19 April 2016

Sex, Politics and Liberty

| Steven Bailey
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music-notes

Sometimes, late at night, I wake beside the love of my life and sneak quietly out of bed for a secret liaison. I close the hallway doors, rekindle the fire, and pour myself a large glass of… anything alcoholic. I sit in the dim light, with my dog Bruce by my feet, and let my ears binge on the food of my love – music.

When it comes to music, and sometimes politics, I swing all ways. I’m turned on by the folk music of the sixties just as much as I am by the jazz of the twenties. I suppose you could say that I’m a polyphonic polygamist. Indeed the very word ‘jazz’ once upon a time was used as verb which literally meant ‘to f*ck’. But I digress.

From the great masses of Bach and Mozart to the sacred songs of John Tavener, I am also in love with the music of the church. But where religion in art has succeeded, religion in politics has failed. It is surely one of the greatest misfortunes of humanity’s history that religious establishments have been so obsessed with controlling human sexuality.

Throughout history, and mainly before the establishment of the Abrahamic religions, there are countless examples of societies celebrating sexual freedoms such homosexuality and polyamory. Modern day conservatives reject such sexual freedoms on the basis of maintaining the ‘family unit’, as if families never existed before the likes of Stephen Conroy, Cori Bernardi, and Tony Abbott were there to protect us all so valiantly and so virtuously.

Established religions have always understood that sexuality is identity, and to rob and distort someone’s sexuality is to rob and distort someone’s identity. To indoctrinate the torment of guilt and sin in what should be mutual joy, and to deny our sisters their rightful place in a world as equal amongst men, is nothing but the greatest corruption of power in history.

I do not oppose religion. In fact, I sometimes enjoy reading the bible, I love my Christian friends, and they love me. My fight is with the political influence of religious establishments.

I oppose the religious indoctrination of children; I oppose religious establishments existing tax free; and I oppose with all my heart the immoral protection of those vile creatures who abuse children and hide behind the cloth of the church.

I have walked down the corridors of Parliament House many times now, and it’s more than often that I have found an Australian Christian Lobby business card lying on the carpet. I say to the Christian Lobby, you are not only on the wrong side of history; you are on the wrong side of humanity, and ‘a change is gonna come’.

As the music stops, and as I sit by the fire late at night alone, I think to myself, ‘sex and politics mean love and liberty’.

Steven Bailey is the First Officer and Election Team Leader of The Australian Sex Party–Canberra. Through theatre, music, education, and politics, Steven believes we can make stronger communities and a better world.

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Steven Bailey said :

Mysteryman said :

I have walked down the corridors of Parliament House many times now, and it’s more than often that I have found an Australian Christian Lobby business card lying on the carpet.

Firstly, I doubt that is true. I walk the insides of that building regularly and I’ve NEVER seen things left on the floor, let alone a business card on the floor. Ever.

Secondly, what point are you really trying to make? The ACL have every right to lobby politicians, just like GetUp!, the Greens, and any other individual or organisation does. Do you actually think that religious people have less right to have a say in the democracy of the country because they are religious? They are citizens, so they should get as much say as the next person. Are their ideals/beliefs somehow less important than yours because you say so? Somehow you’ve arrived at the conclusion that your atheistic libertarianism is the baseline by which democratic merit is judged. I find that not only insulting, but outright ridiculous. In one breath you criticise some notion of a religious institution for their historical intolerance and oppression of conflicting ideals, and in the next proclaim your own intolerance and desire to oppress, and expect us to believe that its justified? Can you not see the hypocrisy in that? It’s outrageously obvious from here.

I’m thankful for your contributions to The RiotAct of recent as you’ve more than armed me with the information necessary to make an informed and intelligent choice when I’m next at the ballot box.

Really? You’ve never seen anything on the floor at Parliament House? Perhaps you hold your head a little too high. It really is quite strange that people think that I would not come into the possession of business cards from the ACL – I have. Anyway…..

It’s not an hypocrisy to reject the obvious and undue influence that the Christian Lobby has within Australian politics.

Democratic libertarianism requires the separation of church and state for reasons so obvious that I won’t bother explaining to you.

If you are so politically informed you will be aware of The Australian Christain Lobby’s influence on Gillard within the first week of her Prime Ministership. The ACL is the reason we don’t have marriage equality in Australia today, and that is a miscarriage of democracy.

The Left voted for marraige equality, but instead they got the ACL.

To support the ACL and their undue influence on Australian politics is to support the miscarriage of democracy.

