Obviously in any referendum or plebiscite the for and against will push their arguments and that’s as it should but whatever side you come down on with the plebiscite on gay marriage it seems that all the fear and loathing, lies and contradictions are all coming from the pro camp. They forget that we live in a wired and connected world and that their words from 12 months ago can and have come back to haunt them and show them up as not to be trusted.
Andrew Bolt highlights just a few of these lies and contradictions in his column Scare campaign an insult to Australians
“..On Wednesday, Grainne Healy, a co-director of Ireland’s Yes Equality campaign, said Australia should not have a public vote because the Irish referendum had been “brutal” for gays and lesbians, and her volunteers needed counselling for all the abuse and hate speech. Tiernan Brady, political director of Healy’s Yes Equality, agreed: “It will be a hard journey for lesbian and gay people.”
Australian activists are taking that cue. Ivan Hinton-Teoh, of Just Equal, claimed Ireland’s referendum caused such “hidden damage to LGBTI people” that “we must abandon the idea” of a public vote…”
So you got that?? “It was brutal” “Volunteers needed counselling” “A hard journey” etc
BUT as Bolt writes in his column today:
“..Back then, this same Grainne Healy who today calls the referendum “brutal” wrote: “Today we woke up, smiling, in a changed Ireland. A kinder, gentler, more accepting Ireland.”
Back then, the Yes Equality campaign led by Healy and Brady issued a statement making clear a public vote — an affirmation of the people — had been critical in reshaping Irish culture: “This touching — this uplifting — outcome belongs to the Irish people,” they said. “The Irish people have shown their compassion … The majority said one simple word; for a minority, that word means everything.”
And just last May, Brady actually denied the referendum had been a festival of hatred: “The images that the world saw and the stories that Irish people tell is one of unity and joy after a campaign based on respect for all sides.”
Indeed: “It’s been a really positive event … It was a real moment of joy for the entire country.”
Back then, Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore said it was “inspiring to see Ireland’s march towards equality”, yet today opposes a similar vote here because it carries a “serious risk that anti-gay hatred and prejudice will be given a public platform”.
Back then, Rodney Croome gushed that the Irish vote “will inspire marriage equality supporters … and quash the myth that Catholics and other people of faith oppose marriage equality”, yet today says a vote here could kill gays…”
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/opinion/andrew-bolt/andrew-bolt-scare-campaign-an-insult-to-australians/news-story/49bf25ca394ccbb18fcfd774942627d7