Hi Friends,
I am liberal minded and I am happy with the triumph of secularism over intolerance in the recent AWARE EGM. Singapore is a secular state and no single religion should be allowed to impose its values on the rest- no matter how well intended this was. For me, tolerance and inclusivity is the only way to go.
Silent conservative majority awakened
However, many of you must have realised by now, how afraid the conservative majority are of the Gay lobby. These conservatives are not just the fundamentalist Christians, but include Muslims, Hindus and atheists. That the seeds of Homosexuality may actually reside in the human genes do not cut any ice with them. Most conservatives believe that Nurture also plays a role together with Nature in the emergence of homosexuality. No use telling them about gay animals in nature, or about objective scientific research etc.
They are not listening.
Some of them do accept that there are others around them who are gay or that other people’s kids are gay, but they will find it hard to accept their own children being gay.
What a liberal (like me )feels
Before I get flamed by the gay lobby, please know that this is not how I feel but what I observe around me.
For me, what you do behind closed doors is none of my business. I believe in the liberalism as espoused by John Stuart Mills. Gays should enjoy the same benefits as hetero-sexual Singaporeans. They pay tax too!
As gays are over-represented in the creative arts (maybe one day the “gay” gene would be found linked to “creative” gene?) and for Singapore to buzz like New York and Paris, gays should not just be tolerated in Singapore’s entertainment or creative industry but be encouraged to thrive. They will do this only in a Singapore where they do not feel ostracised.
Aware EGM and Laws of Physics
Newton’s Third Law of Physics says “To every action there is always opposed an equal reaction”.
Rosie’s gang usurped (Action) Aware and suffered a backlash (Reaction) from Gay lobby/secularists/liberals/anti-Fundies etc.
People like me (?PLME) who are non-gay, non-anti-gay as distinguished from Gay lobby like People like Us (PLUS) are put in a difficult position.
For the longest time (since the EGM-seems like eternity), we defended against conservative barbs why the passionate and rowdy EGM was the result of Josie’s (and gang) actions ( eg turning off mikes) at the event and how the pent-up emotions of secularists needed to let off steam.
We defended the CSE and why being neutral is not necessarily bad and how the confidential instructors’ guidelines should have remained so and how choices about homosexuality and anal and pre-marital sex were something each person should decide for himself/herself. Of course until these teens reach majority ( 21 years), each family still has the right to impose its values on these kids.
Now PLME are expected to celebrate together with LGBT at the Pink Dot (click here )?
Conservatives are nursing wounds- not smart to push them too far
Sure, Gays ( and secularists/liberals/anti-Fundies) had a great victory at the EGM. The sacking of the Josie’s gang stopped anti-secularists in their tracks.
No groups who are essentially One Trick Ponies ( in this case Anti-Gay) will ever attempt hijacking national organisations again.
By organising the Pink Dot event (which is no different from Gay Pride parades in major western cities) so close at the heel of the conservatives’ defeat at the EGM shows a certain amount of insensitivity on the part of the Gay lobby.
Gays may retort that they had been on the wrong end of the stick for so long that it is time others cared about how they felt instead of the other way around.
My honest opinion is that this Pink Dot will confirm once and for all in the minds of the conservatives that they had been right all along. That given an inch, Gays would want a mile; That old Aware was hijacked by Gay lobby; That CSE was Gay’s infiltration of schools for indoctrination of their agenda;
That PLME ( People-like-Me) who are non-gay, non anti-gay liberals are stupid and are wrong to sit on the fence.
Do not be surprised that the conservatives become stronger after Pink Dot or other such events. Can't you already hear the "I told you so's" ?
Newton’s Third Law of Physics says “To every action there is always opposed an equal reaction”.
If forced to act, where do you think the government will lend its support?
No brainer. Where the votes are!
Dr.Huang Shoou Chyuan
