Comments for Queer Penguin at http://sxnews.e-p.net.au , comment 1 to 1 out of 1 comments http://sxnews.e-p.net.au Fri, 19 Mar 2010 02:12:40 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://sxnews.e-p.net.au/opinion/queer-penguin-01988.html#comment-146 Open Letter to Kevin Rudd Dear Mr Rudd, Congratulations on your election as PM! I was in first year university on the night when Howard was elected, and my entire adult voting life has been in the shadow of his mean-spirited government. I welcome the change with open arms. I also hope that, when you say that you want to be PM for "all Australians", you also mean Australians like me, my partner, and our children. As a same sex couple who dare to be parents as well, we've felt like public enemies under the Howard regime. For my partner, who is muslim, she has felt doubly hated in an Australia where the PM thought that people yelling racist slogans draped in the Australian flag were just being "patriotic". How do you steel your kids to deal with the hatred which has been fostered towards Muslim Australians, Lebanese Australians, and same-sex families? We are blessed with smart, resilient kids - thank god for that. But we are all breathing a little easier now that Howard is gone as PM, and hoping that we will no longer be targets under a Rudd Labor government. I'm sad that in the run-up to this election, Labor were cagey about sticking up for people like us - that you feel we're not quite good enough for full equality - including the right to marry and adopt. That's one of reasons why I voted Greens first and Labor second. With some Greens in the Senate, I hope Labor won't be as cagey in government. I hope that you will swiftly follow through on your promise to amend the 58 federal laws which discriminate financially against me and my family. But I've got a bigger request still - if you need to impress the Christian lobby again, please don't use us - LGBTI people - as a political football. We've helped deliver you to office. All we ask is some basic respect in return. Yours sincerely, Hannah Robert - Hannah Mon, 26 Nov 2007 08:45:59 +0100