An Open Letter

To the Honourable Prime Minister of Australia, Mr John Howard.

Firstly, let me wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I hope that you, your wife and children enjoy the festive season.

Secondly. I was quite disheartened by your comments that you would never allow gay unions in Australia. I feel very saddened that you believe that only a man and a woman can have enough love for each other to not only make a long-term commitment to each other, but also have that commitment acknowledged by the state.

Yes, various religious documents like the Bible state that a union is between a man and a woman, but the same documents also state that one should love one another regardless of who or what they are.

I find it hard to fathom how in the eyes of the law and yourself, a heterosexual couple - whether married or in a de facto relationship, are superior to that of a gay couple. All parties bleed when they are cut, hurt when in pain, love from the heart, show the same feelings and emotions as each other. So how are we different? Is it because instead of being a male/female couple, we are in some manner inferior? Is our love for our partner not worth as much as a straight couple's? Or is our love different?

Why is it that various Federal government departments [eg the Australian Defence Force] acknowledges us gay couples and gives us the same benefits as straight couples, yet under your government, we are not able to show that commitment to the rest of the nation by having a piece of paper which says "married"?

In Australia the state and religion are seperated for a good reason. Yet by passing a legislation which defines a marriage as being one between man and woman, you are also drawing religion into the state. Or am I reading this wrong? I pray that you are not so anti-gay by your actions and your words, for then I feel sorry for you Mr Howard.

I sit back and wonder how much love you really have and how you would react if one of your own children or grandchildren turned out to be gay. Would you love them any less? And if one did turn out to be gay, how would you defend your actions to them when they ask "Why can't I marry my partner?", considering it is you who changed the law to define what a "marriage" is? When they look overseas to countries like your beloved UK, where gay unions are now acceptable, how will you defend your actions? Will you pull out the Bible and say "God says only straight couples can marry"?

Mr Howard, today is Christmas Day when Jesus was born. He came into the world preaching peace and love to all humanity. He accepted everyone - whether Jew, Roman, prostitute etc - as an equal and loved them with all his heart. I know you won't read this blog of mine as you have more important things to deal with. But I do pray that today you find it in your heart to look beyond your confines, re-consider, and in the new year you show that being gay does not mean being inferior. That in the new year, you allow us to feel as equals within our great nation by allowing gay unions.

On that note, I will leave you to your Christmas Day and your family.

Regards

James
A gay man who believes that miracles can happen.