Politics is depressing me today. I got a heads-up from the Greens that both Democrats and Labor are preferencing Family First ahead of the Greens (so did Liberal, of course, but this is no surprise). Family First being the strongly Assembly-of-God linked ‘Christian family values’ party. It looks suspiciously like a bi-partisan effort to keep the Greens out of Senate. Those who like to go on at length about the evils of Family First claim that this party is funded by AOG churches in the US, and is trying to make abortion illegal. Careful checking of their website shows them trying to stay well away from this image, but succumbing to it when they absolutely must – they will mislead and misdirect, but they will can’t bring themselves to lie outright, which is something, at least.
I have to say, I can see why Democrats put Green last – Greens and Democrats are fighting it out for the same ecological niche, politically speaking, so naturally you want to give the competition as little help as possible. But I’m very disappointed in Labor. I feel betrayed, in fact. Family First scare me, and I wish that one of the major parties at least would stop helping them.
I do not want a scary Christian political party holding the balance of power in this country. I have no problem with Christianity, even the scary kind, as a private religion, but I do not trust any religion once it starts developing legislative power. I love Australia and I love its diversity and general tolerance of (or should I say, complete lack of interest in?) many different kinds of religion.
Sorry, this is getting repetitive, but the whole thing really frightens me. Not least because my choice of profession has made me feel obliged not only to be Pro-Choice but to be actively, openly so. I was going to add commentary on that, but I’ll leave it for now. Most people reading this know my views and why I hold them, and if you don’t you are welcome to ask.
Anyway, I’m scared. And I’m wondering how hard it would be to move to New Zealand…
Oh, and I’ll be restarting the politics project shortly. Things are quiet today, so I have no excuse.
