Self-indulgent ego strokers miss the mainstream

Self-indulgent ego strokers miss the mainstream
Image: Tim Wilson from the IPA unloads on activists
Tim Wilson from the IPA unloads on activists
Tim Wilson from the IPA unloads on activists

LGBTI activists that want changes in law also need to change their tactics.

After the election of the Abbott government some activists pushing for marriage for same-sex couples responded with vitriol.

Some plastered capital cities with posters declaring “F*ck you Tony Abbott”. Except in their version the asterisks was replaced with the last vowel in the alphabet.

Similarly, some University students wore t-shirts with the same branding.

They’re welcome to wear silly t-shirts, but they’d be foolish to think it is anything other than an indulgent ego-stroking exercise and chest thumping for their defiant like-minded friends in defeat.

These cases are fringe; the real change needs to be changed in the mainstream.

Australia’s swing to the centre-right should prompt mainstream advocates to review their tactics.

Some Australians still aren’t ready for same-sex couples to get married, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t open to addressing many other community-specific issues.

For example, the Victorian Ministerial Taskforce on LGBTI health issues can be a useful pathway to make a positive day-to-day impact on people’s lives without upsetting marginal electorates twenty kilometres outside of the CBD.

But the broader change has to be tone.

Past efforts to change laws has been focused on the principle of equality.

If you want to engage the audience for far-left activist groups, the Greens and the ALP you should rally around the equality flag, as has been done through adopting the phrase “marriage equality”.

It’s worked to this point because the audience has been changing the position primarily of the Labor Party. Those days aren’t over, but the debate now needs to move on.

The centre-right rallies around other principles, such as freedom and fairness.

That’s why youthful American Republicans that want to change their Party’s position on the issue refer to the “freedom to marry”.

Freedom comes from a classical liberal approach to self-determination and the importance of preserving human rights to free speech, association, movement, religious faith and property.

Marriage isn’t a human right and is therefore a secondary concern to the preservation and protection of religious freedom. Marriage is a civil right.

While it may work as a sound bite, the “the freedom to marry” is a contortion of a liberal approach to human rights to suit an argument.

Engaging a mainstream centre-right audience requires approaching issues from the amorphous principle of fairness, and it plays well in the suburbs too.

On marriage, advocates have a good argument to make. Same-sex couples are far more likely to be positive contributors to the tax and transfer system because they are less likely to have children.

Similarly, people in relationships are less likely to draw from the social welfare system.

But despite paying a disproportionately higher contribution, they don’t get extended the same civil rights.

It’s an extension of the “no taxation without representation” argument. The same civil obligations should be matched with the same civil rights.

The other change has to be to remove the hubris of arguing that advocates for change are “on the right side of history”.

Change requires moving as many people as possible from a position of indifference to being in favour; and moving those who are opposed to being neutral.

Using such patronising language keeps people in the opposition camp by belittling and trivialising their concerns.

This flawed strategy was used by some advocates for the 1999 Republican referendum.

Advocates argued a Republic was necessary for Australia to finally become a grown up nation.

Yet such language backfired because it belittled our nation’s great achievements. Instead of being open to change, some took offence at the very proposition being put forward, and stopped listening.

Achieving change actually requires understanding the new audience you’re speaking too.

Tim Wilson is a policy director at the Institute of Public Affairs – www.ipa.org.au

 

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53 responses to “Self-indulgent ego strokers miss the mainstream”

  1. Oh please…wake up!!

    Who gets sucked in by entrepeneurs that want their greedy capitalist hands on the community other than to serve their own selfishness. .

    The what’s in it for me mentality of Tim et al is why we have a nasty degree of self entitled gay brats

    Tim, please demonstrate that you can initiate real change for all and not just for YOU

    Kind regards…;)

  2. Terje…

    Another self serving add for lnd, the senator got elected ok!!

    Thanks for exposing Tims real hidden agenda
    Lol! !!

    Self serving and shallow!

    Do you have no shame Tim using your gay status for propaganda $$$$$$$

    GOTCHA!!

  3. Lets put this issue into a different context

    When our own political class has the narcissistic and selfish tosser in it’s midst, no amount of lobbying will change that disturbing mentality

    If and when the Liberals grow up themselves and be subjected to a tragedy like a child dying on a boat out at sea as they are deemed illegal. .well suck it up for political power eh??

    Mr Abbott’s sister is defending a brother who cant even negotiate in parliament as we have seen in the past….what do we expect from a man like this??

