In this week’s open thread more than one of our commenters quite rightly gave Andrew Bolt a pat on the back for his immediate response to Tony Abbott’s bizarre admission on 60 minutes that he felt ‘threatened’ by homosexuals.
I must say that any man who feels personally threatened by homosexuals has a few issues of their own that need sorting out – not advertising on national television.
It was a refreshing statement from Bolt, not only because he took a stand against some of the ignorant nonsense that is spewed about the LGBT community, but because in doing so he was willing to take to task the leader of the opposition, who he normally seems to regard as a fellow traveller.
Knowing how strongly Andrew feels about taking a stand against discrimination based on people’s sexual preference, it was sad to see some of his good work being undone by one of his later updates which was, for some reason, accompanied by a photo of four guys in speedos (No, Tony Abbott wasn’t among them).
Abbott’s views are Abbott’s responsibility, and I do not excuse them. But I don’t think they’re at all uncommon, and some in the gay community only encourage this unfortunate perception of the predatory gay with foolish and irresponsible displays like those so often seen in the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras:
So Bolt has gone from questioning what on earth Abbott was on about, to suddenly understanding precisely what he means, and noting that his views are not uncommon. That’s quite a U-turn. But that’s not what concerns me the most. I hate to display my own ignorance, but I’m not sure what a predatory gay is. Perhaps something like this?
Now if it is true that gay Predators are coming to attack Tony Abbott, I think that he has only one option. This is how I expect to see him arrive at parliament from now on.
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Tobias – thank you allowing me to post my last comment.
Over and out
Except you have not answered the evidence that promiscuous gay sex is a leading cause of STD’s in our society. THAT is why I feel threatened!
Except that promiscuous hetero sex is also a major cause of STDs
I am just trying to say that Tony Abbott may have a point in feeling threatened by homosexuals – the original point. Because in my emotional experience homosexuals = violence = attempted rape = teenage horror, which I am still trying to get over.
So please cut me some slack.
Er, no.
Your experience is no different from a woman who is raped who then has problems with men. In fact if you can’t see this and are going to derail this debate I for one ain’t going to respond any more.
Angra
Once upon a time in a land far away (the land what colonised this land of ours) being a Catholic was considered outside the norm. So can I be affraid of Catholics?
{We’re not going to open another set of discussions about individuals’ experiences – Tobby}
Many people believe that homosexuality is a contravention of norms concerning the relationship between men and womens
And many other people believe that what consenting adults do in private is wholely and solely their business
Just another aside, define norm? If as we know some animals engage in same sex action does that mean they should be considered outside the “NORM”
Social norms are the behavioral expectations and cues within a society or group. This sociological term has been defined as “the rules that a group uses for appropriate and inappropriate values, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors. These rules may be explicit or implicit. Failure to follow the rules can result in severe punishments, including exclusion from the group.” They have also been described as the “customary rules of behavior that coordinate our interactions with others.”
Hi Angra, Seams here. Remember when I disproved your assertion that a majority of Australians feel threatened by homosexuality? You might have missed it, but it was on the end of page one. I’ll wait here while you read it…….Done? Good. Do you have anything to add? I suggest an apology or retraction, but you might be happy with some simple backpedalling. I’d suggest retreating into “well its just my opinion” zone because that’s literally all you have left.
Well, see ya.
Hi Daniel, I am certainly willing to chat, and you may have a point.
I can;t find your post – can you repeat it?
Ciao,
Angra
{It is here – and you are reaching a point where it’s hard to conclude that you’re doing anything other than try to waste people’s time and prevent them from having a decent discussion – Tobby}
Yes Angra, a response to Daniel is in order…
obviously ‘many people’ outside your parish, prayer group (wombat hole?)
have no problem with it…wanna respond to your gross unjustified claim of ‘norms’?
Norm, wasn’t he on the ‘Life. Be In It’ ads from all those years ago?
Angra
Do you prefer a homogeneous culture?
Why is it that those who claim to be the bastions of individual choice are so hung up on conforming? Are we only suposed to choose right-wing attitudes? I get so confused
Social norms are the behavioral expectations and cues within a society or group.
