Letters – issue 1034

Letters – issue 1034

HERITAGE
Editor, I appreciate that you publish opinions on both sides of the gay marriage issue, such as Michael’s against (SSO 1031).

Raised in a Catholic family, I run this issue past my sister who still goes to church.

I feel we should have state ceremonies (at the town hall) that do not use the religious language of one creed in particular. What happens inside churches is, of course, the business of their communities.

My sister agrees.

However, since reading John Boswell’s book Same-Sex Unions in Premodern Europe, my opinion has changed.

Until recently, the Catholic Church was not interested in getting poorer people to marry. The ceremony in fact is a recent invention. The church took the prayers of an older ceremony, the solemn blessing of two friends, male or female, and used them to bolster a heterosexual situation.

So, far from wanting to imitate heteros when two gay men or lesbians want to marry, we are actually reclaiming what was our historical heritage.

I look forward to the day when a sympathetic Eastern European minister revives this solemn ritual as it was originally practised. I urge people to read Boswell’s book.
— Anton

PRIDE OF PLACE

Congratulations to the Star Observer for printing two terrific photos in this week’s (SSO 1032) (edition.

The one of footballer Daniel Conn now takes pride of place on the fridge. The one of Penny Wong is next to the toilet awaiting a more mundane purpose.
— John

MUDDLED MALCOLM

Does Malcolm Turnbull’s splashy advertisement show a loose inventiveness with the facts (SSO 1032)?

He claims, “I am working hard … with local councils to install more CCTV cameras in street crime hot spots”.

But how?

Kings Cross, a heritage streetscape and underbelly-ridden crime hot spot, has not received any federal funding for its CCTVs, and none is promised. A quick search on Sydney Council’s website toolbar reveals Malcolm has not made any submissions on this issue to committee meetings apparently.

We have also written three times to Malcolm requesting in-principle support for increased access to non-profit community education courses for small business and the elderly, but have not received any response.

Is this what he means by “working hard for our local communities”?
— Andrew Woodhouse, President, Potts Point and King Cross Heritage Conservation Society

HEAVEN

Thank you for such a great publication! Professional, topical and always cutting-edge — I’m in Heaven!
— Dave

HOPELESS POLLIES

Penny Wong’s not the only gay politician who’s hopeless. All the gay politicians are.

While Penny suffers from foot-in-mouth disease, openly-gay Sydney councillor Shayne Mallard, is lampooned from one corruption inquiry to another, and suggesting really stupid things like homeless people applying for Development Applications when begging in the streets (Daily Telegraph, 26/07/2010).

Gay councillor Bruce Notley-Smith, the Liberal’s candidate for Coogee, suggested there’s no homophobia in Randwick after a spate of gay-bashings there. In that case, I might move to his electorate and make a pass at the first goodlooking guy I see in the street.

As for the other Penny, Penny Sharpe. Well, the upper house MLC doesn’t ruffle too many feathers because she doesn’t do anything!
— Stuart

ODD PREFERENCES

In this election, as in most, the GLBTIQ media likes to inform its readers about the members of our community who are running, trying to make a difference.

This I commend — if they actually go into any detail about what their party stands for or who they preference.

Wes Bas, standing for the Senator Online Party, has chosen to pass preferences on to the Liberal Democrats, the Climate Sceptics and Family First before they get anywhere near any of the major parties.

I appreciate that Mr Bas is a gay man trying to get elected to Parliament. What I don’t appreciate is that if he doesn’t get there, a vote for Mr Bas is a vote for climate change denial, religious persecution and free market absolutism.

Frankly, if I wanted to vote for that, I’d vote Liberal, which Senator Online has curiously placed somewhere down the bottom.
— James

NO MORE MOORE

I am writing in response to Daniel’s letter, ‘Clover Cult’ (SSO 1033).

I returned from a work trip in mid-July to Montreal and Vancouver, cities with much smaller gay communities than Sydney. I was very impressed with the atmosphere and safety in the ‘villages’ of both these cities.

Many a time I had to disappoint people by sharing with them the tragic state of Oxford St, and all of them were surprised to hear my lament about the demise of the strip.

I am also unfortunate enough to live in the 2010 postcode, and Ms Moore is no stranger to my angry emails, my late-night calls to the City Rangers office, and my requests for help with anti-social behaviour on the streets.

She has increased the noise level in our suburbs at night, where hard-working citizens are trying to sleep. Pubs and clubs are given extended opening hours and it seems as if every person is not only eligible to have a liquor licence, but in fact has one. Sleep on a Friday and Saturday night in our neighbourhood is almost impossible, and if you do get some, it’s a luxury.

