Staff Reports
Advert From Australia Strikes A World Wide Chord
However, the government led by Prime Minister Julia Gillard remains opposed, with Gillard arguing that "the institution of marriage has come to have a particular meaning and standing in our culture and nation and that should continue unchanged."
The advert, filmed from the perspective of one of the partners in a same-sex couple builds to the big reveal that as a couple they want their love recognised and want legalised — in a proposal to get married.
GetUp is an independent, grass-roots community advocacy organisation giving everyday Australians opportunities to get involved and hold politicians accountable on important issues. GetUp is a not-for-profit organisation and receives no money from any political party nor the government.
Lady Gaga Sends Personal Message To Canadian High School Student Council President About Anti-Bullying
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA -- Students at the Etobicoke School of the Arts- a specialised public arts-academic high school- broke into cheering and wild applause cheered and clapped when student council president Jacques St. Pierre debuted a personal video from Lady Gaga. St. Pierre, a self professed huge fan of the music star, had kept the video's existence a secret until the anti-bullying assembly Friday told the Toronto Star, “I’ve seen it over 300 times," in an interview prior to the assembly.
In August, the Grade 12 student wrote to several celebrities — including talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, singer Katy Perry and Tim Gunn from Project Runway — hoping a message from one of them would have a big impact on students as the school launched an anti-bullying campaign.Gaga has been an outspoken anti-bullying crusader in the U.S., outraged over the recent suicide of a gay Buffalo teen who had been targeted. She has been lobbying U.S. politicians — including President Barack Obama — to have bullying made illegal.Etobicoke School of the Arts students are trying to combat homophobia, racism, sexism and body image issues through performance and plan to take their message to other schools in the Toronto District School Board. On Friday, students took a pledge to “make it better” — an extension of the It Gets Better campaign.St. Pierre, 17, was bullied in elementary school by students who called him a fag for being interested in theatre and drama. However, he said his high school has been “amazing and accepting.” But there remains work to be done; comments like “don’t be a fag” or “that’s so gay” are still common among teens. And, earlier this year, a private webpage was set up where fellow students posted anonymous comments about one another. In his letter to Lady Gaga, St. Pierre told her who he is and about the school’s campaign. “And then I talked about why it would be amazing to hear from her.”
In the video, Lady Gaga says hello to St. Pierre, the school and “talks about how proud she is” of their efforts. She also implores students to “treat each other with kindness, love, and to accept everyone . . . and that she’s doing her best to make bullying a hate crime.”
She then sends her love and tells them to have a “wonderful day at school and to love each other.” ~ The Toronto Star
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1 comments:
What is even more amazing about our Aussie Prime Minister, apart from the drone she calls public speaking, is that she claims to be an atheist.
Clearly, both the Prime Minister and her counter-part opposition leader, Tony Abbott, are trying to assuage apathetic aphorisms that they think passes for Aussie laconic humour.
She might know she's not being funny which is more than can be said for Abbott, but astoundingly she lets herself be manipulated by the rightwing religious faction of her once humanist and leftwing party.
Such is the ability of politicians to fool themselves into believing that they are leaders. Such is the price of political ambition, and we the people pay the price, and do the suffering.
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