Oh, I’m so tempted to start this post with “here’s the thing…” but I will not. So let’s make this intro short.
Yesterday I received an email of a dear friend of ours. This is what he wrote:
“Today, on Tuesday the 24th of May 2016, the Rainbow flag will be flying high and proud on Victoria’s Parliament house as the Premier of Victoria, Mr Daniel Andrews, makes his apology to the homosexual community for the persecutions of homosexuals by successive governments in Victoria in the past. The worse of these persecutions happened under the regime of Sir. Henry Bolte and sir Arthur Rylah in the 60st and early 70st. The police at the time were given powers to do whatever they liked and they used their powers in the most brutal ways I and many of my friends lived through those dreadful times and managed to survive while many did not. The suicide rate amongst homosexuals at that time was enormous and it was all done with the blessing of the Catholic Church, it was only when Mr. Dick Hamer became Premier that things started to change for the better. He was the one who decriminalized homosexuality finally.
Today will be for homosexuals a long awaited recognition of the reality of the persecutions we had to go through for many years. We, Mr. Andrews, thank you for having the courage and the conviction to go trough with it.” Continue reading →
