Current Affairs Rant - from April 30th

I don’t normally write about current affairs on here, but there’s no one else in my house to discuss this with, so blog it is. My laptop has gone off for repair (which is why these are postdated) and I have the TV on for background noise. I’ve just heard – amidst a lot of election gumpf – about the relationship counsellor (Gary McFarlane) who refused to treat a gay couple based on his strong Christian beliefs. He was fired and has just lost his appeal. The judge or justice or whatever felt that ruling on the side of religion would be divisive.

Now, I am very pro-choice, in pretty much everything. My general rule of thumb regarding law and morals and ethics is that people can do what they want as long as they don’t hurt anyone. I love gay people. I have loads of gay friends. I have gay tendencies myself. I’m big on gay rights. While I was in America there was a big vote in Maine regarding the right of gay couples to marry. If I’d been able to vote out there, I would have done.

However... while I feel that the company who fired Mr McFarlane should have provided the gay couple involved with an alternative counsellor, I don’t believe they should have fired the dude. Essential they fired him based on his religious beliefs. And that isn’t fair. If a company had fired a Muslim woman for wearing her burka, or an orthodox Jew for refusing to work on their Sabbath, there would have been uproar. It’s discrimination. It’s as bad as racism towards white people that goes unpunished because “you can’t be racist towards Caucasians.” I hate people that assume you can only be racist to a minority.

Sorry, rant over.