Great to see that Richo, a supporter of redefining marriage is disgusted with the bullying and bigotry being displayed by the yes side.
If only Shorten, Wong and the others were honest and called out the bullying earlier, rather than being too gutless to stand up against the bullies, we could have had a civil debate.
Richo's article in The Australian today.
It is hard to feel anything but depression when I check the television coverage of an attempt by some young practising Catholics to campaign for the “no” vote in the stupid, expensive public survey in which we are engaged.
These campaigners were about as peaceful as it comes. They set up their table and included among their pamphlets was free food they wished to hand out to other students while pushing their view that it was okay to vote No. In a democracy like ours they were acting entirely within their rights. Then the bullies turned up. Male and female alike, the crowd which gathered around them was instantly hostile and eventually violent. The table was turned over and one of the No campaigners was kicked. Their posters were smeared with food and torn up. Other No campaigners were daubed with dye in what turned out to be an ugly incident. It was a scene that is becoming all too common at Sydney University and elsewhere.
As the screaming banshees surrounded the small group of No campaigners they yelled about hate speech and equated anyone voting No as homophobic. The only hate I saw or heard came form those pathetic excuses for human beings emboldened by greater numbers, bullying and harassing those going about their lawful business.
Why can’t the media be truthful about this kind of incident. The only coverage you see will include the word “clash”. This was no clash, this was organised destruction from those on the Yes side of the argument.
These Catholic students have heard nothing from the university administration and that is truly sad. This institution has a bad record when it comes to free speech. You would have to go back many, many years since anyone speaking up for Israel could have any chance of being heard at Sydney University. Mostly people in this category have needed police guards to escape with their lives. Aren’t universities supposed to be the bastions of free speech and open debate? Successive senates at this place have gone missing in action. Where are they on this issue right now?
Madeline, a child-care worker and Christian, was sacked for signalling her intention to vote No on Facebook. Picture Kym Smith
Unless they make a clear statement that this kind of behaviour will be considered as an appalling act to be condemned and prevented from ever happening again, the senates silence will reenforce their lack of principle. I assume that the next time I read The Fitz Files in The Sydney Morning Herald, I will be reading something about this. As a person voting Yes I am ashamed at being in the company of some of my fellow travellers.
Why is it so hard to accept that it is legitimate for a Catholic or a Muslim to adhere to the values they preach? There seems to be a twist in this debate that has evil undertones. Too many Yes campaigners are becoming just plain anti-religious.
Idiots have taken a Catholic Bishop in Tasmania to the anti-discrimination tribunal for daring to proselytise against gay marriage. Catholic priests still rail against divorce and abortion to no avail in our secular state. That right should be defended with gusto along with my view that the Yes vote must finish on top.
When Yes protesters block entrances to a church where No advocates are to meet, the press coverage is again about “clash” not the truth that the violence and intimidation came from the Yes forces alone. In Canberra a child-care provider sacks a worker for merely declaring she will vote No on Facebook. The provider makes the ludicrous assertion that this is the equivalent of hate speech.
On Fox Sport I saw a young AFL footballer who was getting married in three weeks to his dream girl. He reckoned it would be the greatest day of his life and he could not deny gays to have their day as well. That young man didn’t try to drown out anyone with a different view.
The intolerance is not where I expected and I apologise to those on the “no” side who may feel marginalised by the rancour of the campaign. The Yes vote will triumph and I hope we can all go back to being tolerant and civilised.
By the way, how can George Brandis be so sure that the idiot who headbutted Tony Abbott had not been motivated by Abbott’s leading role in the No campaign? The Yes badge he was wearing at the time is more of a coincidence than I can handle.
