Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Vol. 38, No. 12. June 4 1975
Dear Sirs Smith,
I'm sorry, but Johnny will just have to learn the facts of life: all sorts of people have different opinions, and we can't stop people expressing an opinion which we know to be harmless. Please rest assured that current medical opinion is convinced that you can't talk someone into being a homosexual; you can only talk him into performing homosexual acts, which is firstly covered by various Acts protecting minors and secondly cannot change what he is anyway. Why is it that you have no fear that you daughters will be talked into committing lesbian acts? Your suggestion that we should prohibit people from telling him that it is normal is not only pointless but will cause far more misery than it will prevent.
Oh well... we can always dream. But now we know Dr Wall's motives, and the fallacies behind his argument, it is time we all acted. Even those who are not in favour of accepting homosexuality are still supporting our demand for the freedom to talk about it. Before we see New Zealand's version of the Tennessee Monkey Trial, and before two thirds of all organizations concerned in any way with civil liberties find themselves in gaol, we must act. Write to your MP and tell him not to support it — if you don't think letters work, read back and ask yourself why we've got the Amendment in the first place. And, finally, come and support the picket.
Picket Parliament
6:30 p.m. Wed 11th June
Free Speech and Free Thought Needs your Support.
marty.