want me, and that the values of tolerance and that cliched ‘fair go’ I grew up with and took overseas with me don’t exist in Australia anymore.
ALP’s feedback form, if you want to write to them too.