Let Folau say whatever he wants
ISRAEL Folau’s views may be retrograde, but he’s entitled to them. And when corporate Australia sets about trying to silence anyone we should all be worried, writes Mike O’Connor.
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AS a child I was warned by the good Sisters of Saint Joseph that if I committed a mortal sin and died, I’d go straight to Hell.
You didn’t argue with the sisters and for years I was haunted by visions of fire and brimstone and the imagined cries of those lost souls enduring eternal torment.
I subscribe to a more benign belief these days and don’t agree with Wallabies rugby player Israel Folau when he says gay people will go to Hell “unless they repent of their sins and turn to God.”
I do, however, think he has every right to express his view in the same way that he would be entitled to declare that in his opinion, the earth was flat.
Freedom of expression is fundamental to the workings of our democracy and an absolute right.
Qantas, or more precisely, its CEO Alan Joyce doesn’t see it that way.
Joyce, who is gay, has let it be known that should there be any further such utterances, Qantas will review its sponsorship deal with Rugby Australia.
Asics and Land Rover, which also sponsor RA, have added their concerns about the comments which they have said conflict with their policies of inclusiveness.
If they were truly inclusive, then surely they would embrace Folau’s right to his point of view or does being inclusive now only mean including those people whose point of view concurs with yours?
There is now talk of sanctions of some sort against Folau.
If this happens, it’s a travesty
RA has distanced itself from the comments, as it is entitled to do, saying that they “do not reflect the views of Rugby Australia”.
If we have reached the point in this country where the CEOs of large corporations believe that they can dictate what people can and cannot say, it’s time for a rethink.
Folau was answering a direct question when he made his remarks.
They were not homophobic but rather a reflection of a deeply held religious view.
He was not speaking for Rugby Australia but for himself.
When companies like Qantas sponsor organisations like Rugby Australia, they do so in the belief that it will be of a commercial benefit to them.
By identifying with RA, it hopes to sell more airline seats. It’s not doing Folau or anyone else any favours. It’s using them to make money.
It doesn’t buy the team and it doesn’t own the players. It has no right to tell them what to say or to attempt to censor them.
Qantas and the other sponsors are concerned at the damage to their brands Folau’s comments may cause.
If there is any damage inflicted, it will be because people see the brands involved as being prepared to use their imagined financial clout to shut down anyone who offers an opinion with which they disagree.
Is this the role of the CEO? The highly remunerated Joyce would be better employed ensuring that more of his flights left on time rather than attempting to crush the right of individuals to give voice to their beliefs.
It’s called freedom of speech.
Mike O’Connor is a Courier-Mail columnist.
Originally published as Let Folau say whatever he wants