Political threat

'This on the morning of our state elections here in Victoria, AUSTRALIA. Some title mispellings are intentional. The letters are a great show of common sense and bring to the foreground, underhand measures taken during a 'democratic' first-world election campaign. I salute those who were published.

Thanks to the Letters page in The Age newspaper.(25/11)


Offensive ploy
When people all over the world are killed trying to exercise their democratic rights, refusing to vote when you're lucky enough to have that option is offensive. To refuse to vote while funding disengenuous advertisements seeking to swing other people's votes is doubly so. If the Ecxlusive Brethren believe that politicians are chosen by god, then presumably god is perfectly happy with Greens leader Bob Brown. If the god these cultists claim to venerate exists, they have no need at all to fund their homophobic crusade. The constant electioneering demonstrates a lack of faith in god's plan, surely.
Ginny Adams, Thornbury

The real threat
The extremely socially conservative policies of the Ecxlusive Brethren are much more of a threat to Victoria than the Green's policies. The control they exert over women and children and their blinkered on same sex relations, abortion and drug problems can only lead to more harm than good.
Victoria Collins, NSW

Backing for Greens
What's this? A radical Christian sect that won't let its members vote, own pets or talk to outsiders wants to influence voters and tell them the Greens are extreme? If that isn't the biggest endorsement for a vote for the Green's progressive policies, I don't know what is.
Dinesh Mathew, St Kilda

A different view
All Victorians should be aware of the extreme danger posed to our state with the grim possibility of the Christians holding the balance of power. This sect, Ecxlusive Brethren, fraudulently claims to be about eternal life, yet seeks to control the way you vote and live your life based on ancient texts. They resort to scaremongering when they feel threatened and have trouble telling the difference between lifestyle (eg; living in Queensland on a sunny beach) and being born gay. The Christians are the boring descendants of a mix of traditions that have little to do with god and a lot to do with controlling the masses.
Gregory Storer, Carnegie

The one lesson
The thought of the Ecxlusive Brethren running a political campaign against any party seems to be contradictory, yet it has funded parties, seeks to push it's warped beliefs down other's throats and backs conservatives, particularly those on the right. George W Bush became President of the US largely on the back of votes and advertisements paid for by the far right religious sects. Look at the way he has acted -- invading Iraq and Afghanistan believes god told him to, and giving large tax cuts to the wealthy while denying assistance to the poor.
John Herring, Whyalla Norrie, SA.