Miranda Devine: The Sunday Telegraph (Aust)
Intolerance has marked the entire campaign for gay marriage. The debate has been conducted with such intimidatory venom that anyone who speaks against gay marriage is crucified as an evil homophobe or religious extremist, guilty of hounding youngsters to suicide. The jackboot tactics of personal destruction speak volumes about the validity of the cause. Forcing a change to the Marriage Act through fear is not tolerance, nor is it tolerable.
Has anyone asked what gays want?
It shouldn’t be a surprise that the gay community is made up of people of diverse opinions and ideologies.
La Trobe University professor Dennis Altman, a gay rights pioneer, has described the gay marriage campaign as “self-indulgent crap…I mean people around the world are being tortured for being homosexual…and people here carry on as if [gays] not being allowed to marry was a huge abuse of civil rights.”
Valuing gay people and ensuring they do not suffer discrimination is important and in recent years parliament has passed legislation to remove practical discrimination in same sex relationships.
It follows that a good number of Australians have no problem with gay marriage, and take a live-and-let-live attitude. When advocates are so passionate, it is hard to deny them what seems to be their heart’s desire.
People have even argued the conservative case for gay marriage, claiming it will strengthen the institution, and encourage gay monogamy.
But in all the talk of “human rights”, no one has explained convincingly what gays will bring to marriage. How will they improve the institution?
One of the consequences of remaking marriage to include gays is that it will be transformed from an institution centred around the wellbeing of children to one centred on the self-fulfillment of adults.
Marriage will become just another lifestyle choice, rather than the bedrock institution of our Judeo-Christian society, providing the optimal chance for a child to thrive and to grow up free of abuse.
But this belief, it seems, is not worthy of respect or protection.