So it was the ACL that allowed the Labor party a conscious vote on same sex marriage, resulting in half the party voting against it? Wow. All this time I thought it was the Labor party that decided that… incredible. Was the ACL also responsible for the carbon tax repeal? I better write to the ACL and find out what their plans for the budget are…

Their influence is no more undue than, as others have mentioned, the Eros foundation, Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby, the Marijuana Lobby, etc, etc. The simple fact whether you like it or not, is that the ACL represents a significant portion of Australians and has every right lobby politicians. You really should familiarise yourself with how democratic representation works. It’s not just a vehicle for minorities. It’s for everyone.

Also, our democracy isn’t founded on a separation of church and state in the way you’re suggesting it should be. I’m sorry to break it to you, but this isn’t the United States and our government can, does, and will continue to be involved with all sorts of religious groups. It’s perfectly normal since this country is made up of people who belong to all manner of religious groups. Better you accept that fact now.

Steven Bailey said :

Really? You’ve never seen anything on the floor at Parliament House? Perhaps you
If you are so politically informed you will be aware of The Australian Christain Lobby’s influence on Gillard within the first week of her Prime Ministership. The ACL is the reason we don’t have marriage equality in Australia today, and that is a miscarriage of democracy.

The Left voted for marraige equality, but instead they got the ACL.

To support the ACL and their undue influence on Australian politics is to support the miscarriage of democracy.

Firstly, miscarriage of democracy? Really? What do you think of Australian Marriage Equality lobbyists who do the exact same lobbying as religious ones? Do they have undue influence also?

Secondly, as a libertarian, why do you support government involvement in people’s personal relationships? Surely the government should have nothing to do with people’s “love”? And they most definitely shouldn’t be involved in solemnising those relationships with ceremonies.

Why aren’t you pushing for the repeal of the marriage act altogether and pushing for the enactment of a civil union bill available to all?

justin heywood7:49 pm 04 Aug 14

Steven Bailey said :

.

….It’s not an hypocrisy to reject the obvious and undue influence that the Christian Lobby has within Australian politics.

Right, so the Christian Lobby* should be banned from lobbying. But presumably the EROS Association should carry on their good work, as can the Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby, the Marijuana Lobby and …..other lobby groups that YOU approve of.

And you don’t even get a sniff of hypocrisy?

*I am not a believer

Steven Bailey said :

Really? You’ve never seen anything on the floor at Parliament House? Perhaps you hold your head a little too high. It really is quite strange that people think that I would not come into the possession of business cards from the ACL – I have. Anyway…..

.

I concur with mysteryman. I worked fulltime at APH for several years and did not once come across anything lying on the floor. I think you must have been snooping a little harder and more surreptitiously than just picking things up off the floor, by the look of it. APH relies a great deal on trust, and people of your ilk can cause real problems for others going about their business. Must parliamentarians all close their office doors now, in case a Sex Party rep slinks in and fishes some business cards (and/or documents) off the coffee table or the receptionist’s desk?

Proboscus said :

Any political party who has Jorian Gardiner in its ranks will always struggle for credibility.

I second this. Jorian being a director of anything kills it’s credibility, he should stick to his 1st love riding horses. I also predict departure from sex party round say November just after Melbourne cup.

Steven Bailey4:34 pm 04 Aug 14

Mysteryman said :

I have walked down the corridors of Parliament House many times now, and it’s more than often that I have found an Australian Christian Lobby business card lying on the carpet.

Firstly, I doubt that is true. I walk the insides of that building regularly and I’ve NEVER seen things left on the floor, let alone a business card on the floor. Ever.

Secondly, what point are you really trying to make? The ACL have every right to lobby politicians, just like GetUp!, the Greens, and any other individual or organisation does. Do you actually think that religious people have less right to have a say in the democracy of the country because they are religious? They are citizens, so they should get as much say as the next person. Are their ideals/beliefs somehow less important than yours because you say so? Somehow you’ve arrived at the conclusion that your atheistic libertarianism is the baseline by which democratic merit is judged. I find that not only insulting, but outright ridiculous. In one breath you criticise some notion of a religious institution for their historical intolerance and oppression of conflicting ideals, and in the next proclaim your own intolerance and desire to oppress, and expect us to believe that its justified? Can you not see the hypocrisy in that? It’s outrageously obvious from here.

I’m thankful for your contributions to The RiotAct of recent as you’ve more than armed me with the information necessary to make an informed and intelligent choice when I’m next at the ballot box.

Really? You’ve never seen anything on the floor at Parliament House? Perhaps you hold your head a little too high. It really is quite strange that people think that I would not come into the possession of business cards from the ACL – I have. Anyway…..

It’s not an hypocrisy to reject the obvious and undue influence that the Christian Lobby has within Australian politics.

Democratic libertarianism requires the separation of church and state for reasons so obvious that I won’t bother explaining to you.