And the bad news for Tony Abbott, and for you Angra, is that homosexuality no longer falls outside the behavioural expectations of our society. Daniel’s earlier post (that you are so desperately pretending not to have seen) proves it, and shows why Abbott’s views are political posion for the Liberal Party. They are also morally repugnant, but that’s not really at issue here.
Society is moving forwards Angra, and both you and Tony are being left in the past. I, for one, find enormous amusement in this. In fact your very existence, and the obvious discomfort you suffer at the progress of society around you, is like chocolate to me.
“Norm, wasn’t he on the ‘Life. Be In It’ ads from all those years ago?”
Yes he was Dom, therefore I guess I’ll define “Norm” as a chubby bloke who liked a beer
Why is it that those who claim to be the bastions of individual choice are so hung up on conforming? Are we only suposed to choose right-wing attitudes? I get so confused
I think that’s it Simon. They are all in favour of the freedom of the individual, provided the individual conforms to their norms.
Kind of like the Christian religion really. A God who gives humans free will, then punishes them for exercising it.
anti-homophobia is one of the rare principled counter-fellow-traveller stances that Bolt takes, and he’s been very consistent in attacking homophobia by public figures for as long as I’ve been noticing him (for eg. I recall his strident defence of Kirby when he was defamed by Hefferman in parliament a few years back). He also throws jabs at flamboyant/overtly sexual gay culture because he’s a conservative, but this attack of abbot isn’t at all out of character and his little jab at the madi gras doesn’t mean he’s backtracking.
“Bunch of slack-jawed faggots around here. This stuff will make you a god damned sexual Tyrannosaurus, just like me. “
Ventura was definitely the better governor, even if he is a literal crazy person.
Yes he was Dom, therefore I guess I’ll define “Norm” as a chubby bloke who liked a beer
Yeah, and that one goes to the heart of societal “Norms” doesn’t it?
Move to a new town, say you don’t drink and don’t follow the local footy. You’ll find out in a hurry that you are viewed with suspicion for not following societal norms. So much for societal norms then.
But he wasn’t shot dead but any gay Predators as governer like he was in Predator, Daniel.
jeremy jose:
Except that the “predatory gay” theme is itself built on homophobia. There is no reason to be fearful of gay and lesbian people any more than there is to fear straight members of the opposite sex. And for someone who, as you say has in the past attacked homophobia on his blog, this latest rhetoric is indeed a disappointment and undermines that prior effort.
I find this debate so fuck1ng bizarre. You would think that if anything, gay people would feel more threatened by heterosexuals, for argument’s sake (yes I know, broad brush and all that). History is littered with examples of persecution against homosexuals, and still continues to this day.
Whoever is scared of male homosexuals can be comforted by the thought that there are a few who are fairly monogamous and who don’t engage in sodomy and all its amazing variants – fisting, petalling, gerballing (one or two L’s?) etc.
Like Queen Victoria, I have not enquired as to all the orificial variants of the female homosexual but I am sure there are some difficult to imagine let alone enact.
But I would prefer a streetscape free of the nuded prancing unfunny attention seekers; nuns, coppers, bikies et al who have worn out their welcome.
Perhaps next year we could have a parade of straight infantry with fixed bayonets or light horse with tent pegs………far more interesting, colourful and capable of clearing the streets of all deviant exhibitionists at a canter.
Yeh, right… deviant exhibitions, like we don’t suffer plenty of the ‘straight’ version of those ‘clogging up the streets’….anyone who imagines that’s unique only to the gay community is a curmudgeonly old fart.
correction : exhibitionists
Ken
“Perhaps next year we could have a parade of straight infantry with fixed bayonets or light horse with tent pegs………far more interesting, colourful and capable of clearing the streets of all deviant exhibitionists at a canter.”
Isn’t that ANZAC day?
Angra – Im a gay person and yes some gay men are promiscuous, however the majority are not – I can’t help but feel your clutching at old straws. What about heterosexual men who have sex with hookers everyweekend. You simply don’t understand homosexuality, and you have proven this to me by your comments. Your never going to understand homosexuality so Im not going to waste any more of my time. cya
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