People too Scared to Speak: John Howard

Former Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard has expressed concerns that the culture and standards of Australian society are being threatened by an increasing intolerance towards those who do not subscribe to a range of progressive views, such as same-sex marriage.

“I think the problem is that too few people are prepared to call it for what it is,” he said.

Furthermore, “I think people are cowed because they think, ‘I can’t say that because I might lose votes or I might offend somebody’.”

In relation to gay marriage, Mr Howard said: “There is nothing homophobic about supporting traditional marriage. Everybody did in the parliament in 2004.”

Now we are in the very situation where some of those who supported traditional marriage back in 2004 or more recently have changed their minds, and now believe that they have a license to slander and demonise those who still hold to the view.

Mr Howard identified the outrageous situation in Tasmania where anti-discrimination laws were being used to attack the Catholic Archbishop of Hobart and take him to court over articulating the traditional Christian view of marriage.

Mr Howard was also disappointed that the Abbott government had back-flipped on its proposed free speech changes to section 18c of the Racial Discrimination Act after winning an election mandate on the issue.

Branding the current climate of repression as “pernicious”, Mr Howard said there was “almost a fear” among people to speak the views he was expressing because of concern they would “offend our multicultural ethos” or be “branded as intolerant.”

Mr Howard is right. There is a growing culture of repression and slander toward those who are not deemed to hold the ‘correct’ (progressive) viewpoint.

The XYZ will continue to stand against speech suppression. We will encourage debate on important issues and we will fearlessly speak and air the views that the progressive opinion makers seek to slander and suppress.