If you are so politically informed you will be aware of The Australian Christain Lobby’s influence on Gillard within the first week of her Prime Ministership. The ACL is the reason we don’t have marriage equality in Australia today, and that is a miscarriage of democracy.

The Left voted for marraige equality, but instead they got the ACL.

To support the ACL and their undue influence on Australian politics is to support the miscarriage of democracy.

Any political party who has Jorian Gardiner in its ranks will always struggle for credibility.

I have walked down the corridors of Parliament House many times now, and it’s more than often that I have found an Australian Christian Lobby business card lying on the carpet.

Firstly, I doubt that is true. I walk the insides of that building regularly and I’ve NEVER seen things left on the floor, let alone a business card on the floor. Ever.

Secondly, what point are you really trying to make? The ACL have every right to lobby politicians, just like GetUp!, the Greens, and any other individual or organisation does. Do you actually think that religious people have less right to have a say in the democracy of the country because they are religious? They are citizens, so they should get as much say as the next person. Are their ideals/beliefs somehow less important than yours because you say so? Somehow you’ve arrived at the conclusion that your atheistic libertarianism is the baseline by which democratic merit is judged. I find that not only insulting, but outright ridiculous. In one breath you criticise some notion of a religious institution for their historical intolerance and oppression of conflicting ideals, and in the next proclaim your own intolerance and desire to oppress, and expect us to believe that its justified? Can you not see the hypocrisy in that? It’s outrageously obvious from here.

I’m thankful for your contributions to The RiotAct of recent as you’ve more than armed me with the information necessary to make an informed and intelligent choice when I’m next at the ballot box.

Steven Bailey said :

Masquara said :

Bailey has “often” found a Christian Lobby business card lying on the carpet around APH? Puh-lease.

(He is no longer working for an elected representative at APH, so he probably should hand back his building pass?)

Stephen, have a good night’s sleep after your late-night sherbert and get that blood alcohol level back down before posting, OK?

Masquara, I’m happy to be challenged but obviously you have no idea of the representations that I make to parliamentarians on a regular basis. I’ll respond to your comments and criticisms if they contain genuine conjecture and a little less predictability.

Steven, perhaps you aren’t aware of your bosses’ huge bunfight with federal parliament a decade or so ago (which they lost), but I expect it will have made politicians quite chary of having the Sex Party snooping around the corridors of parliament picking up things like business cards. I think there are formal rules against interfering in the business of the house, and pocketing materials like that is very likely breaching them.

Steven Bailey7:38 pm 03 Aug 14

dungfungus said :

Masquara said :

Bailey has “often” found a Christian Lobby business card lying on the carpet around APH? Puh-lease.

(He is no longer working for an elected representative at APH, so he probably should hand back his building pass?)

Stephen, have a good night’s sleep after your late-night sherbert and get that blood alcohol level back down before posting, OK?

I had to assist a property owner colleague once to “re-locate” a brothel in Fyshwick.
If the names on the business cards we found there were revealed the history of Australia may have been changed.
Matters such as these are best left alone.

Go on then – who was it mate?

Steven Bailey7:33 pm 03 Aug 14

Masquara said :

Bailey has “often” found a Christian Lobby business card lying on the carpet around APH? Puh-lease.

(He is no longer working for an elected representative at APH, so he probably should hand back his building pass?)

Stephen, have a good night’s sleep after your late-night sherbert and get that blood alcohol level back down before posting, OK?

Masquara, I’m happy to be challenged but obviously you have no idea of the representations that I make to parliamentarians on a regular basis. I’ll respond to your comments and criticisms if they contain genuine conjecture and a little less predictability.

chewy14 said :

….politics has not been about liberty for a long, long while.

True, but that’s a fact we need to remedy.

chewy14 said :

Sex does not equal love and politics has not been about liberty for a long, long while.

I’d suggest laying off the turps on these musical night binges.

That’s a bit deep for me. Can you translate it into everyday boganspeak please?

Sex does not equal love and politics has not been about liberty for a long, long while.

I’d suggest laying off the turps on these musical night binges.

Masquara said :

Bailey has “often” found a Christian Lobby business card lying on the carpet around APH? Puh-lease.

(He is no longer working for an elected representative at APH, so he probably should hand back his building pass?)

Stephen, have a good night’s sleep after your late-night sherbert and get that blood alcohol level back down before posting, OK?

I had to assist a property owner colleague once to “re-locate” a brothel in Fyshwick.
If the names on the business cards we found there were revealed the history of Australia may have been changed.
Matters such as these are best left alone.

Bailey has “often” found a Christian Lobby business card lying on the carpet around APH? Puh-lease.

(He is no longer working for an elected representative at APH, so he probably should hand back his building pass?)

Stephen, have a good night’s sleep after your late-night sherbert and get that blood alcohol level back down before posting, OK?

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