Julia and Tony should follow Obama's lead – AME
Australian Marriage Equality national convenor Rodney Croome has praised US President Barack Obama's second inauguration speech, saying his support for full equality for LGBTI people has thrown down the gauntlet for Australia's political leaders to do the same.
In his speech Obama highlighted the fact that the struggle for equality was far from over, in particular for women's rights and LGBTI rights.
"We, the people, declare today that the most evident of truths -- that all of us are created equal -- is the star that guides us still; just as it guided our forebears through Seneca Falls, and Selma, and Stonewall..." Obama said.
"It is now our generation’s task to carry on what those pioneers began. For our journey is not complete until our wives, our mothers, and daughters can earn a living equal to their efforts. Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law -- for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well."
Croome said that not only did Obama support full equality for LGBTI people, he "placed this firmly within the context of the long struggle for equality and freedom that defines US and western history."
"The message to Australia's political leaders is that by opposing marriage equality they oppose the foundational, democratic values of societies like our own," Croome said.
Obama's speech would also give hope to LGBTI people around the world, he said.
"The speech will give great hope to GLBTI people, especially those in Africa, Asia and the Middle East who live in fear of being gaoled or executed," Croome said.
"Mr Obama has positioned not only himself, but also his nation, as the defender of their fundamental right to life and liberty."
Obama's speech - made, symbolically on the Martin Luther King Day holiday - marks the first time a US President has addressed LGBTI rights in an inauguration speech. An estimated 800,000 people turned out for the public ceremony.
Photo: Getty Images
- Tags: Australian Marriage Equality, Barack Obama, Blaze, Equality, Julia Gillard, LGBTI Rights, Martin Luther King, MCV, Queensland Pride, Rodney Croome, stonewall riots, SX, Tony Abbott, United States, Women's Rights
Comments (4)
Nobody's degree of pain or suffering should be compared to others...In time I think we will come to acknowledge the level of internal damage GLBTI people have incurred because of inequality & homophobic practices.
The extremely politicised, public humiliation & denial of our equality over recent years has personally opened up a massive amount of grief, betrayal, recognition of difficulties & barriers in my life.
Do you not think it is slightly wrong of him to link "Stonewall" to the struggles of African Americans? Stonewall was a riot of mostly white middle class men - no one died. The struggles in the deep south of African Americans were against the Jim Crow laws, were a matter of life or death, were by people below the poverty line, and were by people who could not hide their identity! It is typical that a white middle class male like Rodney would think that this was somehow a good thing! Stick to marriage, Rodney!
I don't think it was easy to hide going to jail for being same-sex attracted. It was not something that you hid to easily. When people were themselves, they were jailed. In the Stonewall riots, they stood together as people have done for Civil Rights throughout history. Obama spoke of the chorus of history, the great call for freedom that still goes on today with many same-sex couples, still even denied marriage.
Obama gave a brilliant speech drawing attention to the struggle for equality by people who are same-sex attracted. It is just ironic that at the moment, Gillard is introducing the White Australia by another name, targeting people based on their sexuality and calling this hate legislation the new equal opportunity act. We are to be denied jobs, and access to government funded services, run by religious businesses. Most people of religion do not believe in the hate of Gillard, but a minority do. Gillard is empowering the nutjobs to carry out acts of hate against us, so Obama’s speech could not have come a better time. He reminds us of the basic human dignity we all deserve, a dignity Federal Labor is stripping from us.