JJMD

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Ten days and I counted one cloud. Upon this one cloud I relied. No other cloud offered itselfBut...

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:50:00 +1000

Ten days and I counted one cloud.
Upon this one cloud I relied.
No other cloud offered itself
But then this cloud also denied.

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Thu, 23 May 2013 02:53:13 +1000

Matt Akersten “This makes me SO ANGRY. This is a FRIEND of mine who was BRUTALLY BEATEN in a...

Thu, 23 May 2013 01:55:00 +1000

Matt Akersten

“This makes me SO ANGRY. This is a FRIEND of mine who was BRUTALLY BEATEN in a homophobic attack. WHEN WILL THIS STOP?”

This picture of a gay Londoner who was beaten by a gang of youths at the weekend has shocked the UK, happening just after the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, and just as British Parliamentarians vote to progress marriage equality legislation.

Christopher Bryant, editor of gay and lesbian online magazine Polari, was on his way home from his birthday celebrations with partner Damon Truluck when they were confronted by a group of six men on Saturday night, reports The Independent.

The two men were beaten and told to “stay down, you fucking faggot.”

A shocked and bloodied Bryant posted his photo on Facebook shortly afterwards, leading to a flurry of messages of surprise and concern.

Aussie-borm former Savage Garden singer, now an out gay solo singing artist Darren Hayes says he’s a friend of Bryant’s and his tweets show his shock at discovering what had happened.

Annoyed at the lack of progress on LGBTI equality law reforms here in his native Australia, Hayes even tweeted our Prime Minister Julia Gillard to make sure she’d seen the story.

This afternoon, our Prime Minister responded. The initials ‘JG’ at the end of her tweet suggests the message came from Gillard herself, not just one of her staff.

In dealing with violent crimes, British police now categorise certain attacks as ‘hate crimes’ when homophobia is understood to be driving the incident.

The most recent statistics available suggest there were 4,252 sexual orientation hate crimes recorded by police in Britain between 2011 and 2012.

One particular Facebook post to Bryant sums up many of the supportive messages going out to him and his partner since the attack.

Marlyce writes: “I will wish you a thorough rather than speedy recovery. I am so very sorry that hate and fear found you and hurt you but much love surrounds you. Hate will be outnumbered, in the end.”

Article with images at source: http://www.samesame.com.au/news/international/9795/Bloodied-face-is-Londons-shame.htm via https://www.facebook.com/GMRA1?hc_location=stream

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Thu, 23 May 2013 00:58:09 +1000

"When you ask me to respect religion because people believe in it, I want you to remember something...."

Wed, 22 May 2013 23:02:50 +1000

“

When you ask me to respect religion because people believe in it, I want you to remember something. I want you to remember that long ago your ancestors were not Christian or Muslim. They had their own culture and customs native to their heritage. Through military conquest religion spread itself through the Old World, and those distant relatives were faced with a choice: either accept Christianity/Islam or die a painful death. This was how most major religions today achieved their position of respect.

After Europe had been fully indoctrinated, the papal Doctrine of Discovery gave the authority to all good Christians to conquer the native peoples of the New World and claim that land for God and the Church. Millions died mercilessly and were even tortured by Christian heroes like Christopher Columbus.

Now, thousands of years later, when we no longer have to respect these beliefs upon pain of death, we are told that we should respect religion. We are told by those within even the non religious community that we should show respect to these ideas that have gained a place of vaunted privilege in our societies which are built upon the graves of any who dared question or challenge the authority of divine providence.

You think you are being rational. You think you are being reasonable. What you are really doing is propping up the last leg of human slavery to bad ideas and providing intellectual cover for religion to keep a place of honor and respect it never earned.

Please, stop protecting religion in the guise of false humility. Be honest and firm with your beliefs and never expect anyone to respect your ideas unless they earn it, and always be willing to be wrong. That is what it means to be a free thinker.

”

- Richard Dawkins

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