Marriage equality advocates have responded to a comment by the prominent leader of the Australian Christian Lobby, Jim Wallace, in which Wallace said Australian service men and women have not fought and died for gay marriage and Muslims.
Australian Marriage Equality National Convener, Alex Greenwich, said ANZAC Day is about what unites Australians and should not be used to perpetuate division.
“ANZAC Day is about the values that unite us as Australians like respect, freedom and a fair go, and it should not be used to set Australians against each other”, Mr Greenwich said.
Mr Wallace’s comments have also drawn fire from Vietnam veteran, Geoff Thomas, who rose to prominence last year when he publicly asked Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott, why Abbott opposes equality in marriage for gay Australians including Thomas’s gay son.
“Those Australian soldiers who go out on patrol in Afghanistan tonight are not doing it for the Christian Lobby, they’re doing it in the name of freedom”, Mr Thomas said.
“Our soldiers fight for the freedom for all Australians, regardless of creed, colour, sexuality or background.”
Gay and lesbian Australians have served openly in the nation’s defence forces since 1992 and their service before that time is well documented.
Mr Greenwich welcomed Mr Wallace’s unreserved apology for his comments which were made on Twitter.
A copy of Mr Wallace’s comments can be found here: http://www.rodswift.info/media/jimwallacetweets.jpg
For more information contact Alex Greenwich on 0421 316 335 or Geoff Thomas on 0412 444 886.