POLICY BITES - a constituent writes

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I SENT A LETTER TO THE LABOR LEADER And he wrote back!

(an edited letter sent to my local M.P for Blair, Shayne Neumann, with no response to date).


Sunday, ‎28 ‎April ‎2013  

Dear Shayne,                      Epistle from Julie McNeill

As we have a family re-union coming up for the wedding of Jasmine and Clinten in June in practical terms how pathetic my 48year old sister Debbie whose coming back from the UK couldn't be married with her niece because by Australian law her partnership is de-valued.
Have you ever been and or felt rejected for who you are? I grew up learning if you're black and white race you can't marry, Catholics and Protestants can't marry - some things are legitimate and so many are stigmatised illegitimate....I have signed the petition to have Australia recognise marriages from outside presented by Senator Sara Hanson-Young.

I looked up recent press to see what your reasoning is against same sex couples getting married -  "constitutional capacity" male members of the Blair FEC meeting mentioned this. In my limited knowledge, doesn't the Australian Constitution say we are free to be religious and freedom from religious? Surely the Marriage Act is a secular law, and our values in the 21st century have come to be free of traditional exclusions and superiority based on homophobia and anachronistic cultural constructs like they have been for the role and status of women for millenia.
But not according to Yale Prof. John Boswell in his book: Same Sex Unions in Premodern Europe.
St. Serge & St. Bacchus with Jesus as Best Man.


You are quoted in QT as saying it can't change because it is a "fundamental institution" - Of course, 90% are heterosexual. We should be encouraging stability and commitment in the gay community too -
equal choice, equal right to love and marry or not, whatever you want...

The principle is harm - does it do any harm? What are these "significant repercussions for Australian society"?  You  can vote against same sex marriage, but you can't on human rights violations due to our mandatory detention or sending Tamils back to torture, rape and death?

I must have picked up the Australian-New Zealand rivalry because I was annoyed when the Kiwis out-reformed the ALP yet again.(I realise smaller country, quicker to reach consensus).
I might not be able to persuade you to change your deep-seated prejudices but I'm thinking its all going to change sooner than you think: I will become a Marriage Celebrant and marry my sister and my sister-in-law, and I have signed Senator Hanson-Young's petition to recognise overseas marriages by homosexual unions.

As we know now that Adam and Eve was a creation myth, and Adam developed from Eve scientifically. (It's all in the hormones. Probably why you are getting this epistle!)

I looked up recent press to see what your reasoning is against same sex couples getting married -  "constitutional capacity" something male members of the Blair FEC meeting mentioned at a previous meeting. 
In my limited knowledge, doesn't the Australian Constitution say we are free to be religious and freedom from religious? Surely the Marriage Act is a secular law, and our values in the 21st century have come to be free of traditional exclusions and superiority based on homophobia and anachronistic cultural constructs like they have been for the role and status of women for millenia?

According to Yale Prof. John Boswell in his book: Same Sex Unions in Premodern Europe.
St. Serge & St. Bacchus were married with Jesus as Best Man.

My 20 something daughters are typical of current youth polling 81% pro- equal marriage in law. They are of the belief  if Julia Gillard changed her mind voters would switch from The Greens back to the ALP.

Marriage is not really stable or suitable for many, but marriage is pre-Christian and Universal. 

Separate Church and State in the definition of the Act of Marriage, and former Justice Michael Kirby might vote for Julia Gillard if she and your good self released him from being a second class citizen:
"My relationship with my partner has lasted 43 years, we want a bit of the confetti, and we want the presents."

Yours, in a swinging mood,

Julie

the conscience vote in September


http://juliemcneill1.wordpress.com/2012/10/04/she-soldier-1650/