There has been much ado in recent days over the removal and subsequent reinstatement of bus shelter advertising for condoms depicting a homosexual couple, after complaints from the political lobby group, the Australian Christian Lobby.
Not taking the return of the advertising lying down, the ACL have vowed to continue their campaign. They claim that their position on the matter is not about homosexuality, but about the exposition of sexual material to children.
“We are disappointed to see Adshel cave to pressure from the highly organised homosexual lobby and reinstate the billboards. This shows a disregard for children and the right of parents to explain sexual concepts to their children at a time parents deem appropriate, not advertisers.”
Firstly, I don’t believe that there is such a thing as a “highly organised homosexual lobby”. No doubt to the irk of the ACL, homosexuality is a fact of life for many people. It is certainly not about trying to make a political point – it is surely about living the life that feels natural.
Who is to say that heterosexuality is the “right” way? Apparently the ACL think that they are, and they seem to have appointed themselves the “morality police”. Remember of course, that they are also one of the strongest supporters of the proposed mandatory internet filter in Australia.
Most of all though, I have problem with an organisation who consistently censors their own debates and allows a comment like this one on their website while censoring others:
“It must be an owners perogative to refuse a customer for whatever reason he chooses. I cannot believe that we have gone so far in removing individual rights.
Homosexuality is not a race or religion but a choice. it is a practice proven to shorten life and it was the source of AIDS, the worlds largest STD killer.
We should be able to choose to avoid certain behaviour we do not like or agree with.”
Actually “Bruce Watson”, it is not an owners perogative to “refuse a customer for whatever reason he chooses” – the anti-discrimination act should be on your reading list. To say homosexuality is “the source of AIDS” is highly offensive.
Some of the other comments on the same page are equally as “hillbilly”.
Absolutely they have the right to express their opinions and beliefs – (just as I am doing here) – but if the ACL wants to jump up and down about what they believe are “social and moral wrongs”, they need to have a look at themselves first and stop censoring debate to suit themselves. If they want to be taken seriously, they need to build some credibility in the debates they choose to enter.
Why anybody takes them and the people who choose to associate themselves with them via their website seriously, is a mystery to me.
All people have the right to freedom and self-determination, and once again the ACL have demonstrated that they are a completely irrelevant and extremist organisation.
Bravo Adshel for standing up for yourselves.