Take our rights... please!

angry doc is quite disappointed by this piece of news.

Now long-time readers will know which side of the 'religious vs. LGBT' divide angry doc is on, and new readers need only look at the sidebar on the right to know his alignment; it is precisely because of his beliefs in these causes that angry doc feels the making of the police reports represent more of a disservice to the LGBT community than help.

While our laws are currently biased against gay people (S377A) and in favour of people of religion (S298), angry doc does not believe that the solution to this state of inequality lies in appealing to the authorities to gag or punish those who speak against the LGBT community (or for that matter any segment of society).

By appealing to the law to take away the right of a person to express his opinion publicly, even if that opinion is wrong or unjustified, we are effectively supporting the belief that the law has that right. What is needed is not for more of our rights to be taken away, but returned to us. The solution to 'bashing' from religion is not to demand that they be silenced, but for the right to challenge the contents of that 'bashing' to be returned to us.

Regardless of the outcome of the police reports being filed, angry doc cannot see how the LGBT community can stand to win from this situation: if nothing comes out of it, then the police would have effectively given the 'go-ahead' for all other persons of religion to make similar speeches against them. If Pastor Tan is made to apologise and undertake not to repeat his speech, then we have merely reinforced the state's right in shutting people up without subjecting the issue to open discussion and debate. If we as a nation, as a society allow the right to openly discuss and support or condemn a point of view to be taken away from us, if we allow the decision of whether someone has a right to express an opinion to be made not collectively by us but by a few who are not endowed that right by us, then we will all become poorer.

If we say to the police: "shut this man up for what he says offends me," then can we really complain when the police tell us to shut up because what we say offends another man?

Trust

(Posted on the Singapore MD blog)