Alasdair Corbett (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} alasdairlive) wrote,@ 2007-01-30 00:37:00 |
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Peter Tatchell
Today was a new experience for me. Not because I spent most of it in the library and that I was actually studying while I was there, but because I attended a political talk/debate. It is only within the past two or three months that I have come to have an interest in politics and have since discovered how little knowledge I have about the different parties, policies and in fact, the political system as a whole. I don't even know how to vote and I blame the education system for this. Why are the basics of politics not taught to every child as part of the core curriculum?
Back to today's activities though. Peter Tatchell: A well-known human rights activist, particularly, although not exclusively, in relation to lgbti issues. The theme of his talk, held at the Chaplaincy Centre at Edinburgh Student Union, was "The global struggle for queer liberation". He had a lot of very interesting points to make and I would direct you to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Tatc
I very much agree with his idea that there should be a single governing body within the government that deals with discrimination laws against all minority groups, including lgbti people, rather than the current situation where different parts of society are treated with different laws. He also had some very powerful messages regarding the struggle of asylum seekers and the embarrassing failure by Britain to protect these vulnerable individuals. However, I am failing to understand why he was involved in a group that attempted to 'out' closeted gay public figures. He said himself that a person's "private sexuality" should not affect the way they are treated and this act of 'outing' people seems to contradict his own beliefs. I think that this was a mistake on his part, and I believe that he knows and admits this. It seems that he no longer advocates this sort of action.
It was an imformative and very well attended evening, approximately 120-140 people, ending on a slightly tense note. The final question accepted from the audience was from a person who is obviously very informed about Tatchell's work and in particular his views on the Muslim faith and it's stance against homosexuality. This man made quite a speech, mostly in opposition of Tatchell's views. Unfortunately we were out of time for there to be any real debate and Tatchell was only able to give a short reply.
This event has given me a taste for political debate and I suddenly feel compelled to get more involved. I think I shall endeavour to become more informed so that I might have the confidence to more freely express my opinion. After all, I have to actually have an opinion to start off with!
Today was a new experience for me. Not because I spent most of it in the library and that I was actually studying while I was there, but because I attended a political talk/debate. It is only within the past two or three months that I have come to have an interest in politics and have since discovered how little knowledge I have about the different parties, policies and in fact, the political system as a whole. I don't even know how to vote and I blame the education system for this. Why are the basics of politics not taught to every child as part of the core curriculum?
Back to today's activities though. Peter Tatchell: A well-known human rights activist, particularly, although not exclusively, in relation to lgbti issues. The theme of his talk, held at the Chaplaincy Centre at Edinburgh Student Union, was "The global struggle for queer liberation". He had a lot of very interesting points to make and I would direct you to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Tatc
I very much agree with his idea that there should be a single governing body within the government that deals with discrimination laws against all minority groups, including lgbti people, rather than the current situation where different parts of society are treated with different laws. He also had some very powerful messages regarding the struggle of asylum seekers and the embarrassing failure by Britain to protect these vulnerable individuals. However, I am failing to understand why he was involved in a group that attempted to 'out' closeted gay public figures. He said himself that a person's "private sexuality" should not affect the way they are treated and this act of 'outing' people seems to contradict his own beliefs. I think that this was a mistake on his part, and I believe that he knows and admits this. It seems that he no longer advocates this sort of action.
It was an imformative and very well attended evening, approximately 120-140 people, ending on a slightly tense note. The final question accepted from the audience was from a person who is obviously very informed about Tatchell's work and in particular his views on the Muslim faith and it's stance against homosexuality. This man made quite a speech, mostly in opposition of Tatchell's views. Unfortunately we were out of time for there to be any real debate and Tatchell was only able to give a short reply.
This event has given me a taste for political debate and I suddenly feel compelled to get more involved. I think I shall endeavour to become more informed so that I might have the confidence to more freely express my opinion. After all, I have to actually have an opinion to start off with!
