Fred is a loser
Nile saves the world! Apparently that's the headline this self-proclaimed "morals crusader" would prefer. But his latest antics only confirm popular opinion of him as an antiquated, reactionary bigot.
Last week Fred Nile snatched away "dozens" of condoms from a display organised by the NSW minister for health and located in the guests' dining room at Parliament House. The project was organised by Workcover and is aimed at educating predominantly blue collar employers and employees about HIV transmission.
"I thought people went to work to work", declared Fred, "unless they are now suggesting sex in the toilet, sex in the cafeteria, at BHP, or at the shopping centre". He accused the state government of turning parliament into a brothel, and so took it upon himself to remove the condoms.
Last year Nile led a campaign to remove condoms carrying the parliamentary logo on the cover from the parliamentary gift shop. Apparently even this was too much of a cross for Nile to bear.
Meanwhile he has labelled a report commissioned by the NSW health minister a "disgrace" because it recommends that NSW schools be permitted to install condom vending machines. He declared that "the report should be consigned to the rubbish tip", and that its "only objective seems to be to implement the gay agenda".
Other recommendations in the report concerning issues such as voluntary euthanasia, provision of condoms in jails, amendments to the NSW Anti-Discrimination Act and the inclusion of sex workers in the Industrial Relations Act also worried Fred, but not as much as the one about condoms. No, that was the final straw. Chuck the report holus bolus, he reckons.
It would all be laughable if it weren't so serious. But perhaps the greatest laugh is on Fred. After all, it's pretty difficult to argue against the use of condoms these days and have anyone take you seriously. It's even more difficult to argue that you care for people and want to "protect" them by arguing against the use of condoms.
Reality catches up with most people sooner than moralist rhetoric. The fact is that in the '90s, thanks to a huge amount of campaign work and mobilisations over the past decades, young people expect a degree of freedom that the morals crusaders won't permit them to have. Women do want access to abortion on demand. People do want to be able to have safe sex, we do want to be able to express our sexuality in whichever form we choose and not be condemned for it.
So why don't you just forget it, Fred. Face it, you're a loser. Because we just won't let you get away with it. Oh, and by the way, where are those condoms?
By Kath Gelber