A local reader has written a letter to Timaru's newspaper complaining that that Russians will think New Zealanders are "all gay". It comes after Parliament unanimously backed Green MP Jan Logie's move noting the passage of anti-gay legislation in Russia. It also called for the Government to urge other governments and the Winter Olympics Organising Committee to protect the rights of all people in Russia, regardless of their sexual orientation. “I, among many others, would have thought that our Parliament would have had much more important things to debate or consider,” DH Darling of Levels has written to the Timaru Herald. Darling says the anti-gay legislation is “Russia's right and good on it” and adds “most of the population would probably never have even heard of a place called New Zealand. What a waste of time.” The writer continues: “The mover of this legislation was Green MP Ms Jan Logie who said she wanted to support the gay community and to show New Zealand's disapproval of what she calls human rights abuses. The people of Russia will be thinking that the people of New Zealand are all gay,” before finishing with a snappy ‘Yeah Right’ gag. Logie revealed the letter on her Facebook page, and says it's “hilarious”.NZAF welcomes motion Shaun Robinson Meanwhile New Zealand AIDS Foundation's Executive Director Shaun Robinson has welcomed the motion. He says human rights are an absolutely essential cornerstone of a decent, equitable society, a world community and of combating HIV. “The internet, travel and migration have all made the world smaller and debates about LGBT rights and Human rights are everyone’s debate no matter where they happe," Robinson says. “NZAF is increasingly connecting with migrant and refugee communities who have had different experiences of human rights than the liberal tradition of NZ. So yes, we want political and community leaders to advocate loudly for human rights and NZAF will be right there with them.”
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Wednesday, 5th February 2014 - 9:06am