The constant screaming and deliberate breaking of bottles from revellers flocking into the city to ‘party’ keeps most of us awake and too scared to venture out.

Midnight to 4am brings skateboarders (yes, grown men and young adults) practising their skills in our streets and right outside our bedroom windows. This leaves our neighbourhood scattered with litter, broken bottles, vandalised cars and human excrement, even on the steps of our apartment block.

In Vancouver, I did not see or hear any such ‘partying’, the beach area was safe and filled with people till the early hours of the morning. No broken bottles or human excrement.

Clover has not only let me down, but also the gay community and a large percentage of the residents in our city. So I join you in saying NO MORE MOORE! At the next local council elections vote in someone with a bit of GREEN in their blood.

— Leon

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5 responses to “Letters – issue 1034”

  1. http://senatoronline.org.au/faq#36

    James – from the SOL website:

    31. What was SOL’s 2010 federal election preference policy?
    SOL is non-partisan. However, under the current Federal system we must give each party a preference; otherwise we would not get an above-the-line status on the Senate ballot paper.

    Accordingly, for the upcoming Federal election after minor parties we will preference the same number of states to Liberal over Labor as Labor over Liberal.
    How SOL allocates its preferences for each state will be determined by how these parties preference SOL.

    36. Our 2010 preferences
    As indicated in our preference policy in FAQ #31above:
    “for the upcoming Federal election after minor parties we will preference the same number of states to Liberal over Labor as Labor over Liberal. How SOL allocates its preferences for each state will be determined by how these parties preference SOL.” We made contact with all three major parties and split our preferences between the majors as follows:

    • NSW – Greens > Libs > Lab
    • VIC – Lab > Lib > Green
    • TAS – Green > Lab > Lib
    • SA – Lib > Lab > Green
    • QLD – Lab > Lib > Green
    • WA – Lib > Lab > Green

    For any minor parties or independents to have any chance – the minor parties MUST preference the majors (including the Greens) LAST.

    The majority of the minor parties were contacted and we agreed reciprocal similar preferences (although some did not honour what they indicated).

    We honoured all arrangements. Minor parties that we agreed to preference each other highly – were Democrats Carers and the LDP.

  2. For some, this election is like choosing from the lesser of two evils.
    As far as the gay community goes, it should be a little clearer. Any Liberal voters may as well vote for Family First. Lets see… we have a homophobic fundamental Christian on one side and a chick in a de-facto relationship that is for the idea of equal rights for gays and lesbians but doesn’t like the title ‘marriage’ on the other.
    I don’t know who will be my first preference, but I’ll be sure to place the Liberal party last. Anywhere else is insulting our community.

  3. Dear Editor

    Your online reader ‘Stuart’ should be careful repeating false accusations like – “openly-gay Sydney councillor Shayne Mallard, is lampooned from one corruption inquiry to another”. As your newspaper has reported I was subject to allegations of donation irregularities (not corruption) by the Greens State MP Lee Rhiannon (now Green Senate candidiate)abusing the privilage protections of NSW Legislative Council – something ‘Staurt’ does not enjoy. An inquiry conducted twice on the same allegations by the Electoral Funding Authority of NSW found no such irregularities and cleared my name on two occassions. There was no apology or correction from Ms Rhiannon and this is clearly an indication of the style of mud throwing and muck raking we can expect if she is elected to the Senate at the coming election. As to ‘Stuart’ – repeating false allegations does not make them fact and please note you do not enjoy the legal protections of ‘cowards castle’ to sully the reputation of public officials.

    Shayne Mallard
    Councillor
    City of Sydney

  4. In this election there is far more than GBLT issues at stake. After seeing the Greens performance in debate on Sunrise yesterday they lost me completely. I for one as an open gay proud man will vote for the party that I think can manage our nation’s economy and guide us forward

  5. Dear GLBT community.I am writing to you in desperation to make our votes count in this election.Previously I have always voted Labour and much prefer Gillard over Abbott. But I can not support any party that doesn’t entitle me to EQUAL rights without any “ifs and or buts”. I believe our civil rights should be prioritised as a No 1 concern. I am unapologetically proud to be gay and the GREENS think so too. We know Gillard or Abbott will win, but at least if we vote GREEN, together! we stand a better chance of being represented in our electorates by a party that will fight for us. Rally your family and friends, we need to make some noise. We are ALL worth it and together ONLY can we make a difference. Adam R – Alexandria