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miriam_eIt seems that hate sells better than love does. When will these imbeciles learn that victimising people just ends up hurting all of society. Goddamn it! I thought Labour at least were a little bit smarter than the stupid conservative government we currently have. But they just look more and more the same don't they. That nasty little man John Howard thought he could wedge Mark Latham in between a rock and a hard place by starting this bit of hate legislation going. Give Latham a reason not to cave to this crap... he is looking a bit weak.
Please write a letter and/or phone these fools. Make yourself heard. We can't let the "Paulians", drunk on hate, win this day. Even if you are straight -- especially if you are straight! -- please let them know you are very unhappy about them dividing Australian society like this.
Mr Mark Latham MP
Leader of the Opposition
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Fax: (02) 6277 8495
E-mail: M.Latham.MP@aph.gov.au
Ms Nicola Roxon MP
Shadow Attorney-General
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Fax: (02) 6277 8405
E-mail: Nicola.Roxon.MP@aph.gov.au
Date: Sat, 07 Aug 2004 06:34:45 -0000
From: "vglr_lobby" <vglr_lobby@yahoo.com.au>
Subject: Response to Labor betrayal
GLBTI lobby organisations around Australia have launched an email campaign to respond to Labor's betrayal of the GLBTI community over same-sex marriages.
The ALP agreed to await the outcome of a Senate inquiry before voting on Howard's marriage ban. The ALP has now reneged on this during a forum organized by extremist, homophobic Christian fundamentalists.
At that meeting, the ALP's shadow Attorney-General Nicola Roxon announced that Labor will ignore its commitment and will vote for the ban next week.
The Labor Party has decided that there are more votes in homophobia than in equality. Our community must let the Labor Party know loud and clear that we will not stand by quietly as they join John Howard in homophobic legislation.
The senate inquiry is rumoured to have received over 12,000 responses (mostly form letters) from Christian political extremists -- an action which may have prompted the Labor Party to change tactics and support the Howard government's marriage bans.
It is a dark day for equality. We must act now. By next Friday, 13 August 2004, we want Mark Latham, Leader of the Labor Party, and Nicola Roxon to receive 13,000 e-mails expressing our outrage at their betrayal.
This has become a numbers game. It's our turn to show our strength in numbers.
Below is an e-mail drafted by the NSW Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby -- who launched the campaign earlier this week.
The VGLRL strongly encourages all members to assist with this campaign through emails, letters and phone calls to local politicians as well as Latham and Roxon.
Mr Mark Latham MP
Leader of the Opposition
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Fax: (02) 6277 8495
E-mail: M.Latham.MP@aph.gov.au
Ms Nicola Roxon MP
Shadow Attorney-General
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Fax: (02) 6277 8405
E-mail: Nicola.Roxon.MP@aph.gov.au
Dear Mr Latham and Ms Roxon,
I am writing to express my outrage and deep disappointment in the Labor Party's decision to abandon its commitment to our community.
When the Marriage Legislation Amendment Bill 2004 ("Bill") was first introduced, the Labor Party gave a commitment to our community to send the Bill to a Senate Committee to investigate fully the implications of the Bill. I strongly condemn Nicola Roxon's announcement at a forum organised by those who hold extremist homophobic views, that the Labor Party plans to renege on its promise to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Australians.
I urge the Labor Party to stand true to its commitment and wait until the Senate Committee hands down its report before making any decision on the Bill.
This Bill will further entrench discrimination against same sex couples and deny same sex couples who have validly married overseas the right to have Australian courts recognise their marriage.
Howard's marriage ban sends a strong symbolic message that same sex relationships are second class. By singling out a section of the population as inherently less worthy and taking steps to deprive us of lawful rights, federal Members of Parliament who vote for this Bill will stigmatise lesbians and gay men. Gay men and lesbians already face alarmingly high levels of violence and discrimination and this Bill gives comfort to those who perpetrate such violence.
By supporting this Bill, the Labor Party is promoting homophobia over equality. As a party that prides itself on fairness and equality I urge the Labor Party to oppose this discrimination, and defend this attack on gay men and lesbians.
I implore you to await the outcome of the Senate Committee inquiry and to vote against this Bill.
