Will Shorten and Wong adopt Indonesia’s LGBT policy too so we don’t look stupid?
Adopt Indonesia’s foreign policy or we’ll look stupid. Richard Ferguson, The Australian, November 15:
(Bill Shorten said Scott) Morrison should immediately announce the (Australian) embassy would stay in Tel Aviv (rather than move to Israel’s capital, Jerusalem) to avoid any more strain in Australia-Indonesia relations. “Frankly he made himself look stupid and made our country look stupid,” (the Opposition Leader said.) … Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong said … moving the embassy … was not in the national interest if it harmed relations with Indonesia … “The Indonesian trade minister has made very clear the delay in finalising this agreement … is the government’s position on Palestine. Why wait until Christmas?”
Adopt their human rights policies too? Amnesty International 2017-18:
Indonesia failed to address past human rights violations. Rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association continued to be arbitrarily restricted. Blasphemy provisions were used to imprison … (at least 11 people.) At least 30 prisoners of conscience remained in detention for peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of expression or of religion and belief. The security forces carried out unlawful killings and used excessive force during protests and security operations. Two men were caned … after being convicted … of same-sex consensual sexual relations.
LGBT policy? Andreas Harsono, Human Rights Watch, November 8:
Police … were caught on video arresting and humiliating three transgender women … the latest incident of rising state-sanctioned violence against LGBT people in Indonesia … (Since Aceh imposed sharia law in 2015) which criminalises same-sex relations … the anti-LGBT campaign intensified nationally in early 2016 when top government officials issued anti-LGBT statements. Now local governments … are drafting ordinances to criminalise same-sex relations.
Lesbian policy? Kyle Knight, Reuters, November 6:
(Ten) women accused of being lesbians were arrested … after … (police found) pictures of two of them kissing … In October, government officials … publicly called for policies that would target LGBT+ people for arrest and “rehabilitation”.
Won’t this offend? Who looks stupid? Ten Daily online, November 15:
It’s been 12 months since it was announced that marriage equality would become law … Labor’s Penny Wong — whose tearstained face after the announcement became one of the iconic images … (said) “Australia made a profound statement about inclusion and acceptance”.
B e careful what you wish for. Amy Spiro, Jerusalem Post, October 9:
Scottish actor Gerard Butler arrived in Tel Aviv … for the second time in just three months … (and said,) “I always love being here … One day … I’ll ask someone to burn my house down in Los Angeles so I won’t have anywhere to go back to and I won’t have any choice but to stay in Israel.”
The Lord moves in mysterious (fiery) ways. Activists are more predictable. Shiryn Ghermezian, The Algemeiner, November 12:
Gerard Butler faced a wave of … (bile) from pro-Palestinian activists … (after posting a photo) standing in front of the smouldering remnants of his Malibu home … (Israel haters wrote,) “You ever thought it was Gods karma for raising 60 million dollars for IDF soldiers to kill Palestinians? Just a thought.” … (Supporters) wrote … “IDF don’t kill ‘Palestinian’ children. We fight against Hamas terrorists! … God bless Israel and IDF.”