Condoms okay for Catholics
The string of anti-homophobia protests planned during the Pope’s visit to Sydney can go ahead, the Federal Court has ruled.
The court on Tuesday struck down the annoyance regulations created by the State Government’s World Youth Day Authority.
The judges agreed with Rachel Evans from Community Action Against Homophobia and the No To Pope Coalition that the regulation was too vague and had a chilling effect upon the exercise of their freedom of speech.
This is an incredible victory for free speech in NSW, Evans told Sydney Star Observer. We are planning to be as out as possible with our message -” whether or not it’s annoying -” with T-shirts, flamboyancy, condoms and coathangers, all of it will be there.
However, it was not an outright win. The judges upheld regulations that authorise police to move on protesters who cause inconvenience to pilgrims, as well as limitations on the distribution of religious items, clothing and food and drink during the WYD period.
Those remaining restrictions would not impact the protests planned for Saturday, Evans said.
Because the judges said [the regulation limited political expression] and because there’s been so much of an uproar and support, the Government’s going to find it very hard to fine anyone $5,500 for protesting, she said. We’re prepared to take that to court and debate whether we inconvenienced a pilgrim.
The No To Pope Coalition will march from Taylor Square to Moore Park from noon this Saturday, where the pilgrims will be gathered, carrying banners declaring that gay is great, the Pope is wrong, put a condom on as well as highlighting the significant rise in STIs in Australia and the teaching of abstinence in Australian schools. Vanessa Wagner will also host a kiss-in at Taylor Square.
NSW Council for Civil Liberties president Cameron Murphy said the victory was a good one, but would not be a long-term solution to the government’s impinging on political expression.
It’s really clear basic rights like the right to protest are under threat in NSW, he said.
Without this case, many thousands at the rally on Saturday would have been fined and arrested. It shouldn’t be necessary to go to court to ask for a basic right.
The Government’s WYD spokeswoman, Kristina Keneally, said there would be no attempt to pass new laws to get around the court ruling.
Evans and the No To Pope Coalition were assisted in the Federal Court action by barrister Stephen Blanks, who offered his services for free.
Please do no pick on Kevin Rudd – he is the best PM. I am glad that I and other Aussies totally got rid of that anti-everthing John Howard.
The church has been telling people that ABSTINENCE is the best way to avoid STDs. How many people follow that advice, Catholics or otherwise. If the church started encouraging the use of condoms do you think everyone would suddenly stand up and listen?? Get a perspective dudes….Catholic moral teaching needs to be discussed and debated – but a protest against it is missing the point – It’s all up to the individual person’s conscience on these issues, and I as a gay Catholic man have no problem with the use of condoms – and my member of the church is just as valid as that of Pell and the Pope…..just as my citizenship as an Australin is just as valid as that of Kevin Rudd or the GG.
hmm, ‘
‘more use if it was in a more prominent place such as even at lest circular quay
Condom use when having sex is excellent, no condom use means HIV and other very nasty diseases spread like wild fire. We are human beings who have emotions, feelings [and sexual feelings] and we have every right to express out feelings to someone we like or love in the privacy of our bedroom [between consenting adults]. Thanks to the pope (who is a complete stupid and foolish moron), millions are suffering of HIV because of no condom use and people who “fear” gay men or just hate us. I am a gay man who is an athiest and I am getting very tired of dopy religious people who really anoy me and other gay men (no wonder why I am an athiest). A woman has every right to choose an abortian as well. It is funny that the pope did not condone drinking alcohol or domestic violence in the family (as usual). He did not even say a simple sorry to all the victims of sexual abuse in the clergy. The anti-everthing pope should just shut is mouth or I will shut it for him!
Well it is about time commonsense prevailed. Now we have to make an effort to get to the kiss in and show we are serious about making a stand.