DREADRADIO: John Heard On JoyFM 'The Spin' - Community Attitudes To Gay Marriage
[UPDATE] California Supreme Court ignores / subverts the will of the people,* and humane / pro-family arguments in favour of marriage; institutes 'gay marriage' by judicial fiat (.pdf). California Bishops Conference responds. Pro-marriage / family Californians will argue for a stay until November, when voters will consider a ballot measure for a Constitutional amendment to celebrate marriage, and shield the family. Many of those voting for the ballot measure will be same sex attracted Californians.
* (Another ballot measure, defining marriage as 'between one man and one woman', passed in 2000. It attracted the support of 61% of California voters. The new measure has already attracted over a million signatures, and is widely expected to pass. Couples who 'marry' in the meantime will be left in limbo, then quickly disenfranchised, pointing up the heartlessness / cynicism of the judges' actions. Domestic partners in California already enjoy extensive substantive rights).
[UPDATE] Support for marriage / the family has always been bipartisan: readers of this key Left-wing website challenge a homoactivist who writes, sneeringly, against "all old, hierarchical relationship terms like "husband", "wife"...[and]...til-death-us-do-part marriage-like relationship[s]." Some of the readers identify as 'gay', and many object to homoactivists' "hijacking of the gay marriage debate". The responses are refreshingly candid, to wit:
DREADNOUGHT appeared as a special guest on The Spin program on JoyFM on Tuesday May 13, 2008. The one-hour session went live-to-air, with talk-back callers, and a worldwide, online stream.
:: 'Gays Don't Want Marriage' ::
The program followed my opinion editorial in the Herald Sun newspaper. DREADNOUGHT spoke to the following topics:
- 'gay marriage' is unpopular with self-identified 'gay' men, the vast majority of whom are not in any form of relationship, let alone one that the community would describe as a marriage;
- the 'gay marriage' push is part of a homoactivist, extremist agenda, and has little to do with ordinary, same sex attracted men, and women;
- a few noisy homoactivists try to stifle debate, and comment that doesn't conform to their narrow, divisive agenda;
- the fact that most of the negative commenters on the online articles, and the negative emails / messages from listeners, were from readily identifiable homoactivists (feeding into the echo-chamber);^
- the fact that homoactivists deliberately create a false sense of the popularity of 'gay marriage' among self-identified 'gay' men, and women, even though all the figures show that the wider community is deeply apathetic, if not totally opposed to changes to the marriage laws;
- precisely how 'gay marriage' is an attack on marriage, and the family (inasmuch as homoactivists attempt to change, subvert, or otherwise sully the - legal, social, cultural, traditional, biological, religious - definition of marriage, and family; this is a clear attack);
- the nature, and details of the Catholic teaching on human sexuality;
- the enduring interest in Catholic ideas, witnessed by the unprecedented feedback the program received;*
- the fact that most Australians, Americans, etc. are religious (and Christian) means that calls for religious voices to be silenced when debating issues in the public square are not only bigoted, but anti-democratic;
- DREADNOUGHT's view that a piece of paper, or registry signature, is not going to stop violence, and / or silence bigots; and won't add anything to truly loving relationships (that societies cannot legislate respect);
- the fact that marriage celebrates, seals, and points towards biological, and affective realities (that don't exist when two males perform sodomy);
- why most people reject marriage-mimicking ceremonies (1. they make a mockery of cherished, vital rituals / sacraments; 2. they force 'gay' pegs into 'straight' holes);
- the fact that if same sex attracted men, and their properly ordered relationships, increasingly display those qualities that the wider community, and good people everywhere, celebrate - they will not fail to achieve community support;
- the 'post-gay' world, and how young men are increasingly turning from the labels, and mind-sets of the past; and
- how surveys* that show a generational divide in attitudes towards 'gay marriage', might not really demonstrate anything important about desire for 'gay marriage' among the silent majority of same sex attracted men (they measure attitudes to 'gay' people, not desire for 'gay marriage').
:: "You Can Worship Fairies..." ::
DREADNOUGHT was only disappointed at one stage, when the oldest panellist in the studio - a 'gay news', and homoactivist veteran - characterised religious faith, and believers generally, in a most offensive way.% I reminded him, and the station, that such comments were like the hate-speech, and vilification that homoactivists apparently stand against; and that the station receives government funding, which can be withdrawn at any time if on-air participants offend against community, and legal standards. There are many Jewish, Christian, Muslim, etc. same sex attracted men, and women - most of whom would be distressed by any denigration of their faith, or vilification of their status as believers.
:: They Want to Know ::
Otherwise, considering the forum, DREADNOUGHT came in for an appropriately constructive, supportive reception. The mostly professional hosts claimed to have received more feedback (emails, text messages, and passionate phonecalls) on my article / appearance than ever before. Indeed, many of the callers, and responses - even on a channel ostensibly aligned with the current 'gay' culture, and its political agenda - expressed support for DREADNOUGHT's article, faith, and views. A solid number (and the majority of panellists in the studio) also indicated that they rejected 'gay marriage', and / or wouldn't want one themselves.
:: The Upshot ::
This was, of course, precisely the point of the article.
^ (Those easily identified include Doug Pollard, Rob Milne, Rod Swift, David Graham, and Rodney Cruise who also repeatedly messaged the talk-back segment. Watch for the same names, and aliases - if not the same personal attacks - in newspaper letters columns, mailouts to politicians, and online debates on 'gay marriage').
* (DREADMATE Andrew Norton's classical liberal / libertarian views on marriage / the family generally, and his writings against what he terms 'familism' will be familiar to DREADNOUGHTERS. We respectfully disagree on these issues).
