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yet another existential threat .....

yet another existential threat .....

One hundred years ago, prelates and parsons and other assorted killjoys were up in arms against a frightful evil sweeping the Western world.

"It is revolting and disgusting. Only those persons who have lost all moral sense can endure it," thundered Cardinal Aristide Cavallari, the patriarch of Venice. "It is the shame of our days. Whoever persists in it commits a sin."

A Baptist pastor in New York called it "a form of nervous degeneracy". The Catholic archbishop of Melbourne, Thomas Carr, worried about "a wave of infidelity and immorality passing over the land". His Anglican opposite number in Sydney, John Wright, railed - in the Herald - against "enemies of the Cross of Christ".

The cause of this angst was the tango, a wicked new dance from Argentina. The saintly Pope Pius X described it as "ridiculous and barbaric contortions from black and Indian people". The Kaiser ordered his army officers not to dance it, and the president of France banned it from the Elysee Palace. A woman who signed herself "White Lady" wrote to the Brisbane Courier to ask "Why introduce into White Australia the objectionable antics of a coloured people?"

This depravity in Australia was deepened by an outbreak of mixed bathing. Men and women had begun swimming together at the beach. A Presbyterian divine, the Reverend Frank Milne, lectured his flock that mixed bathing and, for that matter, mixed camping were "abominably destructive not only of a proper sense of decency, but also of that spirit of modesty which in the case of a young woman especially, is her best defence and chiefest glory".

Fast-forward a century and we get the same ludicrous moral panic about legalising gay marriage, from all the usual suspects. To borrow from the American writer H.L. Mencken, they have the haunting fear that someone, somewhere, might be happy.

If Christians don't like the idea of homosexuals getting hitched, then fine, but why should they force their prejudice upon the rest of us?

Every opinion poll on the subject suggests that most Australians are in favour. An online survey by the Parliamentary committee on same-sex marriage got an astounding 276,437 responses, of which 177,663 said yes. Only 98,164 wanted to keep the status quo.

Labor, at least, has given its MPs a conscience vote on the two private members bills before Parliament. The Liberals have not. Tony Abbott's order to his troops to vote no is hypocrisy. Surely, the primacy of the individual over the state is a Liberal article of faith. John Howard was always banging on about it. People are better at making decisions about their lives than governments, he liked to say. But not if they are gay, apparently.

For the record, six American states and Washington DC have approved same-sex marriage. So have Belgium, Denmark, Canada, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, South Africa and Sweden. Britain is about to. Argentina, home of the tango, made it legal two years ago.

Mike Carlton

 

convicted for covering up child sex abuse

A monsignor who was in charge of hundreds of priests in Philadelphia has become the first senior United States Catholic Church official to be convicted for covering up child sex abuse.

After deliberating for 13 days, a jury in Philadelphia has found 61-year-old Monsignor William Lynn guilty of one count of endangering the welfare of a child.

Lynn, who was secretary of the archdiocese from 1994 to 2001, was acquitted of one of conspiracy and a second charge of child endangerment after a 10-week trial.

Prosecutors said he covered up child sex abuse allegations, often by transferring priests to other parishes.

"This monumental case, in many ways, will change the way business is done," Philadelphia district attorney Seth Williams said

The defence said he tried to address cases of paedophile priests by writing memos to suggest treatment and suspensions.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-06-23/us-monsignor-convicted-for-child-abuse-coverup/4088078

breaking the codes...

Born in London one hundred years ago today, mathematician Alan Turing was considered a hero by many for his success in cracking German codes during World War II. But Turing's end was tragic. He was convicted of gross indecency for his homosexuality and was prohibited from continuing his government cryptography work. He died in 1954 from cyanide poisoning, ruled by an inquest as suicide.

Although most famous for his wartime efforts, Turing was much more than a codebreaker. His work on the nature of computing laid the groundwork for the fledgling discipline of computer science, which exploded in the decades following his death. Furthermore, his examination of whether or not machines could "think" made him a major figure in the field of artificial intelligence.

 

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/interactive/2012/06/201262372645784235.html

a new lesbian daughter-in-law for dick cheney...

THE former US vice-president Dick Cheney says he is delighted his lesbian daughter has married her long-term partner. Mary Cheney and Heather Poe, who have two children, were married in Washington DC, where gay marriage has been legal since 2010.

"Mary and Heather have been in a committed relationship for many years, and we are delighted that they were able to take advantage of the opportunity to have that relationship recognised," a Cheney family statement said. "Mary and Heather and their children are very important and much-loved members of our family and we wish them every happiness."

The wedding came amid fierce debate about gay marriage, after the President, Barack Obama, came out in favour if it. His likely Republican rival, Mitt Romney, opposes same-sex marriage.



Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/world/cheneys-daughter-marries-girlfriend-20120623-20vse.html#ixzz1yfA0EAnl

breaking the code once more...

 

What is more, Turing had tolerated the year-long hormone treatment and the terms of his probation ("my shining virtue was terrific") with amused fortitude, and another year had since passed seemingly without incident.

In statements to the coroner, friends had attested to his good humour in the days before his death.

His neighbour described him throwing "such a jolly [tea] party" for her and her son four days before he died.

His close friend Robin Gandy, who had stayed with him the weekend before, said that Turing "seemed, if anything, happier than usual".

Yet the coroner recorded a verdict of suicide "while the balance of his mind was disturbed".

Prof Copeland believes the alternative explanation made at the time by Turing's mother is equally likely.

Turing had cyanide in his house for chemical experiments he conducted in his tiny spare room - the nightmare room he had dubbed it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-18561092

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Though I am not supposed to, I will mention here a little known fact about premeditated suicide... Those who have made the decision to top themselves, often (but not necessarily) spend the rest of their time before the act in a "happy" mood... Thus for Turing to appear if anything "happier than usual" would be a tale-tell sign of his impending decision... but not necessarily....