I'll really have to get around to reading this book. I wonder, however, how much in it is actually exaggerated. The 1980s and 1990s saw huge gains made by the gay and lesbian movement in both Australia and the US. There have been some setbacks such as the marriage issue. However, in Australia there have been many more wins around decriminalisation, immigration, adoption, relationship recognition and age of consent - just to name a few. In the US and Canada, same sex marriage is starting to make headway as are other forms of relationship recognition at state level. And homosexual acts are no longer criminal offences anywhere in the US.

One could argue that religious conservatives are getting their act together and can now mount a formidable challenge against the rights of gays and lesbians. But if the gay community overcome the challenge of HIV/AIDS and religious fundamentalists in the 1980s in America, it is highly unlikely we will stand by and watch our rights swept aside by those Maddox describes in 2005 and beyond.

I don't want to downplay Mooney and Maddox's concerns. I just want to get them in perspective.

Well said - written - Gavin. and thanks also to Leah Wedmore for her editing. The article was not strident it did not appear to try to drive or force Gavin's opinion down the reader's throat. The facts used are and have been out there in the public domain for all to see, that's if they want to see.I say this sadly but most only saw the fistsfull of dollars tossed at them at election time, unfortunately.The others ,though polls show that howard is not trustworthy in the eyes of the Australian voters, they believed all that he said, that also is sad.
Please bare with me and read the following quotes and honestly see if either pertain to howard and/or Australia.
1.Men in authority will always think that criticism of their policies is dangerous. They will always equate their policies with patriotism, and will find criticism subversive. Henry Steele Commager - historian
2. The minority, the ruling class at present, has the schools and press, usually the church as well, well under its thumb.This enables it to organise and sway the emmotions of the masses, and make its tool of them. Albert Einstein - Scientist and writer
3. All evil exists that threatens every man, woman and child of this great nation. We must take steps to ensure our domestic security and protect our homeland - Adolf Hitler :In 1933, Hitler used the burning of thr Reichstag as a pretext to push through emergency decrees suspending the basic civil liberties of German citizens. The "emergency" decrees remained in effect until the fall of the third reich in 1945
Regards, numbat

Gavin said

This strategy, leading to that “softer” tone, as Maddox reveals, leaves Howard seeming to be more moderate, less extreme. This is very clever - and very scary.

What is scary about being an astute politian who knows how important Image is ?

From what I can see of your article the only thing u people are 'scared' about is that the Christian segment of this democratic country have finally woken up to the fact that they represent the rather large majority of the population, and are voting accordingly.
73% said the religious side of Easter is important to them in a recent Poll.

It appears that the forces of darkness :) are afraid of the light (ooops, is that 'right' ?) getting 'organized'.

It seems also that the left is almost continuously salivating at the prospect of being able to draw connections however thin and tenuous between Australias Christians and the made up bogey man of the American 'so called' Christian right.

I found it extremely joyful to be at the Telstra Dome with 37,000 other 'bigoted, blinkered, blind, puplpit pounding, rabid, and rampaging Christians' as we are oft called, for Festival Victoria 2005 with Franklin Graham. Singing and sharing in the good news of Christs forgiveness.

Gavin, you decided to abandon your Christian upbringing, and embrace some kind of Socialist view of life... very questionable mate. Socialism was INVENTED by the early Christians .. see Acts chapter 2 the last few verses.

The teachings of Jesus to which you refer, are the only viable foundation FOR any kind of socialist state, but the problem for socialism is illustrated well in the next few chapters of Acts, where 'race' was a factor in the distribution of the pooled resources.

I find the list of groups you mentioned Gav to be rather insulting.

Mainly because it seems you regard the assistance of Aboriginals for example as the exclusive domain of the left. ! When the lefts main claim to fame on Aboriginal issues is the politicization of them for party political advantage, rather than social renewal of Aboriginal society.

Boaz,

Well said. It's about time the Lunar Left stopped naval gazeing & contemplating the evil choices made by the great unwashed at the last election.

The only 'frightening conclusion' about this article is the fact that the political challenged will embrace it.

So when is the article critising Islam due out Marion?

Regarding "evil choices" (as Sayeret puts it): the last Federal election had nothing to do with Christianity and everything to do with who was perceived as the best economic managers. The Federal ALP and Coalition both have practising Christians in senior positions of power. The electorate didn't choose, in the main, the candidates who were the most devout. Instead, they wanted good economic outcomes.

At state level, the electorate has chosen the ALP because they are the preferred deliverers of government services - not because they are good Catholics or anything like that. In fact, the WA election is the most recent illustration of how an anti-gay line (assuming one believes anti-gay equals Christian - and I don't) is not the major issue of concern to the average voter. The Liberals were clouted despite, or even because of, their gay-bashing party line.

I certainly view with concern the agenda of the Families First party. However, they are no more of a worry than the self-styled Christian Democrats who have been around for ages and who couldn't even get one lousy Senate seat for veteran campaigner Fred Nile. Again, let's put this issue in perspective.

"Numbat" makes a valid point that "Boaz" indavertently reinforces in his discursive and fanciful post: Hitler's early political success was achieved by disguising his real agenda, that is by being "an astute politian who knows how important Image is".

The emergency powers gained by the Nazis in the 1930s paved the way for the totalitarian regime against which our fathers fought, in order to secure the kind of freedoms that Howard and his cronies are busy taking away.

Very scary indeed.