Senator Sarah Hanson-Young bringing it back to topic at Saturday's rally. The National Union of Students rally outside the State Library last Saturday, lead by queer officer James Vigus, was all about handing over a petition supporting a reversal in the ban on gay marriage to Senator Sarah Hanson-Young.... or was it?
The 30,000 signatories were proudly paraded in front of the audience of around 100 people who braved an unusually cold and wet Spring day in Melbourne. The carefully wrapped pile of signatures was precariously poised on one of the Library columns as a series of speakers screamed their support into the megaphone.
Great, the National Union of Students getting behind a campaign against homophobia and supporting gay marriage. But hang on, what are they talking about? Student Union fees, blah, blah.... New government legislation about the operation of student unions, blah, blah..... All worthy topics for a Saturday rally but that's not why we were there. Some of us felt a bit cheated. Coming into the city to get behind the campaign for gay marriage only to be confronted by pimply students spitting their venom at the Rudd Government... well just about anyone really.
But it was their 'day of action' so I suppose they can scream about anything they want. They did get back to the main game eventually and the Senator spoke in support of the petition to reverse the government's stand on gay marriage. Start to finish, 30 minutes.
But I left thinking that with friends like this, who needs enemies. I am not sure whether just lumping the issue of civil unions and gay marriage into the angry custard of student issues is good enough. We were the crowd magnet being hijacked by all this other stuff that had no revelance to anyone who weren't 1) a student or 2) interested in student politics. The protest signs were all about getting rid of homophobia and supporting gay marriage. But the rhetoric was mostly something else altogether.
This week's The Spin will hear from James Vigus and discuss the protest meeting with the Southern Star Observer editor Andie Noonan. From 7pm this Tuesday on The Spin.
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7 comments:
You sound like a dismissive queen. Right wingers like you are boring - how rudely dismissve you are using "blah blah blah". Anyone would think you are Alan Jones. Maybe because you are old you think that makes good commentary?
What's wrong with young people trying to make a better world. Some people car about a range of topics, you sound like the type who cares only about himself.
Your blog is boring but then again so is your conservative radio show -JOY is very conserative so I suppose you fit in. I've only ever heard alternative like views on one show, jesus, it's suppose to be an alternative media outlet - not a forum for mainstream views like yours. I suppose shit station attracts shit people like you.
I won't be returning - old conservative poofs like you get all the benefits of people fighting for rights but you never give anything back.
Obviously 'anonymous' wasn't there. I was and was equally surprised that there was little discussion about homophobia and same sex marriage. I applaud the students for getting behind the campaign but they really hijacked the GLBT community for their own campaign on the day.
I don't think that you can accuse Tim Newton of being a conservative old poof. He is the one usually having a go at the shock jocks and the conservatives. At least he speaks his mind and stands up against a lot of rubbish in the media. At least he went to the rally. How many others were there? It would also be difficult to accuse JOY of being conservative.
I think JOY is super conservative - any other community station in Melbourne has shows covering workers rights, environmental issues, etc - on JOY you get people crapping on about how the Free Trade Agreement would have been good for the movie and arts industries and global warming aint real - what a load of shit - it's as bad as the Herald Sun!
When I heard that and it was delivered as "a fact" from someone called Tim I decided that they'd really lost the plot. I listen now and then but it's mainly to hear what the conservatives think.
any suggestion that JOY is conservative shows that they never listen to the station. i reckon it has a really wide range of views and that we are very lucky to have a station like JOY on our airwaves. of course some are conservative and some are radical. that reflects our gay and lesbian community and the wider australian community. so get on with it and get on with each other like everyone else does. Leonard
Jeez, what a load of crap. Joy is one of the most progressive stations on the air.
Thank god for JOY and people like Tim saying it how it is.
People like Anonymous need to stop being inner city liberal elitists and open their mind.
____
Tim.
(not the host ;p)
Tim (not the presenter) - you've obviously not been listening to much radio beside the ABC or AM talkback - if you want progressive try 3CR. I will listen more to JOY to see what they have to offer - so far there have only been two shows that are interesting. One on Saturday morning and one on Thursday night. Can someone point me to the shows I should be listening to for progressive views? Thanks.
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