Select Page

What Thinking Australians Are Thinking

Whether it is same-sex marriage, border control or a dozen other left-wing causes you never seem to hear reasoned logical argument, just insult and invective. John Stuart Mill refers to the sincere bigot who relies on moral feeling and vituperation rather than reasoned argument to justify their beliefs. It is tragic that abuse is becoming the substitute for intellect among so-called progressives.

Iain Rae, River Heads, Qld

I’m appalled and horrified over a Christian group having their hotel meeting cancelled. Isn’t this the type of bullying the LGBTI want banned through their Safe Schools program? And isn’t this exactly what Bill Shorten said would happen against LGBTI people? I thought the LGBTI mob say “it’s all about love”. This is hypocrisy at best. I’m waiting for the real LGBTI representatives to condemn these actions.

Richard Moore, Palm Cove, Qld

Some on the Left are targeting anyone who is against changing the definition of marriage. They target Christians and anyone else to the point where hotel owners cancel meeting bookings by vilifying them online. This behaviour reinforces the intolerance of the Left to any opinion except their own and makes a mockery of the concept of a free society.

James Hein, Hackney, SA

David Crowe’s story (“Marriage event off: threats to hotel staff”, 17/9) shows activism sinking to new levels. A Christian group, gathering to discuss their approach to the same-sex marriage plebiscite, were forced to cancel the event after threats of physical violence from marriage equality advocates. The activists have gone further this time, apart from labelling the Australian Christian Lobby with the usual bigotry, they are now apparently also a threat to children.

Imagine the furore in the reverse scenario of a church group forcing cancellation of a pro-same-sex marriage or a non-Christian religious event. Freedom of speech and opinion is now being undermined in all areas of life, but it seems to apply only if the views expressed are in agreement with activists.

These minority groups are stifling debate using the same hate speech they accuse their opponents of using.

Graham Pinn, Maroochydore, Qld

Rather than engage in a constructive debate, the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex lobby attack a hotel to such a degree that the Australian Christian Lobby’s booking was cancelled by the hotel fearful about staff safety.

Intolerance is not the domain of just one side of politics, it now infects all sides. An excellent article by Peter Baldwin talks of the paralysis of all sides of politics in debating sensitive issues without fear of offending a particular group (“Regressive Left puts bigotry on a pedestal”, 17/9). The rise of political groups that claim to have the answer are nothing more than a collection of super-egos who will never govern the country but will inflict untold damage until the great unwashed realise the error of their ways.

Don Spence, Ashmore, Qld

With threats of violence being made against hotel staff in Sydney, it is understandable they were reluctant to host Christian groups opposing same-sex marriage. However, it also demonstrates what many of us have long believed — that marriage equality has never been the end-game for the militant LGBTI lobby. The US Commission on Civil Rights is now criticising exemptions for religious bodies from anti-discrimination legislation, and US LGBTI organisation Campus Pride has put out a list of more than 100 Christian colleges and universities calling on corporations to blacklist graduates, effectively denying them employment, and ultimately closing down colleges who would get no students if they were black-listed.

Similarly, when Archbishop Julian Porteous of Tasmania was accused of discrimination for stating Catholic Church teaching, anti-discrimination action against him was supported by same-sex marriage activists. Banishing Christian teaching from the public square seems to be the end game.

Ross Howard, Daisy Hill, Qld

With Bill Shorten telling us that hate-filled people would drive members of the gay community to suicide, my immediate thoughts were that he was correct. But I was wrong — it was the hate-filled Left of the LGBTI lobby that are threatening people who want to discuss the plebiscite.

Tony Miles, Chermside, Qld