It's gonna be a lonnnng week...
Two doozy news bytes waiting for me at work this morning. First up, the misadventures of this particular Fundies First candidate and his wacky genitalia. It's not quite on par with 'burning lesbians at the stake' but it is kinda funny - especially his defence: 'I might have been drunk off my face or my political enemies might have drugged me.' Riiiiight.Further: 'But that's not my penis ... Look, maybe somebody photoshopped it, and put another one on the photo ... I can tell you, it's not me. I know these things. But really, I can't remember … All I know, I have been humiliated.'
Bit all over the shop, isn't he? Makes you think he's making up his defence as he goes along. Still, it's a good laff and it's a blow against Fundies First, which can never be a bad thing.
Then things get a bit more serious, as we read about the delightful Pastor Curtis, Liberal candidate for Lalor.
"As a Christian, I do not agree with the idea of homosexuality. That's the reality. I can't put it any other way," Mr Curtis told The Sunday Age yesterday.
"I certainly could never change my views that homosexuality is a perversion, because it is a perversion."
Oh - but don't fret kids, it's not like he's a gay-bashing extremist or anything:
"I'd offer myself as a genuine grassroots candidate who would be delighted to represent them and who would have no favouritism or negative approach to any individual based on their lifestyle. I would love to represent them, I would love to represent anybody."
Phew! That's OK then. For a moment I thought you might be a right-wing homophobic preacher positing a scientifically, medically and psychologically disproved theory about 'perversion'. You sure put my mind at ease.
The reason why I'm taking this seriously is that this is not some extremist from One Nation or Fundies First - this is a Liberal candidate for the John Howard government. Granted, he's running for a safe Labor seat he has little chance of winning, but he has influence within the party, having been vice-president of the party's Werribee branch since 2001, delegate to state council since 2002 and a member of its policy assembly committee since 2004.
Personally, I find the thought of a government being filled with men like this a mite scarier than one filled with ex union hacks. Of course, the Libs could do the right thing and disendorse this man straight away - but I'm guessing they won't. There are simply too many people in the party - including elder statesmen like Abbott and Andrews - who agree with Curtis' views.
I can already hear J-Ho's soothing tones: 'Look, I don't personally agree with the pastor's views, I don't, but I wouldn't want to infringe on his right to express them ...' something along those lines.
Julia Gillard is the member for Lalor. I'll greatly look forward to the press release she issues condemning her opponent's views as having no place in a progressive, secular nation and demanding the Liberal Party disendorse him immediately.
Hrm - I'm gonna be waiting a while, aren't I?
Labels: 2007 federal election, Fundies First, Liberal Party
posted by Sam @ Monday, October 29, 2007
3 Comments:
Pastor Curtis is not nearly as dangerous as Dennis Hood, another FF member who shares the Pastor's views. Not only is Hood already in parliament (the SA upper house), but Premier Rann gets him to draft government social legislation. And this is a Labor premier!
I notice Pastor F*wit was the Libs candidate in this seat at the last election too. And here we were thinking that it was only the NSW Libs who had come under the thrall of the loony Christian right.
I suppose the bright side is that we live in an age where these views are considered "out there" enough to be reported (at least in the Faifax press anyway).
I will be keeping my eye on Lalor on 24/11 to see what sort of swing Ms Gillard gets to her at the election. Hopefully its a MASSIVE one. And yes she should condemn his views. Chris
Appreciatee this blog post
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