Dishonoring the Australian flag.

Dishonoring the Australian flag.

 

 In the lead up to Australia day,  George Christensen the homophobic and child hating Liberal senator has introduced a bill into parliament in order to make burning the Australian flag illegal. It should be noted here that the bill relates to the Australian National Flag and the Australian Red Ensign flag. It does not effect the treatment of the Aboriginal flag or the LGBT flag strangely enough...

 Some claim that people fought and died for the flag, this is admittedly an 'alternative fact', which actually means its a lie. People don't fight for a flag, they fight for the ideals it symbolises. Ideals like freedom to protest, freedom of religion, our constitution, equality and a fair go for all, and sticking up for the underdog.

 As you may be aware bigots and Australian terrorists have draped themselves in the Australian flag. They have succeeded in making our flag a symbol of hate and fear. They may have desecrated the flag beyond all hope of salvation.

 Knowing that, if burning the flag is an act against hate crimes, oppression, racism, bigotry, homophobia, religious intolerance, and terrorism, is that act really a bad thing?

  Again the problem is what the flag has come to symbolise, not what is done to the flag in protest of that symbolism. If we are not going to police what the flag stands for, is it time for a new Australian flag?

  After taking a look at the bill it seems Christensen might be working against his own interests here. The bill actually includes the terms; 

  'Dishonoring the flag with intent to offend, insult or intimidate any group of people would be illegal'

 He doesn't seem like the most informed or reasoned person so he probably doesn't realise that the hate speech he and those like him spout about non-Christians, LGBT Australians and children could never be spoken anywhere near a flag again without legal repercussions. 

 The terrorists and racists who don the flag would have to be arrested on the spot.

 Pauline Hanson would have to be very careful with her many media appearances, she has a history of using the Australian flag and its difficult to find a speech where she didn't intentionally offend, or insult some group for political gain. 

 Obviously police numbers would have to be increased just to arrest and charge right wing politicians.

 While it would be good to see fear mongering, child bullying, racist, science denying, sexist, homophobic, bigots out of politics and in prison. 

 I am sure if this was not a right wing bill it would be called "political correctness" gone mad, and the alt-right would moan that people shouldn't be charged for hurting the delicate feelings of the triggered special snowflakes. But such arguments are only used by the right when they disagree with something.

 

 I honestly don't know how i feel about this bill, if it is implemented justly it could do some good, but i fear it would only be enforced when it serves the current right wing governments agenda.

 Perhaps its a little late for this bill, or perhaps the burning of the flag part should be removed.

What do you think? What does the flag symbolise to you now? What do you feel it should symbolise? Do we need a new flag? Is Christensen's bill a good idea, would you change anything in it?

http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;page=0;query=BillId%3Ar5628%20Recstruct%3Abillhome

 http://www.ausflag.com.au/

 

The Liberals need to be a bit more liberal.

 Take a few steps to the left Malcolm.

 Just a quick bit of back ground. Tony Abbot outraged Australians with his far right opinions and his policy attacks on the poor, sick, refugees, and gays. He seemed to be set on breaking every one of his election promises. He made more and more ridiculous comments and was eventually ousted by Malcolm Turnbull. 

 Turnbull was believed by many to be more middle ground in his views, for instance he favored a marriage equality vote in Parliament rather than a costly and decisive plebiscite.
But when Malcom Turnbulll got in he continued on with Abbot like policy, he now wanted a plebiscite, he attacked medicare and leading up to the election he kowtowed to the radical right wing nuts in their attacks on children. 

 He ignored the fact gays were the victims when first commenting on Orlando. He later promised to have zero tolerance for homophobia but example after example saw him not speaking out against it. 
 It surfaced a few days before the election that the government was going to give taxpayers money to anti-gay hate groups so they could argue against equality, in the lead up to a plebiscite.

 So the election doesn't look good for the Turnbull government with the two major party's pretty much neck and neck, there has been a large swing against Turnbull's government but neither party look likely to have the numbers to form a majority government.

 Cory Bernardi is a far right wing homophobe, conspiracy theorist and member of Turnbull's government. Cory has come out calling on Turnbull, if he manages to form government, to ignore the voter backlash and stall the plebiscite. He went on to claim that equality, is just a 'trendy, fringe issue'. I totally disagree, i  think equal rights, preventing youth suicide, upholding our constitution,  and protecting children from bullying is an extremely important issue. 

 He seemed to be implying that the swing against Turnbull was because the Turnbull government wasn't far right enough... I maybe could understand this argument if the swing had been to further right partys, like the dreaded Fred Niles abomination party, or Family First* (*conditions apply) but it wasn't, the swing was towards Labor which is slightly left of Turnbull's party and is in favor of a parliamentary vote on equality and is against the homophobic plebiscite.

 Now Cory is one of those radical right wingers that try to turn the tables on their victims, you know the type, claiming that straight people would be personally harmed if gays had equal rights. I think this outburst from him is just along similar lines, the people showed in the election that they are against the costly, homophobic and non-binding plebiscite, that they are for marriage equality. 

 But Cory cant have that, so he tries to flip the table and claim that the voters moving to a (slightly) more left party is evidence that the voters want a more right wing government, i know it makes no sense but little he has said ever does.

 Personally i feel that both political partys in Australia need to shuffle to the left a bit. 
 When people like Cory Bernardi, and George Christensen are welcome in your party (Coalition) you know your teetering on the edge of the far right and need to run left a ways.
 Labor looks set to form a minority government but I do hope that Turnbull and his Coalition takes the election result as clear confirmation that we demand truth in politics and we demand equality. We need a leader that will stand up to homophobic insanity, we want our equal rights.

Update:

 It looks like a small percentage of this swing against Turnbull did go right wing, with Pauline Hansons racist One Nation getting a seat. 
 One could argue that this might still be in support of the LGBT community as much of Australia's news media in Australia, misrepresented the Orlando hate crime as a terror attack and failed to disclose its homophobic nature. 
 I can imagine some low information voters voting for the Islamophobic Hanson in misguided support of gay people, without realising how backwards and misinformed her views truly are.

Sources:

http://vtr.aec.gov.au/HouseDefault-20499.htm

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/apr/04/marriage-equality-corey-bernardi-says-plebiscite-question-a-fifth-order-issue

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/jul/03/marriage-equality-cory-bernardi-says-no-need-to-hurry-on-plebiscite

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/federal-election-2016/election-2016-liberal-senator-cory-bernardi-says-malcolm-turnbulls-future-is-up-for-debate-20160704-gpxuqe.html

 https://www.greenleft.org.au/node/17142