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Letters / Stop shoving your choices in my face

AT the probable cost of losing friends and people near and dear to me, I am at that point in my life if I never hear about marriage equality again it will be too soon.

quillI believe this great country has more to concern itself with than personal agendas of members of government of all persuasions; I am concerned about people living on the streets, going hungry and cold and many not of their own volition.

I am concerned that my children, their children and your children are becoming closer to losing touch with this great country’s hard-earned cultures, and values gradually being destroyed or simply pushed aside by greedy agenda-driven politicians.

I am concerned that where I currently reside, the Legoland government continually ignores its constituents and their genuine concerns treating them as second-class citizens, simpletons and idiots.

I am concerned a country, an island of only 20 million people has lost so much of its first-class world manufacturing and farming enterprise to greed and manipulation.

I am over hearing how these alternate lifestyle people are discriminated against; let me tell you everyone is discriminated against in one form or another be it by trendy little factions, government or individuals, I know damn well I am, due to my personal choices.

If a bloke or a sheila wish to hold hands and kiss in public and act out their relationship behind closed doors so be it, but for goodness sake stop shoving your choices in my face and join the end of the queue of the many, more important, discriminated-against people.

Michael Attwell, Dunlop

‘Catholic bashing’ is unhelpful

I AM a keen reader of Michael Moore’s column and I appreciate his political analysis. However, in relation to his piece on religion and marriage equality (CN, June 18) I must respectfully disagree.

Australia does have genuine separation of church and state, and always has, and the fact that some conservative Catholic MPs object to marriage equality is simply them exercising their conscience. Conscience is personal beliefs about right and wrong, and whether these beliefs are formed or held because of religion or secular experience is of no consequence. Just because you disagree with their beliefs, it does not mean their beliefs are somehow illegitimate and have no place in political discussion.

Religion is indeed a private matter, and by objecting to marriage equality many politicians are simply acting as an individual MP. The PM’s position on a conscience vote is more problematic, but Abbott is right when he points out that the Liberal Party position is well known on this, and hardly kept a secret from the voting public.

I am a Catholic but I support marriage equality – just as the majority in Ireland did – yet to say that Australia is beholden to a Catholic lobby and in danger of becoming a theocracy is simply absurd!

Indeed, I would argue it is a healthy democracy: if the views of many Liberal MPs are well known, and if their voters seriously objected, they could and should elect new MPs with whom they agree! Sadly, “Catholic bashing” serves no purpose and does not improve debate. The will of the people is never black or white, but it is always democratically legitimate.

Ross Faulkner, Cook

Listing leads to prosperity

CATHERINE Carter’s refrain (CN, June 18) about heritage inscription stifling the city mirrors Chief Minister Andrew Barr’s tiresome claim. “National Heritage listing would have a negative impact on jobs and the economy in the ACT by hitting business confidence and investment,” he has been saying.

The case for National Heritage listing draws on a wealth of environmental, historical, planning and architectural features connected with the city’s development as the nation’s capital. These heritage assets and the status of the national capital should be sources of pride, values, excellence, promotion and enhanced development opportunities. Heritage status for cities usually leads to higher aspirations and prosperity.

Carter argues that “development would be at risk if wholesale heritage listing were to occur”. Her view is essentially negative. The bigger risk is that the members of her Property Council and the Chief Minister will not seek the opportunities offered by national, even world heritage listing, and along their way retard our potential as a city and national capital.

Brett Odgers, Swinger Hill

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One Response to Letters / Stop shoving your choices in my face

Melanie says: 24 June 2015 at 8:42 am

Thank you to Michael Attwell, Dunlop ” Stop shoving your choices in my face”, for setting out the Really Big Issues as priorities over selfish minority interests groups.

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