It should come as no surprise to any of us that perennial Cowardly Lion and conservative darling Alex Hawke should rise this week in parliament to offer the same tired arguments for the ongoing discrimination of his fellow Australians, based on their sexual orientation. Ceasing to be a nemesis of any intellectual depth (or even capable of an occasional novel thought), Hawke served only as a mouthpiece for the same trite justifications that the Right insists on clinging to in their stand against equality. While recent evidence points to an IQ deficiency as an important factor in conservative thinking – I will press on as though Alex and his brethren can be reasoned with.
Hawke was roused from his comfortable, affluent and largely white (homogenous) slumber by two private member’s bills (including a Bandt/Wilkie one) to be introduced to legalise gay marriage. The main tenant of his opposition (and of the Right’s) seems part historical precedent, part procreation. My first appeal though would be to drop the bullshit and just come right out and say “the bible told me so”. Hawke is transparently and enthusiastically affiliated with the Hillsong Pentecostal megachurch, bible literalists “teaching homosexuality is unnatural, opposing embryonic stem cell research and abortion on the basis that human life commences at conception” (They are also creationists and want it taught in schools… my enduring pet hate). We need not look far for the source of his illogical anti-gay message – but we should at least expect honesty about its origins (he should also pipe down on the procreation line, given that the 34 year old has no kids of his own).
In Hawkes ‘intensive research’ (its fine for me to use Wiki Alex – but you’re an MP – get an intern to do some real research), he cites the Californian referendum question (known as Prop 8) that banned gay marriage in that state (which was just overturned and heads to the Supreme Court)… and that only 10 countries and 7 US States allow it – as an indication of its non-mainstream nature. The US is an interesting case and indicative of the turning tide in favour of equality – almost certainly serving my case better than Hawkes. The 7 states have come on board in less than a decade, with additional legislative measures succeeding in Washington state and New Jersey (though their fat Republican governor is vowing a veto). Most importantly though, public opinion passed parity in 2011 – meaning a majority now support gay-marriage. Multiple polls here in Australia suggested an even larger majority in support (see Wiki). Perhaps Hawke needs to check his definition of ‘majority’.
Hawke’s conservatism on gay marriage is fundamentally flawed. First, had he a shred of insight, he’d appreciate that in championing small government and opposing the allegedly encroaching Nanny State (see his opposition to plain paper packages for cigarettes) – a non-hypocritical stance on same-sex couples should be one of equality. It isn’t the government’s role to interfere. Second, change for minorities rarely (if ever) comes through referendums, or majority support. As I saw Rev Al Sharpton recently say, if he had waited for the majority to award civil rights to black Americans, he’d still be sitting at the back of the bus – justice requires political leaders who will show leadership and moral courage to bring about change. Unfortunately for Australia (and for our Cowardly Lion in particular), courage is in short supply – and the Wizard sometimes seem far, far away.