    His family are just pawns for his own ambitions, and they look silly being part of the facade of another agenda.
    Just like puppets on a string…that pesky sister from a minority group adds further disdain to the electorate

    You see abusive comments??
    Hmmm

    Well, all that nastiness in parliament that he instigated sadly may come back to bite him

    The journey has been hollow and devoid of ideas with just slogans for bogans

    Karma works in amazing ways in Tosser Inc Pty Ltd

  4. I personally like the IPA and the perspective they bring to political discourse in Australia. I think they make more sense than the Liberal Party. For example Tim Wilson is here showing he supports same sex marriage whilst the Liberal Party currently does not. Of course if you’re into liberty in both the personal and the economic spheres of life forget the Liberal Party and support the Liberal Democrats (LDP). They proudly support the push for same sex marriage.

  5. Just a point of reference to the twitter comments about Tims article and the response he had about his inclusion

    Is there animosity towards him because he may be corrupt or think he is God???

    Vexatious litigant etc

    Why have you asked him..???

  6. Alex Greenwich has been a delight and very charming

    How can you say that his gen have not done their contribution along with Dr Kerryn Phelps??

    The selfish petty gay bourgeoise that Tim is part of has sadly contributed to this very long and tiring act of discrimination…by being exclusive themselves??

    Come up with a intellectual argument from the conservatives thats not so American and shallow

    FREEDOM is simplistic and silly.

    It’s okay we are an educated nation that travel extensively and see how lucky we really are.

    If you think that every visitor to visit this country whose Gay ,won’t comment about Mr Abbott s stance and finally

    David Cameron’s statement was SUPERB!!

  7. Anarcho capitalism breeds corrupt greed and selfishness

    Why doesn’t Tim and Co sell the rights to his wedding to a magazine… $$$$$

    Selling off the a.b.c and education is part of that mantra

  8. Well done Tim, great article.The approach of the Greens and ALP and “equality”activists has to date been a total failure.You have to wonder about their commitment when ALP and Greens were able to push the carbon tax and a mining tax through parliament, but were unable to legislate for the freedom to marry.Its time to wrest the issue back where it belongs, with the party of individual freedom and liberty, just as the UK and NZ conservatives and classical libs succeeded so well in doing.

  9. If his sister is gay then maybe it’s a sign from God to the Liberals to end their disctiminatory ideeals

    We also have an African American president

    It’s time for the Liberals to engage in the good ole tradition of liberalism

    Small l liberals are classy Tim Robert Wilson

    Your organisation’s mantra is far right that even Golden Dawn would be welcome

  10. Well done Tim, great article. The approach taken by Labor and the Greens and équality’ activists has to date been an abject failure-they could get a mining tax and a carbon tax through parliament but not freedom to marry? Why is that…… Its time to wrest the issue back where it belongs,with the party of individual freedom and liberty, just as the UK and NZ conservatives and classical liberals succeeded in doing.

    • Michael…it hasn’t been a failure at all???

      Support for the marriage equality

      Greeks, Italians etc were discriminated 20 years ago with the same vitriol and now they are the establishment in politics , media et al

      How did they accomplish such success??

      Smart arguments and sheer hard work I would assume… ??

      The slash and burn approach of this government will put Australia back twenty years

      You guys got it wrong by shallow arguments

  11. Oh boohoo, “some Australians aren’t ready for gay marriage”. Well too fucking bad you stupid bigots, equality is coming and you will no longer be able to treat LGBT people like they’re not even humans.

  12. Tim is correct that people should respect the past.

    Gays discriminate as well from the right

    The real question to be asked is, why hasn’t he used
    his relationship in the media

  13. Great article and fully agree with it. I find the gay community to be the biggest discriminators on the grounds of political ideals. Remember the Left didn’t give us marriage either- So stop attacking the right. IT is this Government who might just give us marriage, and the ALP will be out of power of at least two terms (6 years), so it won;t be them in the near future.

    • The real question yo be asked is:

      Is Tim Wilson one of them as well??

      White Gay men are also racist

      K.K.K and the Koch brother’s are aligned with the I.P.A

      How can you take Tim seriously??

  14. Simply, I think if the SO is going to publish Tim Wilson of the IPA, then there needs to be disclosure about (a) the IPA and (b) who funds the IPA and pays Tim Wilson.

    Transparency.

    Not that hard.

  15. No we are not a clone army of Alan Jones, we are diverse. Those who fight for equal Civil Rights, who join online groups, those who march in the rain for us, those who lobby their local MP or call radio, those who simply celebrate Mardi-Gras, or simply say Abbott is fucked, show activist are simply people, good people. Standing up to those who hate is not a bad thing is it?

