Is Melanie Phillips onto something...or is she misguided?

[sp1814]

Melanie Phillips is pretty awesome. As Mark Thomas says:

"I am constantly impressed by Melanie Phillips’ ability to type and wave a pitchfork and flaming torch at the same time."

But are there serious concerns sitting behind her furrowed brow? Is there a gay agenda which seeks to "destroy the very ­concept of normal sexual behaviour"

http://www.thefirstpo...mail-outrages-twitter

http://www.melaniephi...rticles-new/?m=201101

Or is she just a mental right whinger who's 'preaching to the converted'?

[jackthehat]

I can't quite see 'the big elephant in the room'..........

Brainwashing our children into.......what ?
Accepting that everyone else has a right to live their lives equally under the law, free from casual (or otherwise) discrimination and hatred...........?

Well, does that really sound so bad ?!?

[Sqad]

Backdrifter

<<<<<Aren't they simply saying, "gays should be accepted and treated equally" ? Is that wrong?<<<<<

No that isnt wrong.......just naive.........minority groups in all facets of life, in any country take time to be accepted and "gays" are no different.
It may be unreasonable and illogical, but the human psyche is often suspicious of anything "different.

[jackthehat]

If it's a onery horse and has turned its face against all reasonable and persuasive arguments................I guess you can't, doc.

Damp here in the 'pool.

[Backdrifter]

Sqad - yes it takes time to overcome those suspicions of difference, you're right, but if that section of society don't keep trying to make their voice heard when they feel discriminated against, the change may be even slower or not happen at all. I don't see how it's naive.

doc spock - "Absolutely wrong to castigate the likes of me for not accepting it." I disagree. Not accepting that a section of the population don't deserve to be treated equally is wrong.

[jackthehat]

We've been here before, doc............
What you describe is not simply 'homosexual behaviour'...........

You had two essentially paedophile teachers whose focus was boys.....entirely different.

[Sqad]

Backdrifter

<<don't keep trying to make their voice heard when they feel discriminated against, the change may be even slower <<<

I agree......but you want to "shut them up" and they want to have their fears voiced.

Seems fair to me and naive for the gays to think otherwise.

[naomi24]

SP, //Naomi24 - still don't understand your point. Someone raises questions about 'the gay agenda' and people respond. No one is saying she should stay silent, but by the same token we should be free to challenge such daft statements like "homosexuality will soon become mandatory".//

Of course you should be free to challenge any statement - just as she or I should be free to do likewise. However, when I made my comment no one had challenged her statements. They'd simply attacked her personally, and that was the point I was making. What's not to understand about that?

[flip_flop]

I am very much of the live and let live philosophy: I have absolutely no problem with gay people, the gay 'agenda' or gay sex, equally I have no problem with people objecting to gay people, the gay agenda or gay sex - each to their own.

What I despise, however, are the factions (on both sides) that get all swivel-eyed, mouth-frothing and lose the plot and then start saying things like (to Phillips) "I hope you get cancer".

That sort of think really p i sses me off.

[sp1814]

naomi24 - thank you for the clarification. However my original question DOES challenge her statements.

Also, could someone please explain how this brainwashing is supposed to work.

Seriously.

[sp1814]

I've just re-read andy-hughes post from 09:06 and there are a number of very salient points which can be easily supported and none which suggest bigotry...

Just observation of what has been placed in front of us perhaps?

[jackthehat]

Crikey, naomi !........?

That's an unusually harsh comment from you to Andy. I don't read his comments like that, at all; and (I appreciate that I have an entirely partial view on this issue) feel that Andy neatly articulates the counter-argument for Phillips' excesses.

[naomi24]

SP, no your question doesn't challenge her statements. You've simply offered your readers a choice between two options.

//...are there serious concerns sitting behind her furrowed brow? Is there a gay agenda which seeks to "destroy the very ­concept of normal sexual behaviour" //

or ..

//..is she just a mental right whinger who's 'preaching to the converted'? //

Where's the challenge? I can't see one - but I can see derogatory insinuations.

[andy-hughes]

naomi24 - your opinion that my posts are 'sweeping generalisations' is an opinion to which you are entitled.

To state that i am a bigot is an opinion to which you are also entitled - but entirely wrong, and I offer you my long and prolific list of posts on this site to back up my assertion that my faults are present - but bigotry is certainly not one of them.

jack - thank you for coming to my defence - much appreciated.

[naomi24]

Jack, //The root of the right-wing fear is shrouded in a cloak of nonsense about 'demanding rights' and 'gay agenda' but the truth is - it's gay sex that really upsets them.

They find the notion of gay sex to be perverted and disgusting - in the purient way that used to be taught to children about masturbation back in the 1960's - it is this knee-jerk disgust that fuels the anti-gay lobbyists.

They don't object to black people (well pretend they don't anyway) - but when it comes to gay sex, they foam at the mouth with moral outrage.//

Who are these people he's talking about - 'they' and 'them'? I suspect I would be considered to be a bit of a right winger in some respects - but I'm certainly not one of the 'them' he's prattling on about. I don't think his comments are neat at all. I think they're bigoted, blinkered and in fact positively insulting!

[jno]

I hardly think you need defending against such an obviously nonsensical accusation, andy, but I shall be happy to give evidence on your behalf in the defamation courts.

[naomi24]

Andy, So who are 'they' and 'them'? Who exactly are you talking about here? Funny how bigotry only seems to work one way.

[ludwig]

I've got a alot of respect for andy-hughes, but he does seem to be accusing 'the right' (that's pretty sweeping) of all being sexually repressed homophobic racist little englanders. His point could have been better made.