Yours sincerely,
Please write a letter and/or phone these fools. Make yourself heard. We can't let the "Paulians", drunk on hate, win this day. Even if you are straight -- especially if you are straight! -- please let them know you are very unhappy about them dividing Australian society like this.
Mr Mark Latham MP
Leader of the Opposition
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Fax: (02) 6277 8495
E-mail: M.Latham.MP@aph.gov.au
Ms Nicola Roxon MP
Shadow Attorney-General
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Fax: (02) 6277 8405
E-mail: Nicola.Roxon.MP@aph.gov.au
Date: Sat, 07 Aug 2004 06:34:45 -0000
From: "vglr_lobby" <vglr_lobby@yahoo.com.au>
Subject: Response to Labor betrayal
GLBTI lobby organisations around Australia have launched an email campaign to respond to Labor's betrayal of the GLBTI community over same-sex marriages.
The ALP agreed to await the outcome of a Senate inquiry before voting on Howard's marriage ban. The ALP has now reneged on this during a forum organized by extremist, homophobic Christian fundamentalists.
At that meeting, the ALP's shadow Attorney-General Nicola Roxon announced that Labor will ignore its commitment and will vote for the ban next week.
The Labor Party has decided that there are more votes in homophobia than in equality. Our community must let the Labor Party know loud and clear that we will not stand by quietly as they join John Howard in homophobic legislation.
The senate inquiry is rumoured to have received over 12,000 responses (mostly form letters) from Christian political extremists -- an action which may have prompted the Labor Party to change tactics and support the Howard government's marriage bans.
It is a dark day for equality. We must act now. By next Friday, 13 August 2004, we want Mark Latham, Leader of the Labor Party, and Nicola Roxon to receive 13,000 e-mails expressing our outrage at their betrayal.
This has become a numbers game. It's our turn to show our strength in numbers.
Below is an e-mail drafted by the NSW Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby -- who launched the campaign earlier this week.
The VGLRL strongly encourages all members to assist with this campaign through emails, letters and phone calls to local politicians as well as Latham and Roxon.
Mr Mark Latham MP
Leader of the Opposition
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Fax: (02) 6277 8495
E-mail: M.Latham.MP@aph.gov.au
Ms Nicola Roxon MP
Shadow Attorney-General
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Fax: (02) 6277 8405
E-mail: Nicola.Roxon.MP@aph.gov.au
Dear Mr Latham and Ms Roxon,
I am writing to express my outrage and deep disappointment in the Labor Party's decision to abandon its commitment to our community.
When the Marriage Legislation Amendment Bill 2004 ("Bill") was first introduced, the Labor Party gave a commitment to our community to send the Bill to a Senate Committee to investigate fully the implications of the Bill. I strongly condemn Nicola Roxon's announcement at a forum organised by those who hold extremist homophobic views, that the Labor Party plans to renege on its promise to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Australians.
I urge the Labor Party to stand true to its commitment and wait until the Senate Committee hands down its report before making any decision on the Bill.
This Bill will further entrench discrimination against same sex couples and deny same sex couples who have validly married overseas the right to have Australian courts recognise their marriage.
Howard's marriage ban sends a strong symbolic message that same sex relationships are second class. By singling out a section of the population as inherently less worthy and taking steps to deprive us of lawful rights, federal Members of Parliament who vote for this Bill will stigmatise lesbians and gay men. Gay men and lesbians already face alarmingly high levels of violence and discrimination and this Bill gives comfort to those who perpetrate such violence.
By supporting this Bill, the Labor Party is promoting homophobia over equality. As a party that prides itself on fairness and equality I urge the Labor Party to oppose this discrimination, and defend this attack on gay men and lesbians.
I implore you to await the outcome of the Senate Committee inquiry and to vote against this Bill.
Yours sincerely,
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no subject
Date: 2004-08-08 01:13 pm (UTC)You're right though, the general rule is that conservatism tends to appeal to the worst in people while progressives appeal to the best--which I guess says something that conservatives are so far ahead in the U.S. and making inroads elsewhere too.
Allow me to apologize on behalf of this country for the idiocy we seem to be infecting the people of Australia with. Yes, I'm aware that not all evil ignorant bigotry originates from America, but true so often that it always makes a great working hypothesis in the beginning.