PFLAG outrage: Shame on you, Tony Abbott
Parents, friends and relatives of gay and lesbian people are being encouraged to register their disgust with Tony Abbott’s office over comments made on 60 Minutes that he and most Australians feel “threatened” by gay people.
National PFLAG spokeswoman Shelley Argent condemned the comments, saying the sentiment was based on myth.
“Tony Abbott is typical of people who choose to believe the myths and outdated beliefs,” she said.
“As a hopeful leader of this country he should be promoting understanding and accepting, not feeding the fearmongers who oppress this minority group by continuing the belief that our sons and daughters are second-rate and to be feared.”
The Australian Coalition for Equality invited the Opposition leader to meet with representatives from the gay and lesbian community to “overcome feeling threatened”.
“Mr Abbott can pick any place he feels safe and we’ll invite ordinary members of the gay and lesbian community to come and talk with him, to show he has nothing to fear,” ACE spokesman Corey Irlam said. He called on Abbott to support further anti-discrimination legislation.
“A supportive statement would assure the LGBTI community that there is bipartisan support for fundamental standards of fair treatment in the workplace, education, superannuation, health care and aged care.”
Abbott attempted to backtrack from the comments, during an interview on the ABC’s Lateline, claiming that it was an off-the-cuff remark.
“There is no doubt that it challenges orthodox notions of the right order of things,” he told Lateline’s Leigh Sales after she pressed him on what he meant by using the word ‘threatened’.
“But as I also said on the program, it happens, it’s a fact of life and we have to treat people as we find them.”
info: Contact Tony Abbott at
PO Box 6022, House of Representatives, Parliament House, Canberra ACT 2600 or email
[email protected]
I myself sort of agree with the honourable Tony Abbott. Not all of us people are comfortable about being around homosexual people, even though we do still love you guys. But there is plenty of help out there, you just have to look harder. Firstly, God is our loving Father and he loves us all. He accepts us for who we are, but not our sins! Secondly, read the story of David McDonald if you get a chance. His story is truly amazing and can change lives.
Take care.
Someone should thumb his head in and hopefully knock some practical sence into this stupid and pathetic pafhoon!!!!!
Tony Abbott comes across as a smug duplicitous smart alec, addicted to one-liners, who will say anything in his race for political advantage (even if this means completely contradicting his earlier positions or the very ethos of his party, acting unilaterally without approval of the Shadow Cabinet or party room, or entirely rejecting fact/science/reason/evidence).
A political weathervane, he swings in the breeze from one opportunity to the next.
Climate change – flip.
Paid parental leave – flop.
Great big new tax – flip.
Consultative leadership – flop.
Perhaps “weathervane” is too gentle. Walking talking political wrecking ball, reckless and swinging in every possible direction sounds about right.
That’s why Tony Abbott cannot be trusted. No-one can reliably tell what he stands for from one moment to the next. Apart from his fundamentalist core beliefs that have seemingly always lain just below his public veneer. But one glance at his chosen political heroes and mentors (John Howard, Bronwyn Bishop, BA Santamaria, Cardinal George Pell) are enough to stir a sinking feeling in the gut and a chill down the spine.
Tony Abbott should never be Prime Minister. And he should damn well apologise to the nation for using the office of Opposition Leader to spout off his reckless intimation that feeling threatened by gays is somehow “normal” – it ain’t. Homophobia is a mental illness. Tony doesn’t deserve a promotion to the highest office in the land. He needs a psychiatrist to sort out his apparent male intimacy issues.
In summary, this bloke is a f*cktard. The likeness of St Malachy in my piece of toast – to whom I have diligently prayed for a convincing Abbott defeat at the next federal election – told me so.
Tony Abbott must be delusional . Seeing that body displayed in Speedos with very little evidence of manhood I doubt that anyone would be out there lusting after him .
Is Tony Abbott delusional. After seeing That Body displayed in Budgie Smugglers with very little evidence of Manhood I doubt that there would be anyone out there lusting after him .
I feel threatened by Tony Abbott!! Trying to push his religious ideas down our throats.
Gays are the sweetest, most loving people you could find anywhere. What an ignorant person this Abbott is.
And this is a man who shows off his speedos. Hmmm? Not a pretty sight.
