Posted this on another related thread but feel it is pertinent to any discusion about "rights" "morals" "protecting children".

Children do need to be protected Tubby but when did we decide that the "gubberman" ( to use a a negative indigenous australian expression for the government - just ask THEM how the gubberman protected their children )take the role of parent?

They may be "society's children" but we all know how children brought up by the state in the past have fared. There is no substitute for parental control. But even John Howard isn't going to tackle this one head on, which is why the govt. took the easy option of providing every household with children in Oz with free internet filter services/software. Schools provide lesson in safe computer use to children, educating parents is also needed not just heavy handed open ended legislation.

How Draconian, child abusers only get a few years and state sanctioned violence is condoned, in fact it is extremely big business, but heaven help a lonely consenting adult.

I will read the topic thread but as a parent and an adult I find violence, in movies, on TV and especially real life far more obscene than any sexual act ( excluding violent acts - because of the VIOLENCE).

As you no doubt can tell its getting very late at night over here and I have had a gut full (Australian coloquialism) of the carnage we are seeing every day on TV and the lack of political will to stop it - but a few right wing religious nuts can wield great power over things that by comparison do not matter and are not their business.
And if ASIO and the CIA are going to archive this post well they can damn well give me a back link for it.

By the way what's different about Methodist marriages? Last time I looked the Methodists were extremely conservative? Or have I missed the point. And to add my last rant, if we had gone to a referendum on gay marriage I would have voted Yes.

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I've come a long way in the journey of life and most of the roads weren't paved.