    Yet the LNP asks us to accept two types of people, and demeans us to be treated as second class citizens. Tim wants to go through the trash, and find the receipt of the Victorian Government. Well in between the sanatorium, we will find Robert Clark, the flake Attorney General, who told parliament homosexuality is a sick disease, and passed a law against public swearing. The first act of the GLBTI friendly pollies, in that LNP government, was to vote to turn back the clock, and strip us of workplace protections in the anti-discrimination act. This is now a government with a majority of one, who takes orders from the fundamentalist Christian member for Frankston, who said gay marriage is the same as paedophilia, and should we mention his criminal charges? How do you lobby such people? I think what Tim is saying we can do other things right, not worry about marriage so much.

    I married in New Zealand. It was wonderful, even the weather was great. We came home to find our community treating us as married. Cards were sent, presents given, and the devout Catholic CEO of my beloveds work, baked a wedding cake. I have lost count of the straight folk who came up to congratulate us in our country town.

    It is shame Tim advocates for two types of people. I see this message enough when I look at Tony Abbott claiming money for private weddings. It is simply not an good to be sticking up for the man who said Lesbians love is counterfeit. A man who put his dick into so many women, he had to do DNA testing on an ABC person to find out if he was his also. Abbott is not all the party, but he is the one the party puts up as the face of the modern Liberal Party. And all this talk of old school Liberal values of freedom is great, but the reality is no person gives a shit. Even Malcolm Turnbull always votes against marriage equality laws. I have to judge people not what I hope they would be, but what they do.

    • Cory Bernardi’s repugnant comments shouldn’t be forgotten either

      Tim Wilson isn’t a great gay role model sadly

      He has allowed himself to be a gay tosser of the community by working for the I.p.a that has had speakers of ill repute like Rabbi Cowen oney $$$$

      A man against the safe schools coalition and holds such ugly views towards homosexuality

  16. Tim Wilson has a capitalist pig t shirt on the internet
    Fringe groups are everywhere Tim including silly radicals from the right
    Touche???

  17. So Tim talks self indulgence and ego…??
    Hmmm

    Rodney Croome et al have been impeccable with their activism and have worked hard lobbying in Canberra

    Writing articles for The Australian looks lazy to me
    Sadly

    I dont know what Tim really does at the I.P A but he is the first real gen y professional politician

    Thats scary!!

  18. Tim epitomizes the narcisistic gay man

    Self indulgent ego…

    Lol!!
    How many gigs on the a.b.c??

    Guilt by association there Dear Tim!!

  19. I respect Tim as a homocon that is a trailblazer for
    many young gay men.
    His first appearance with Penny Wong on q and a was great. He broke the mould and whatever you think of his politics that moment was so gay…
    I do have concerns that he may be playing identity politics and is being used for more sinister purposes…
    We dont know who the I.p.a are as they are so secretive and engage in the dark arts of Machiavellian politics

    I look foward to Tim and Co with new ideas without a hidden agenda

    The ball is in their court now

    Ciao

  20. Although I agree that abusive t shirts and obscenities is not the answer, i knew Tim was a Liberal Party cheerleader from the first minute i saw him on ABC breakfast. Almost turned me off my cereal.
    “But despite paying a disproportionately higher contribution, they don’t get extended the same civil rights.”
    You said it. And you wonder why people are angry? Id like to see less of your cheesy grin on the ABC frankly….

    • There is a petition to just that on Change dot Org – just google “ABC (Australia): Stop the bias towards the Institute of Public Affairs (IPA)”

      • Such a grand title for an organisation for such a narrow philosophical position. The ABC is forced to allow him – and others like the odious Piers Akerman the Sydney Institute’s socially conservative Gerard Henderson – to air their views lest it be regarded as left-leaning. These days anyone progressive or socially from the ‘centre’ is regarded as left-leaning as the 2 mainstream parties have lurched to the right.

  21. According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, marriage IS a human right, not merely a civil one. Mr Wilson didn’t do his homework.

      • Article 16 Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) says it is – the EU may choose to think differential

        “Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution.

        For more than a decade, this non-discrimination principle has been interpreted by UN treaty bodies and numerous inter-governmental human rights bodies as prohibiting discrimination based on gender or sexual orientation. Non-discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation has therefore become an internationally recognized principle and many countries have responded by bringing their domestic laws into line with this principle in a range of spheres including partnership rights.”

