There is a government survey about the same sex marriage bills that were recently proposed. It's a very short one. I suggest you take it and let your voice heard. The most difficult part of this one page survey was describing my reasons for not supporting the bills in less than 250 words. After struggling to keep the number of words under it, I managed to complete it in 249.
Firstly, the meaning of marriage is well understood and accepted by the vast marjority of Australians as an exclusive union between a man and a woman. It is not the government's role to re-define marriage.
Secondly, the majority of Australians do not actually want the change.
Thirdly, even if the majority indeed wanted to legalise the same sex marriage, the government must not simply bend to the public wishes and opinions. I should not doubt for a moment that the government officials are concerned with what is right and wrong, what is true and false, what is good and what is not, even if it may cost their next election.
Fourthly, re-defining marriage is not going to promote tolerance. It will only have an adverse effect where, instead of learning to live with those we disagree with, we will be forced to actually agree with them.
Fifthly, keeping the current meaning of marriage is not in any way discrimitive or intolerant action, it is merely stating what is plain.
Finally, the victim of redefinition of marriage will be our children. Upon legalising the same sex marriage, our children will helplessly and voicelessly be forced into accepting a false meaning of marriage. It is also likely to be followed with the countless cases where children will be denied a father or a mother by the same sex parents. Will we, finding ourselves in such situations, attempt to redefine the meaning of the term, father, or mother, too, then?
