Compiled by GayToday
According to Tasmanian gay activists an increase in violent assaults
against gay men is a likely outcome of Senator Bill Heffernan's
recent attack on Australia's High Court justice, Michael Kirby.
Senator Heffernan has embarked on a highly controversial course, attacking,
with evidence that fails to convince, the reputation of Australia's widely-respected
openly gay High Court Justice. |
Sen. Bill Heffernan: Hateful remarks likely to cause violence against gays, activists say |
Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group spokesperson, Rodney Croome,
says there's a clear link between such homophobic comments by public
figures and street attacks on gay and lesbian people.
"People who hate gays and lesbians will feel the viciousness which
characterized Senator Bill Heffernan's attack on Justice Kirby, and the
link Senator Heffernan has wrongly drawn between homosexuality and
pedophilia, gives them permission to act violently", Mr. Croome said.
"The isolation, fear and shame which already makes life hard for young
gay men will also be compounded by Senator Heffernan's attack."
Mr. Croome said Senator Heffernan's allegations should have first been
made to the relevant authorities and should not have linked
homosexuality with child sexual abuse.
"The totally inappropriate way Senator Heffernan's has expressed his
concerns clearly shows he is on an anti-gay crusade, the victims of
which will be an untold number of ordinary gay and lesbian people."
A March 15 editorial in The Age called Senator Heffernan's crusade "a sorry
abuse of privilege."
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Related Sites:
The Age
Justice Michael Kirby
Sen. Bill Heffernan
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The editorial also criticized Australia's Prime Minister for his less than
straightfoward stance:
"Considered in itself, Senator Bill Heffernan's attack on High Court judge
Michael Kirby is simply understood: it is as clear an abuse of parliamentary
privilege as it is possible to imagine.
"What is not clear is why Prime Minister John Howard thinks it acceptable to
respond to Senator Heffernan's remarks evasively, neither endorsing nor
repudiating them…While the Prime Minister continues to deal with Senator Heffernan's actions in this evasive manner, he risks creating the impression, wittingly or not, that
the senator's campaign against Justice Kirby has his implicit support.
The Age : A sorry abuse of privilege
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/03/14/1015909883936.html
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