In the wake of the slayings at an Orlando gay nightclub, LGBQTI people both here and overseas are claiming the terrorist outrage for themselves.
Even in his statement to the nation, President Obama thought the massacre had more to do with homophobia than with Islamism.
Obama described the nightclub as a place of “empowerment where people come together to raise awareness, speak their minds and advocate for their civil rights.”
In Australia there have been pleas for politicians to acknowledge that the attack was first and foremost one launched against gay people.
But the Orlando slaying was not just an assault on the civil rights of gay people: it was an attack on the civil rights of every citizen of every open, liberal democracy on Earth.
In those societies, gay people are free to live openly; young people can go to rock concerts; couples can dine in restaurants; and people can ride freely on buses.
Yet many innocent people who have been doing just those things have been slaughtered in recent times by Islamist terrorists.
To say that Orlando simply targeted gay people as victims of hate is like saying that the Boston bombings targeted athletes as victims of hate. Or that coffee drinkers were targeted as victims of hate at the Lindt Café siege.
The reality is that Omar Mateen — who pledged allegiance to Islamic State during his deadly assault — did not simply attack gay people: he attacked our entire way of life.
Australians were stunned by the tragic news from Florida. We will be praying for those slain and for grieving families and friends.
But we also need to pray for our own country, for courageous political leaders and for vigilant policing in our communities; and for our Muslim friends and neighbours.
How many more innocent people have to die before Western political leaders — including Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull — have the courage openly to make the connection between Islam and terror attacks?
Each one of us has a duty to affirm our commitment to freedom, to prevent the radicalisation of our youth, and to denounce murder in the name of any God.
Home > Commentary > Opinion > Orlando an attack on our civil rights
Orlando an attack on our civil rights
Even in his statement to the nation, President Obama thought the massacre had more to do with homophobia than with Islamism.
Obama described the nightclub as a place of “empowerment where people come together to raise awareness, speak their minds and advocate for their civil rights.”
In Australia there have been pleas for politicians to acknowledge that the attack was first and foremost one launched against gay people.
But the Orlando slaying was not just an assault on the civil rights of gay people: it was an attack on the civil rights of every citizen of every open, liberal democracy on Earth.
In those societies, gay people are free to live openly; young people can go to rock concerts; couples can dine in restaurants; and people can ride freely on buses.
Yet many innocent people who have been doing just those things have been slaughtered in recent times by Islamist terrorists.
To say that Orlando simply targeted gay people as victims of hate is like saying that the Boston bombings targeted athletes as victims of hate. Or that coffee drinkers were targeted as victims of hate at the Lindt Café siege.
The reality is that Omar Mateen — who pledged allegiance to Islamic State during his deadly assault — did not simply attack gay people: he attacked our entire way of life.
Australians were stunned by the tragic news from Florida. We will be praying for those slain and for grieving families and friends.
But we also need to pray for our own country, for courageous political leaders and for vigilant policing in our communities; and for our Muslim friends and neighbours.
How many more innocent people have to die before Western political leaders — including Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull — have the courage openly to make the connection between Islam and terror attacks?
Each one of us has a duty to affirm our commitment to freedom, to prevent the radicalisation of our youth, and to denounce murder in the name of any God.
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