Calls to ban brothels in Australia's 'Bible belt'

[alp227]

Source: BBC News

Powers to ban brothels on moral grounds are being sought by a Christian-dominated council in one of Australia's fastest-growing regions.

Although regulations vary, prostitution is generally legal across much of Australia and brothels are controlled by planning laws.

However, the mayor of the Hills Shire Council in Sydney says there is no place for the sex industry in the "Bible Belt" district, home to one of the largest churches in the country.

Peter Dimbrowsky told the BBC that the community should have the right to outlaw brothels.

"While we've deliberately made it difficult for them to be successful in this area, we've also said that we deserve the right to say no to them if we feel that a sufficient number of people are sufficiently against this type of application."

He said: "You should be able to argue that in this part of Sydney or in any part of a city where it is family-orientated, it may be better for them not to be there at all."

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/asia_pacific/10367831.stm

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The article also quotes Gordon Moyes, a Member of Parliament from the socially conservative Family First Party, complaining that morality went down the sewer after Australia decriminalised prostitution. Well, maybe Mr Moyes should read up about the scandal over the US Republican National Committee spending thousands on a trip to a strip club. Also he should consider how much the American anti-prostitution laws contribute to an even less safe environment for those who choose to partake in that profession but are driven to an anarchic underworld. Think about how gangs profited big from alcohol during Prohibition in the US. Similarly, these anti-prostitution and anti-drug laws in the US tend to ENABLE gangs, something I feel hurts decency more than legalised "immorality" does as Moyes says.

Here are the Family First Party's opinions on some social issues, according to Wikipedia:

On drugs: "Family First rejects harm minimisation as the primary strategy for combating substance abuse. The Party favours prevention, rehabilitation and avoidance as more acceptable primary strategies."

On LGBT rights: "Family First's LGBT rights policy is that 'all co-dependents should not be discriminated against – whether Homosexual or not'. However, Family First opposes LGBT adoption, IVF treatment for lesbians, and opposes same-sex marriage and civil unions, stating their declaration of marriage as 'a union of a man and a woman'." Uhh, how can you not discriminate against gays and simultaneously oppose their rights? :eyes:

On Internet pornography: "Family First's internet pornography policy calls for a "Mandatory Filtering Scheme at the ISP Server Level" as a matter of child protection."

[cliffordu]

1. I wish I could find one in PDX.

[SemperEadem]

2. it'd be even better if they'd all go back to england

and turn Australia back over to its first, native Aboriginal folks, whose land it really is.

[muriel_volestrangler]

7. Are you calling for the dissolution of the USA as well? (nt)

[pattmarty]

11. Does the same apply to us here? You may have to think about that a while.....

[Violet_Crumble]

14. Yr lucky you didn't say that about Israelis!

A throng of 'outraged' Americans would have shown up to scream at you that yr being a bigot and you want to destroy the country yr talking about and the hyperbole would have been flying thick and fast. But because yr only talking about Australians, many of whom like me were born here and don't have anywhere to go back to, there's nowhere near the level of outrage or screeches of bigotry. I guess I should bookmark yr post and next time the mob descends on a post telling Israelis to go back to Europe, I'll point out to them how selective they are with their 'outrage' :)

[Demeter]

3. Poor Australia, to Be So Afflicted

Religious mania is worse than 10 plagues.

[Angry Dragon]

4. It seems to me that the new slogan is

"I am white, so I must be right!!"

It seems the world has drifted back 300 to 400 years and these people have no clue.

I wish they would just stay in their homes and really read the Bible so they could understand what their Jesus was saying.

[Dappleganger]

5. What happened, Australia?

You used to be so cool. :(

[depakid]

17. LOL- Hillsong

Someone made a suggestion below about a "fundy island."

Well, there it is!

[kestrel91316]

6. Australia has brothels??

[DeSwiss]

8. K&R

How about we ban religions and all religious litmus-tests in areas of public life altogether. You know, on moral grounds?

- Let's ban where the banning is needed the most.....

[depakid]

20. See the comments under the ABC story referenced on this thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4446632

[DeSwiss]

21. Hallelujah!!!

[depakid]

22. The differences between the two countries on the issue is impressive, isn't it?

[DeSwiss]

23. In some ways.... worlds apart. n/t

[pundaint]

9. I'm wondering what the scriptural basis is for that? I would think first

they would stamp out those damnable fig trees! Perhaps the power they wield, isn't actually handed down by any hero, but just another way of one group of humans trying to get over on another group of humans. Perhaps Religion is all about a small group of people trying to take our power just so they can have it. That could explain why there are all those one true religions. Is Religion really just another enemy of the People masquerading as authority?

[obxhead]

10. Gotta love a fundie.

Child rape, we'll let that slide and hide it.

Brothel, throw them out, outrage!!1!

[rocktivity]

12. The way Bible Belt neighborhoods can get rid of brothels

is to stop patronizing them.

:headbang:
rocktivity

[Darth_Kitten]

13. And the problem is, what?

:shrug:

[harry_pothead]

15. We need to designate some island somewhere as Fundyland.

Where all the religious fundies throughout the world (of any religion) are shipped off to.

[Nihil]

16. We tried that in 1620 ... (n/t)

:P :hide:

[harry_pothead]

18. Don't remind me.

[Heywood J]

19. If they can ban legitimate, legal businesses based on moral objection,

I can't wait until someone tries to ban Mammon's Megachurch and Molestation Emporium as a morally-objectionable business or "legalized immorality". After all, his entire argument is based on "because I said so".

[Art_from_Ark]

24. Doesn't seem to be much of a "Bible Belt"

One district in a city constitutes a "Bible Belt"? :shrug: