Lobbyist’s insults will not convince Abbott of same sex marriage

Carrington Brigham discusses the attacks on Tony Abbott for his opposition to state-sanctioned same sex marriage:

Last Monday Left wing Gay rights activist Rodney Croome wrote an article in The Drum claiming that Abbott cannot possibly love his sister’s partner because he will not allow his sister and his sister-in-law to marry, and further will prevent any possibility of this occurring. Croome claims the recent articles about Abbott’s love and respect for his sister are nothing more than a ruse to paint Abbott as a loving, caring family man. Croome stated that the article was:

“…designed to neutralise Tony Abbott's opposition to marriage equality, by showing him in the best possible light – moderates will give him the nod for accepting his sister, and religious conservatives will be happy he has loved the sinner without condoning the sin.”

What is really sad here is that Croome is already preaching to the converted. You know? Those Abbott haters! As a result we see a protester imposing on Abbott when he’s having a quiet coffee with a journalist on a Sunday afternoon because of his opposition to gay marriage. By all means protest against Tony Abbott’s opposition to gay marriage, but is it not possible to do this peacefully? Secondly what was the young protester trying to achieve? Did she really think that if she disrupts Abbott in a café she will convince him of the need to change the Marriage Act? I ask you – if someone comes up to you within metres, and starts protesting at you at the top of their lungs, would you listen? Would you be convinced of their plight?

Croome’s op-ed is disappointing because there are many members, supporters and volunteers of the Liberal party who happen to be same-sex attracted. Many of these people would like to see marriage equality, and many are working to share their views and opinions on the matter with Coalition parliamentarians. You may have heard some of this on Triple J’s ‘Hack’ earlier last week. Croome threatens to set back the efforts of these people with his vitriolic and personal attack on Abbott, and the mischaracterisation of Abbott’s feelings for his family is frankly deplorable. These same people of the left then wonder why Abbott says such things as feeling “threatened” about homosexuality. (To which Abbott said he later regretted stating in an interview on Melbourne’s Gay radio station JoyFM interviewed by Doug Pollard.)

Croome says of The Australian article about Abbott’s sister: “I’m not deceived”.  Well, Rodney, there is no deception as Abbott clearly loves his sister. Around the time his sister was ‘coming out’, Abbott made it clear during an interview on JoyFM that there were people close to him who are gay.  He did not reveal exactly whom.