Twitter troll who bullies brewers has little love for LGBTI peers
Ean Higgins reports on gay activist Michael Barnett’s latest activities. The Australian, yesterday:
Having pressured Coopers, IBM and PwC and their senior staff to sever links with Christian associations, gay rights activist Michael Barnett has turned his sights on academia, demanding Macquarie University force one of its lecturers to renounce a Christian educational organisation.
Barnett spearheaded the campaign against Coopers beer. But he told our Rebecca Urban he meant no harm. The Australian, March 17:
My objective was simply to ascertain from Coopers its position on marriage equality.
Sure thing, Mike. Barnett on Twitter, March 12:
Your (Cooper’s) statement is bullshit. My life is not up for a light hearted debate. F..k you. F..K YOU @coopersbrewery. And piss off.
Barnett is very angry The Australiantold readers he’s the convener of a Jewish LGBTI support group. Twitter, March 23:
Why are you and your colleagues hounding me over my association with Aleph Melbourne @RurbsOz (Rebecca Urban)? It is because it makes a good story for you?
I t’s on the Aleph website, mate. What’s your damage? Aleph, April 13, 2015:
The Saturday Magazine program on JOY 94.9 invited Aleph Melbourne convener Michael Barnett to talk about work of the organisation.
Barnett doesn’t want to talk about how Aleph members tried to sack him? Star Observer, April 15, 2010:
A growing rift in Melbourne’s Jewish gay community saw a war of words via email last week, with members of gay Jewish support group Aleph accusing current convener Michael Barnett for being too hostile.
Melbourne’s LGBTI Jews were not happy with Barnett’s bullyboy act. Star Observer, continued:
… other members of the 80-strong group had been “embarrassed” by Barnett’s constant “angry” emails and the group is now discussing ways to establish a new executive committee which may or may not include Barnett.
Barnett hasn’t changed his spots. Aleph’s official Twitter account, November 25 last year:
We have cancelled our registration in the 2017 Pride March due to @midsumma accepting @newscorpaus sponsorship. First absence since 1997.
Barnett also has attacked prominent Jewish trans advocate Sally Goldner. Barnett’s blog Mikeybear, November 8, 2011:
The actions of this renegade transgender activist who has allowed her principles to be steamrolled by a homophobic Jewish community council has left me staggered and in shock. If this is what GLBT has become then I want nothing to do with the T …
Goldner’s crime? She was on a committee with Orthodox Jewish leaders and accepted they had strong religious views on gay sex. Mikeybear blog, November 2, 2011:
I am most disappointed that Transgender Victoria’s Sally Goldner would even sit on a reference group …
Nobody’s safe from Barnett’s bile. But here’s hoping we see more LGBTI advocates like Goldner in future. Goldner speaking to Star Observer, November 4, 2011:
People who seemed poles apart were able to sit down and get some understanding of what needs to happen and start building trust …