% (No other panellist spoke in this way, and the other guests - particularly Tim Wilson, and 'Scott' - when given the chance to speak, contributed fresh, important ideas to the discussion).
* (Another ballot measure, defining marriage as 'between one man and one woman', passed in 2000. It attracted the support of 61% of California voters. The new measure has already attracted over a million signatures, and is widely expected to pass. Couples who 'marry' in the meantime will be left in limbo, then quickly disenfranchised, pointing up the heartlessness / cynicism of the judges' actions. Domestic partners in California already enjoy extensive substantive rights).
[UPDATE] Support for marriage / the family has always been bipartisan: readers of this key Left-wing website challenge a homoactivist who writes, sneeringly, against "all old, hierarchical relationship terms like "husband", "wife"...[and]...til-death-us-do-part marriage-like relationship[s]." Some of the readers identify as 'gay', and many object to homoactivists' "hijacking of the gay marriage debate". The responses are refreshingly candid, to wit:
"...[gay] weddings are total BS...do [homoactivist men] also want to put in for maternity allowance? Sorry, I just don’t see how [marriage] applies to homosexuals...There are so many, many more important issues in the world today. Suck it up. War widow’s pension. Jesus give me strength.":: Update ::
DREADNOUGHT appeared as a special guest on The Spin program on JoyFM on Tuesday May 13, 2008. The one-hour session went live-to-air, with talk-back callers, and a worldwide, online stream.
:: 'Gays Don't Want Marriage' ::
The program followed my opinion editorial in the Herald Sun newspaper. DREADNOUGHT spoke to the following topics:
- 'gay marriage' is unpopular with self-identified 'gay' men, the vast majority of whom are not in any form of relationship, let alone one that the community would describe as a marriage;
- the 'gay marriage' push is part of a homoactivist, extremist agenda, and has little to do with ordinary, same sex attracted men, and women;
- a few noisy homoactivists try to stifle debate, and comment that doesn't conform to their narrow, divisive agenda;
- the fact that most of the negative commenters on the online articles, and the negative emails / messages from listeners, were from readily identifiable homoactivists (feeding into the echo-chamber);^
- the fact that homoactivists deliberately create a false sense of the popularity of 'gay marriage' among self-identified 'gay' men, and women, even though all the figures show that the wider community is deeply apathetic, if not totally opposed to changes to the marriage laws;
- precisely how 'gay marriage' is an attack on marriage, and the family (inasmuch as homoactivists attempt to change, subvert, or otherwise sully the - legal, social, cultural, traditional, biological, religious - definition of marriage, and family; this is a clear attack);
- the nature, and details of the Catholic teaching on human sexuality;
- the enduring interest in Catholic ideas, witnessed by the unprecedented feedback the program received;*
- the fact that most Australians, Americans, etc. are religious (and Christian) means that calls for religious voices to be silenced when debating issues in the public square are not only bigoted, but anti-democratic;
- DREADNOUGHT's view that a piece of paper, or registry signature, is not going to stop violence, and / or silence bigots; and won't add anything to truly loving relationships (that societies cannot legislate respect);
- the fact that marriage celebrates, seals, and points towards biological, and affective realities (that don't exist when two males perform sodomy);
- why most people reject marriage-mimicking ceremonies (1. they make a mockery of cherished, vital rituals / sacraments; 2. they force 'gay' pegs into 'straight' holes);
- the fact that if same sex attracted men, and their properly ordered relationships, increasingly display those qualities that the wider community, and good people everywhere, celebrate - they will not fail to achieve community support;
- the 'post-gay' world, and how young men are increasingly turning from the labels, and mind-sets of the past; and
- how surveys* that show a generational divide in attitudes towards 'gay marriage', might not really demonstrate anything important about desire for 'gay marriage' among the silent majority of same sex attracted men (they measure attitudes to 'gay' people, not desire for 'gay marriage').
:: "You Can Worship Fairies..." ::
DREADNOUGHT was only disappointed at one stage, when the oldest panellist in the studio - a 'gay news', and homoactivist veteran - characterised religious faith, and believers generally, in a most offensive way.% I reminded him, and the station, that such comments were like the hate-speech, and vilification that homoactivists apparently stand against; and that the station receives government funding, which can be withdrawn at any time if on-air participants offend against community, and legal standards. There are many Jewish, Christian, Muslim, etc. same sex attracted men, and women - most of whom would be distressed by any denigration of their faith, or vilification of their status as believers.
:: They Want to Know ::
Otherwise, considering the forum, DREADNOUGHT came in for an appropriately constructive, supportive reception. The mostly professional hosts claimed to have received more feedback (emails, text messages, and passionate phonecalls) on my article / appearance than ever before. Indeed, many of the callers, and responses - even on a channel ostensibly aligned with the current 'gay' culture, and its political agenda - expressed support for DREADNOUGHT's article, faith, and views. A solid number (and the majority of panellists in the studio) also indicated that they rejected 'gay marriage', and / or wouldn't want one themselves.
:: The Upshot ::
This was, of course, precisely the point of the article.
^ (Those easily identified include Doug Pollard, Rob Milne, Rod Swift, David Graham, and Rodney Cruise who also repeatedly messaged the talk-back segment. Watch for the same names, and aliases - if not the same personal attacks - in newspaper letters columns, mailouts to politicians, and online debates on 'gay marriage').
* (DREADMATE Andrew Norton's classical liberal / libertarian views on marriage / the family generally, and his writings against what he terms 'familism' will be familiar to DREADNOUGHTERS. We respectfully disagree on these issues).
% (No other panellist spoke in this way, and the other guests - particularly Tim Wilson, and 'Scott' - when given the chance to speak, contributed fresh, important ideas to the discussion).
by DREADNOUGHT at 4:03:00 AM
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