I’m back. Again. So much for sticking to a schedule. I think the sort of thing I write about on here is less suited to regular updates than, for example, The Little Quince — and even she’s cut down from three to two posts a week.
So I’m going to try to post fairly often — perhaps aiming for twice a week on average — but I won’t be scheduling posts in advance, at least for the time being, unless I find myself with too much to say at once, in which case I might break up a post over a few days.
Today’s post was triggered by yesterday’s story about Victorian state MP Geoff Shaw, who ineptly tried to defend his Government’s new pro-discrimination laws and wound up revealing himself for the homophobic bigot he is. You can read the complete exchange between him and outraged citizen Jakob Quilligan here. What follows is my own letter to the former-MP-soon-to-hopefully-be.
Dear Mr Shaw,
It has come to my attention that you recently insulted a constituent by comparing his homosexuality to, among other things, child molestation, speeding and public drunkenness. As a legislator, I should have expected you would have noticed that these three behaviours, unlike homosexuality, are illegal, and for very good reasons: they are both voluntary and harmful, or at least dangerous. Homosexuality is neither harmful nor voluntary, which is why it is perfectly legal. The comparison holds no water at all and demonstrates either ignorance of and/or contempt for the laws of our State and the wellbeing of its citizens, whom it is your job to represent and respect.
By allowing homophobic and religious organisations to discriminate on otherwise illegal grounds, you will make second-class citizens of agnostics, queers, minority religions and many other groups, who will find their job prospects severely limited, especially in the most vital fields of health and education. And if you continue to espouse such bigotry yourself, you will find yourself on the receiving end of a major backlash from within your own party and from the electorate.
In short, please die in a fire.
Sincerely,
A liberal Victorian.
