Voting “No”

IT’S okay to vote “No”. I’m voting “No” and I object to the assumption that that makes me a bigot or homophobic.

All relationships matter but not all relationships are marriage. Redefining marriage has proved to undermine religious freedom, parental rights and the rights of children in other countries. It has not proved to decrease mental health issues or suicide rates in gay and lesbian communities.

Gay and lesbian people in Australia have all the rights of heterosexual couples including the right to a public commitment ceremony for their relationships. That is different to marriage in which the couple, by the nature of their sexual interaction can conceive a child.

Children have survived and even excelled outside this natural model of family but that does not mean we should deliberately and systematically deny future children the right to be born into their natural family.

To vote “No” in the plebiscite is not an act of hate or malice as political activists would have us believe. However, due to the abuse hurled at advocates for maintaining the current definition of marriage, you won’t hear as much from the “No” voters as from advocates for drastic social change.

In fact, gay activists have indicated that to swing non-committed voters they will present polls that indicate their position is the “norm” and that trends in voting intent is swinging their way.

Do your own homework. For the sake of the future rights of parents, the rights of children and for religious freedom, it’s okay to vote “No”. — PAUL WEBB, Toowoomba