If you do value diversity of thought and tolerance of dissent, then you too, like Brendan O'Neill writer for Spiked, must be finding the sweeping consensus on gay marriage terrifying.
Amazingly enough, the Greens in NZ must be worried as well, having come out in support of Family First, who are being struck off as a charity for donation rebate purposes by the NZ Government.
John Stringer thinks the timing of Family First's deregistration is probably a coincidence. Some how I doubt that it is, and in general I don't believe in coincidences. The recent marriage debates have made Family First a target for people who vehemently disagree with them. People must have complained about to Internal Affairs who then agreed with the complainant(s). Had the marriage debates and subsequent escalation of profile of Family First not occurred, then I doubt they would have been noticed and complained about and deregistered at all. Individuals in Internal Affairs have just decided in the same direction that Parliament voted. Parliament really lead the way and the rest of Government will just continue to follow through.
To think that NZ is somehow immune from the same problems that other nations who have re(un)defined marriage have faced is to ascribe a moral superiority to us that I don't believe is justified. Warnings made now about what is happening and what will continue to happen are better made in advance than in hindsight when more damage will have been done. At least the Government can scramble to keep the semblance of non-discrimination and think about where this might all lead rather than pretending that everything's ok and that's not an ice berg on the horizon, which is a very human thing to do.
Essential Reading : Gay marriage: a case study in conformism ~ Brendan O'Neill
Anyone who values diversity of thought and tolerance of dissent should find the sweeping consensus on gay marriage terrifying.
Amazingly enough, the Greens in NZ must be worried as well, having come out in support of Family First, who are being struck off as a charity for donation rebate purposes by the NZ Government.
John Stringer thinks the timing of Family First's deregistration is probably a coincidence. Some how I doubt that it is, and in general I don't believe in coincidences. The recent marriage debates have made Family First a target for people who vehemently disagree with them. People must have complained about to Internal Affairs who then agreed with the complainant(s). Had the marriage debates and subsequent escalation of profile of Family First not occurred, then I doubt they would have been noticed and complained about and deregistered at all. Individuals in Internal Affairs have just decided in the same direction that Parliament voted. Parliament really lead the way and the rest of Government will just continue to follow through.
To think that NZ is somehow immune from the same problems that other nations who have re(un)defined marriage have faced is to ascribe a moral superiority to us that I don't believe is justified. Warnings made now about what is happening and what will continue to happen are better made in advance than in hindsight when more damage will have been done. At least the Government can scramble to keep the semblance of non-discrimination and think about where this might all lead rather than pretending that everything's ok and that's not an ice berg on the horizon, which is a very human thing to do.
Essential Reading : Gay marriage: a case study in conformism ~ Brendan O'Neill
Anyone who values diversity of thought and tolerance of dissent should find the sweeping consensus on gay marriage terrifying.