The man is a fool. A fool with dangerous opinions and a public voice. Not good
I agree with Chris – What an ugly sight – Tony Abbott in Budgie Smugglers and no sign of any Budgie – it must have escaped . Someone please tell him that he certainly has no reason to live in Fear.
what “threatened” me was the disdusting and really creepy sight on 60 minutes of Abbott in speedos and his bikini clad daughter rubbing up against each other in the pool..really creepy incestuous stuff!!
Great point, Monique. What exactly is the threat? Being threaten implies some fear of harm. I think Tony Abbott has to explain exactly what harm he thinks we might inflict on him.
But then again, he’s not actually reaching out to us. He’s reaching out to those heterosexual Australians who still aren’t completely comfortable with homosexuality and trying to drag them back into John Howard’s happy heterosexual dream.
And what’s the Labor Party response? Openly lesbian ALP MPs who “threaten” Tony Abbott? I’d like to hear something from them at least, if not from Christian Kev, the King of Homophobes.
Tony Abott you are a DISGRACE to AUSTRALIA.The Liberal party you are a DISGRACE TO AUSTRALIA.You are both a disgrace to the world.I for one am not proud to call myself Australian anymore.
A truly horrible human being. When men feel `threatened’, what do they do – resort of retaliatory violence. This statement of Abbott’s gives justification to the bashers. What is worse is the lack of outrage in the media. If Abbott has said `I feel threatened by muslims’ or `I feel threatened by Jews’ etc, there would have been cries of outrage from every corner – but when it’s us – next to nothing! And nothing from the Labor Party. Shame on them.
Can we get someone half decent in favour of equality that ISN’T a communist? No offense Bob Browne, I’m sure you’re a top bloke but you’re boring as f@#k and living under you would be like living in a dirt mound. And can we stop using the word “biggot”? It’s getting old.
While many of us would prefer the Greens rule Australia with an iron fist I’d say it’s best we either convert front benchers of the two major parties or infiltrate them without making the religious right and the secular left feel invaded. I’m not carrying an agenda, but this is kind of important to us as people.
Tony Abbott is just a puppet of the Liberal party and that American Premier Kristina Keneally of NSW is also a pupppet of the Labor party.
It’s a pity the near miss of Abbott on a roadside was just that.
I don’t understand ‘threatened’. Threatened by what? Bigots are usually ignorant and scared people. I don’t want Abbott and his nasty little fear having a say in my life.
I just wish all politicians, including Tony Abbott, Kevin Rudd and the rest, would just leave their own personal religious beliefs or opinions out of the political arena. Religion has no place in Politics. And a person’s sexual identity has nothing to do with running a country. Tony Abbott just needs to keep his mouth shut about something he knows nothing about. Just because someone is in a position of power does not give them the right to make statements about or criticise a minority group or endeavour to sway the public regarding such things. He will not get our vote, that’s for sure. I can’t believe these politicians! All we really need to hear from them is how they will improve our quality of life and eradicate discrimination and prejudices of ALL kinds.
Given Abbott’s capacity to offend so many people in so little time, at least we know he’s not discriminatory.
Tony Abbott is an idiot.
I wont even waste my time and energy spelling out why because he isnt worth it.
Safe to say that our community has even fewer allies in the Liberal party now that Malcolm has departed.
What a sad state of affairs. And SSO were beating up the Greens in the paper last week. I dont understand that SSO. Lets not alienate those who stand by us.
Tony Abbott has illegally vilified us. He used the words “Most Australians” are confronted by us. He did not say it was his opinion but gave it as a statement of fact. On Lateline he said we were not Orthodox also as a statement of fact.
This is a man who worships an Ex Hitler Youth (The Pope) and who lied about secret meetings with George Pell, who is head of the Catholic Church in Australia.
I and many Australians (Statement of fact) are disgusted Male Virgins in Frocks tell me what I can and cannot do with my penis and lie at government inquiries making homophobic submissions.
I think Tony Abbott and Kevin Rudd need to follow Jesus who affirmed a gay couple http://www.whywouldwe.net . Indeed the early Christian Church welcomed people who were gay and lesbian.
“We have to treat people as we find them”?? A cop out statement for a cop out would be leader.