Being a tolerant and loving Community starts on our Streets

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR SYDNEY STAR OBSERVER

by Councillor Shayne Mallard from City of Sydney Council 12/12/2007

FALSE PREACHERS

I was shocked and angry to have so-called “preachers” come to the City of Sydney Council meeting and demand the right to preach gay vilification on our streets in the false and distorted guise of religious freedom. The gay and lesbian community have suffered unjust religious persecution and vilification for centuries and it has no place in the streets of Sydney today.We all know the harm religious bigotry has caused for countless members of our community including family rejection, low self-esteem, self-harm, gay bashings and even death. So-called “preaching” against gays also sadly damages the good name of Christians in our community.In response to the “preachers’” representations I moved the following motion at Council to reinforce our core commitments as a progressive city:

“The Council reaffirms its position that we celebrate Sydney’s diversity and embrace people from all walks of life as equals whether their differences be religious, ethnicity, sexuality or other. The City of Sydney strongly supports anti-vilification and anti-discrimination laws and opposes the vilification of any community members particularly the vilification of homosexual people under the guise of religious freedom by street preachers.”

I strongly encourage members of the community exposed to“preachers” on our streets vilifying gay people to take it to the relevant authorities starting with the Council.