Multi national corporations are steering social policy.
'Hate speech' is a tool used to silence 'free speech'.
Social justice means something other than regular justice.
It means a right to vilify those who aren't actually doing anything wrong and to steer society with a herd-like mentality.

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Dear Peter (the author),

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You wrote :

1. « Free speech is being closed down in the name of preventing 'hate speech'; bonds of trust in commercial life are broken; and religion is now divisive that new law is needed to protect religious freedom »

No, free speech is not being « closed down », Peter. We can write and say what we like, when we like and where we like – including so-called « hate speech » – so long as we are prepared to pay the price. As you say : « just ask Israel Folau » !

2. « Dissent from the prevailing new orthodoxies about gender and sexual orientation is virtually impossible ... »

Previous « orthodoxies about gender and sexual orientation » had been formulated by self-proclaimed moralists and elevated as religious doctrine due to lack of knowledge and understanding of what we now know to be a perfectly natural phenomenon found throughout the entire animal kingdom.

3. « Defenders of such cultural change, however, say the culture is not broken but simply responding to new sensitivities ... »

More importantly, it is responding to knowledge of the reality of nature which we previously ignored and which has been revealed to us through modern biological and zoological research. This is simply another instance where religious doctrine on the nature of the universe has been proven to be ill-founded.

It has nothing to do with culture, sensitivities, morality or religious belief. It just happens to be a biological fact which we previously ignored and misunderstood.

4. « First, there is a move away from the communal … Second, the emerging primacy of the individual has been accompanied by the eclipse of the moral language of virtue by the emotional language of values - which is wholly unsuited for moral discourse »

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(Continued …)

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(Continued …)

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Biological individuality has always been a characteristic of all life forms. There is nothing new about that. And, generally speaking, people tend to be sociable and gregarious in their lifestyle even though they may be more independent of mind than their ancestors. Also, the constraint of efficiency, which is the driving force for cooperation and joint action, is by no means on the wane. On the contrary. It is increasing exponentially. Whereas the isolated individual inventor and craftsman has become something of a rare curiosity. Research and development, today, is almost exclusively the work of highly specialised multidisciplinary teams, as is manufacture and distribution.

Fundamental human values include such notions as respect, honesty, loyalty, integrity, freedon, justice, courage, compassion, tolerance, forgiveness, altruism, generosity, open-mindedness – nothing to do with « emotional language» as you indicate.

Morality is a system of behaviour as regards the mores and laws of society. Neither more, nor less.

5. « The fracturing of our culture is due, in large part, to a crisis of moral authority » 

If that is so, Peter, why is it in crisis ? What is the problem ? Who is supposed to exercise that « moral authority » and why are they not doing their job ? Could it be that they have they lost whatever « moral authority » they might have had ?

Are they no longer credible ? If so, why ? These are important questions, Peter.

You indicate in response :

« We must refuse to equate emotional claims with moral claims; and we must call for a reorientation from the personal to the communal »

Is that is your only explanation, Peter ? Is it an explanation at all ?

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Hey Banjo,

- Not to nitpick or anything -

But;

"More importantly, it is responding to knowledge of the reality of nature which we previously ignored and which has been revealed to us through modern biological and zoological research. This is simply another instance where religious doctrine on the nature of the universe has been proven to be ill-founded.

It has nothing to do with culture, sensitivities, morality or religious belief. It just happens to be a biological fact which we previously ignored and misunderstood."

Ok, emphasis: "reality of nature"

- I'm absolutely certain that the currently recognised gender options are not in any way a 'reality of nature' or a 'biological fact';

Facebook: 71 Gender options
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/facebook/10930654/Facebooks-71-gender-options-come-to-UK-users.html

http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2016/07/explained-the-33-gender-identities-recognised-by-the-2016-australian-sex-survey/

Let me explain something to all the flaming nutjobs.

Gender isn't something you choose, it's something assigned to you when you're in you mother's womb prior to being born.
You actually don't have any choice in your gender, but you can identify as whatever you want including cutting your bits off if wish)

But know this, identifying as something doesn't make it so.

I can identify as 'long nosed bandicoot', or a 'Somalian Ostrich' or even a 'three-toed sloth' if I choose too, but I can NEVER become one.

(And for reference 'mother' denotes the female sex and refers to having a vagina and a womb in which procreation is possible.
This function is specific ONLY to females)

Look at all this crap
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2014/02/heres-a-list-of-58-gender-options-for-facebook-users/
http://apath.org/63-genders/

With so many new genders one might argue Charles Darwin's theory of evolution may have finally been proven accurate.

Apparently 'Gender Questioning' is an actual gender now.
Like 'I don't know what the hell I am' gender, is actually a bona-fide gender.

- I'd argue that the whole bloody lot of youse actually border on insane -

- That is if you actually subscribe to believing any of this shite.

AC, WHEW, I am sooooo relieved to see there is another intelligent MAN on OLO.
Who sponsors this crap?
I think we have let the mental retards loose and this is what we end up with.
I have to wonder how sick do you have to be to conjure up even one other gender, let alone 58 or more.
I don't care for queers, I don't want to know about them, I don't care what some irrelevant queer loving morons call me, I fully expect them to stick up for them. (pun intended)
I had nothing against queers, until they started sprouting BS and making unrealistic and unreasonable demands, all based on an arrogant and petulant platform, of 'equality'.
I will not change my opinion of these sick munted and amorphic, unnatural life forms who are clearly NOT normal and are offensive by their aggressive attempts to portray themselves as such.
I had no problem with them before they started their mis-information and misguided campaign, they pretty much kept a normal profile in public, what they did behind closed doors was of no interest to me, but when they decided to go public and shove their illness in our faces, well that was beyond the pale, and so it is that they should not be allowed to carry on in public.
Anyway, sorry if you might find my comments a little confronting, but I am an honest man with an open mind, but this stuff is just too much for even the most reasonable and understanding of men.
Someone has to say, enough is enough.
I do not wear fools and I tell it like it is.
I don't care if some stupid morons called the govt passed some stupid disgusting SSM bill, which is not accepted by the majority of Australians, because only 60% of 70% of Aussies responded to the SURVEY, (not vote, the govt voted, NOT the people) and therefore if the YES twats could add up they would find that it was not an OVERWHELMING approval of the public.
Another attempt at misleading and misinformation.

No need to apologise ALTRAV,
Saying it like it is helps to keep me grounded.

My comment was just my personal 'War Against Stupid'.
- I just can't seem to help myself sometimes...