By: Clare Bruce
The head of a leading Christian media outlet has called on ‘No voters’ to accept Australia’s democratic ‘Yes’ for same sex marriage, with good spirit and grace.
By: Clare Bruce
The head of a leading Christian media outlet has called on ‘No voters’ to accept Australia’s democratic ‘Yes’ for same sex marriage, with good spirit and grace.
Michael Moore, the US film director neatly puts the argument that gay marriage does not concern anyone but the couple involved:
“If you are against gay marriage, don’t get gay married. You won’t like it. It’s not for you. But live and let live.”
It’s a position we are hearing a lot regarding the postal survey – ‘This is just about whether two individuals should be allowed to marry.’
Labour Party councillor Chika Amadi, a member on the United Kingdom’s Harrow Council, says changes in the law regarding same-sex marriage have stripped her of her right to free speech.
By: James Parker
Well, you’re not alone. A lot of Australians are not sure why this is such an important issue when there are so many other issues we could be solving.
“Certainly there’s been an impact and an effect on what you can say,” says Canadian civil rights lawyer Albertos Polizogopoulos.
British barrister Paul Diamond says there is no doubt that a change in the definition of marriage has resulted in significant consequences in his country towards those who hold more traditional viewpoints.
You would think that a cornerstone of equality would be the right to freedom of religion, belief and expression.
However, Prof. Barry Bussey says in Canada, the argument for equality is actually being used to undermine those core beliefs for students at Trinity Western University (TWU).
“In Australia you’re going to have to be absolutely aware that your laws have to be crystal clear to protect freedom of conscience and diversity,” Professor Iain Benson says.
“I wish I could kick you in the f**king face. That would be so satisfying.” Such is the current quality of debate on the plebiscite trail. And it proves that really, the crisis is almost nothing to do with marriage. It’s to do with our freedoms. The freedom to meet, to speak, to listen.
Andrea Mrozek is the program director of Cardus, a think tank that is dedicated to the renewal of social architecture within Canadian society.
She says she was unprepared for the extent to which the legalisation of same-sex marriage would affect legal definitions in her country.