This morning on Twitter, Kevin Rudd announced some exciting news:
KevinRuddPM and his wife were understandably stoked.
But soon after Tweeting this good news to the world, tweets like this one began to emerge:
A quick search on Twitter for the term @KevinRuddPM, will show you that this was not the only such tweet.
Being a strong supporter of Gay Marriage, as I am, I retweeted this without much thought. I believe that all people deserve the right to be married to the ones that they love if they so choose. The happiness that our PM felt for his son getting married should not be exclusive only to parents of straight children.
Soon after, #SocialMeadiaExpert and “self-facilitating media node”, @s_bridges tweeted this:
This tweet made me step back and question what was happening. Is it right to use the engagement of the Prime Minister’s son to make a political point?
My gut feeling (after being forced to check myself) was no. The private lives of politicians should remain private and public discourse like this only serves to degrade the political debate to cheap personal swipes. He was tweeting as a proud father, and in using it to make a political point seems to be a low blow.
However, on a day like today, when he is celebrating the engagement of his son, Kevin Rudd who has previously stated his opposition to changes in law to allow for same-sex marriage, may be in a sympathetic mood to appeals that play on the emotion and excitement he is feeling. As long as it’s not done with malice (I will be honest and say that most of the tweets did walk the line here), I think there could be quite a legitimate cause for using Rudd’s announcement to make your case. After all, he himself has made this information publicly available (on a social media platform where comment is to be expected).
Obviously this is an emotive issue for all involved. In fact, in many ways the gay marriage issue is based on little more than emotion. An emotion (and I feel irrational) view that a same sex marriage is threatening to your heterosexual one. An emotional view on homosexuality itself. I like to think that I am on the rational side of this debate. Is using a highly emotive appeal to our PM (and by extension and parent who has felt the excitement he is feeling) an effective persuasive tactic and use of rhetoric? Or is invoking such tactics on what should (rightly so) be a happy day for our PM just vicious and ultimately undermining our cause?
Good points. There are arguments on both sides, and probably the most important factor is the presence or absence of malice.
Since his opposition to equality is fueled by nothing more than ignorance and prejudice, it makes sense to try to appeal to his better nature when the contrast is most apparent.
No-one’s wishing him unhappiness: they’re wishing that he realise he’s pointlessly denying it to others.
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I agree that it is an effective time to make the case in this way. I think you are right to say that Rudd’s opposition, like many others, is based on ignorance and prejudice. And because of that maybe he will be receptive on a day like this. But at the same time, are appeals like this really going to change his mind or are they just politicking on a day of great personal joy for Rudd?
I think Scott is right to say one of the biggest factors would be the tone of the comment and the presence or absence of malice. And a lot of the ones I read had malice. That concerns me.
Ultimately, I have no problems with using his son’s engagement to appeal to the PMs human side on Gay Rights. As long as it’s done without malice and in a way that engages debate, not just a personal swipe.
Here’s another one floating around: Congrats on your son’s engagement! It’s wonderful to see straight people enjoying rights I’m excluded from because of you.
You know what, I think it’s entirely appropriate for people to be tweeting comments like this. Who cares if it lessens his moment of joy? I certainly don’t.
Why? Because he won’t allow me the joy of marrying my partner. His religious bullshit is taking joy out of my life every single day that I’m reminded he (and his kind) think my relationship is less “valid” or “special” than his son’s. It’s time he realised that we’re not just some political football, but human beings with real emotions.
And to think this guy was courting the gay vote previous to his appointment as PM, with vague promises of “doing something”, when really he’s as bad (if not worse) than the bigot he was replacing.
Oh, and does anybody really think his use of Twitter is anything less than a political and populist tool? It’s the perfect opportunity to let him know that he’s not as popular he likes to think, and we don’t all agree with his political (or religious) point of view.
RT @Denizer.