  22. Have we learnt nothing from history? If it wasn’t for groups in society NOT playing the game the way those in control would like things would never change. It’s like you people believe in the “trickle down” effect, not just economically, but socially. Maybe look up the history of the 8 hour working day, or maybe the Suffragettes and then tell people to “play nice”

    • Brendon, you just dont have a grasp on what it takes to change hearts and minds. Angry Atheists & vengeful gay advocates will not bring peace or closure to this debate. Eg Blacks one

      Tim is well thoughtout and clearly at peace with his sexuality by the sounds of it.

      • Actually Will I think I do, there are many accounts through history of how social change occurs. Maybe you could look some up? Try starting with the Suffragettes?

        Also what on earth do you mean by Blacks One? Do you mean “Blacks won” and is that a reference to the American Civil Rights Movement ? If so, they sure as hell didn’t use the tactics begin suggested by Wilson!

  23. Thank you Tim, for standing up and showing that conservatives believe in same sex marriage, but we just have a different thought process to get there. There is nothing wrong with that. Anyone that says there is, are close-minded bigots. Yes, those on the left can be bigots.

  24. Tim has a good point. We need to use our head to win the majority over and abuse and anger will not work. I note the abuse toward Tim rather than his argument shows some don’t learn. Abusing Abbott for 4 years just got him elected. As we gay rugby plays say, play the ball not the man.

  25. I could not agree more with Tim.

    People still hold an ill founded belief that Labor is the champion of all things warm and fuzzy. The environment, marriage equality, asylum seekers. The truth is, they spent so much time fighting with themselves, these causes all suffered under their government.

    Labor had an unmarried women at the helm, whom you would expect given her break from convention to be at least open to more progressive social ideas, and still couldn’t bring themselves to do anything to further any of these causes. It is time that people stop demonising Liberals on these non partisan issues and realises with sensible, considered discussion any party could be convinced to support the change.

    The slogans, public protests and social media campaigns have for the most part been embarrassing, and of a quality id expect from high school students, not a dynamic organised community.

    Rather than yelling obscenity, be constructive, proactive, and accept that the greatest social change happens during times of economic security. People don’t care about the trees, the gays or the whales if they are worried about feeding their kids. We need a stable economy, and then people will look outsider their own lives, and think of others.

    A Liberal governemnt is the only way we are going to see the conditions necessary to bring about this important social change.

    • “A Liberal governemnt is the only way we are going to see the conditions necessary to bring about this important social change.”

      You keep telling yourself that…History would prove otherwise.

      • Really David? What has happened under a labor government?

        Stable, focused government, content population, perfect setting for such change.

        If the holy Gillard didn’t do it, who exactly will? Pathetic pragmatic Bill? Unlikely he will ever stop flailing around making promises, statements and actually do something.

        • If you think the Liberal Party with Abbott at the helm is going to do an about face on this issue you are deluded.

  26. I wonder if they will wear their “F*ck you Tony Abbott t-shirts when lobbing wavering Coalition MPs. Should do the trick.
    Because more self-righteous intolerance and name-calling is what we need to bring people together and move forward on this issue.
    I might try this with people I want something from: “f*ck you, you c*nt, can I borrow $100?”.
    Thank you, Socialist Annoyance, go and suicide bomb some other issue that isn’t important to, like, people and stuff

  27. The problem is not in the messaging; that’s a convenient excuse Tim for the party that pays your fees. The talking points by the wide diversity of “activists” on the topic of marriage have covered a very wide space including freedom and fairness. The problem at the moment is we have an absent PM with rusted on religion unable to objectively see that he represents ALL Australians now. No one should need to make an argument when government OPENLY discriminates against any group of Australians. No one suggests that the current law is not discriminatory.

  28. The IPA dominate the ABC with their right wing views – let’s do something to balance it!

  29. Tim Wilson and the IPA are a bunch of neo-cons who would sell their grandparents for a quid. The IPA right legislation for the Liberals, can’t believe you’d publish their propaganda! They are a dangerous mob. When running for Melb City Council he paid to have ads “google bombed” . Anytime someone questions the status quo Wilson and Co dismiss it as “educated inner city dwellers” etc, what’s wrong with being educated! Tim Wilson and the IPA are very very dangerous, unless you are one of their funders, like Rupert Murdoch or Gina Rheinhart.

    • I’m pretty sure you don’t understand the term ‘neo-con’ which is a term derived out of international relations theory to describe someone who seeks an interventionist foreign policy.

      Tim et. al are probably better described as liberals or arch-capitalists who would sell their grandparents for a quid.

      • No, that’s one interpretation of neo-co as is “a new movement in conservatism, usually seen as a move further to the right of the position currently occupied by conservatives in politics or in attitudes.”