World reacts to new Margaret Court controversy

Tennis legend Margaret Court’s discussion of transgender issues in a recent sermon has made global headlines and drawn a mixed reaction.

Margaret Court’s latest public controversy made headlines everywhere from India to Turkey to South Africa — and has divided commentators.

In a sermon at her Perth church last Sunday, the tennis legend again ventured where Tennis Australia would prefer her to avoid by tackling the transgender issue.

Just weeks before the Australian Open will celebrate the 50th anniversary of her grand slam, the 77-year-old discussed her concern for transgender youth and the future of women’s sport.

“Children are making the decision at seven or eight years of age to change their sex … no, just read the first two chapters of Genesis, that’s all I say. Male and female,” Court said.

“It’s so wrong at that age because a lot of things are planted in this thought realm at that age, and they start to question ‘what am I?’.

“And you know with that LGBT, they’ll wish they never put the T on the end of it because, particularly in women’s sports, they’re going to have so many problems.”

The 24-time grand slam winner’s comments did receive some support. American author Eric Metaxas tweeted a link to news.com.au’s coverage with the comment: “She is probably the greatest women’s tennis player of all time, and she’s used her platform heroically. Thank you, Margaret Court.”

Australian political activist Lyle Shelton said Court’s views were “not controversial but mainstream”.

“Millions share her concern for women’s sport. Parents are worried about radical gender fluid indoctrination of their children. Yet the left viciously attacks Margaret for speaking the truth,” he tweeted.

“The battle for truth and freedom of speech should not be borne by this courageous woman alone. Where are our political, religious and other civil society leaders? Have we surrendered to rainbow lies about biology and the human condition? Is courage dead in Australia?”

But others were furious. Australian radio personality Gus Worland was particularly animated in his condemnation of Court’s views, calling for Tennis Australia to end its association with her, including removing her name from Margaret Court Arena in Melbourne.

“Tennis Australia want us to say there’s the person and there’s the actual player but you can’t (separate them),” Worland told Today. “The simple fact is she’s awful — and what she’s saying is awful. It’s spreading hatred.

“So at the end of the day I’d put a line through her completely. I’d take her name off the arena down there in Melbourne and say ‘you’re done and dusted’ …

“When she comes out with that sort of vile, that sort of hatred, that’s where you put a line through someone …

“The timing is terrible. She knows exactly what she’s doing. We’re about to have the Australian Open. We’re all going to get focused on the tennis down there in Melbourne — and we know her opponent. She’s just restating it again … and she’s (thumbing her nose) at all the tennis authorities and all the lovers and supporters of the game.”

Sydney Morning Herald senior writer Jessica Irvine agreed. “Hopefully in the next decade we’ll have left these views behind,” Irving told Today. “It’s just so disappointing.

“Australians want to celebrate our sporting heroes and she’s amazing. But can we separate the views she has that I believe are unacceptable to the Australian people and celebrate her sporting wins? I don’t think you can separate the two.”

In the same sermon, Court highlighted the difficulty of openly discussing her religious views. “People think because you don’t agree with them, you hate them. No, I don’t. I don’t hate anybody,” Court said.

Tennis Australia openly condemned Court’s views in November, and made it clear in an open letter they are not welcome in the sport.

SOURCE  






Faith shown in Christian schools

Christian school enrolments have soared over the past five years, surpassing growth in the public and broader independent sectors, amid claims the rising influence of identity politics in many schools is alienating families with traditional values.

Data provided by the Independent Schools Council of Australia reveals enrolments in Christian schools have increased by an average of 33 per cent a year for the past five years, accelerating to 4,4 per cent in the past two years.

Christian schools, while a minority in the broader independent school sector, added more than 10,000 students between 2013 and 2018, with the 18 per cent overall growth outstripping the 7.7 per cent growth seen in government school numbers. The independent sector recorded a more muted 1.7 per cent annual growth over the same period.

According to the Australian Association of Christian Schools, enrolment growth was being driven by an increasing demand for a Christian education rather than the establishment of new schools.

Fees are typically modest — in the $3000 to $7000 range—meaning the schools are more accessible than many non-government schools.

AACS executive director Alithea Westerman said reports from schools suggested an increasing number of parents were drawn to a Christian education in the wake of the public furore around programs such as Safe Schools, which lost federal support

From the "Weekend Australian" of 28 December, 2019





Extinction Rebellion crowd full of hot air and coffee

GRAHAM RICHARDSON

Bushfires have been around forever so it is ridiculous to claim they are a consequence of global warming.

They are far more likely to be due to an 11-year-old boy playing with matches than global warming. The Extinction Rebellion lot do themselves no good by continuing to make these claims.

Those valiant souls who risk life and limb by facing infernos know the truth. Nonetheless, speaking from behind the froth of the coffees served in the comfort of cafes in the nicer suburbs, the Extinction Rebellion people can tell you all about the march of global warming.

Unfortunately, logic has little or no role to play in our debate on climate and energy.

Josh Frydenberg has tried desperately to get an energy policy ­accepted by the states and, through no fault of his own, just can’t get anywhere. There are too many vested interests in this field. There are the coalminers, the power stations owners, the states and the poor punters.

Just how did Australia fall from a position where power was so cheap and so plentiful to a place where we rely on the power of prayer and hope for benign ­weather conditions?

Still, I guess anything is possible in a land where we sit on 400-year supplies of high-quality coal that will guarantee supply at a reasonable price -- and a vocal crowd is dumb enough to say we should leave it in the ground.

The worst part of this selfishness is the attempt by some to prevent India from importing our coal to fuel its endeavours to increase living standards. It was only in recent decades that some people there still starved to death.

SOURCE  







Queensland Fire service slammed for hiring a global warming officer

A HIGHLY paid bureaucrat will be recruited by Queensland Fire and Emergency Services to plan and build its response to climate change.  As debate rages around climate change and its impact on the tragic early fire season across the East coast, The Sunday Mail can reveal the position will be an Australian first.

The QFES's new principal program officer for climate change will enjoy an annual salary between $107,879 and $115,523. They will be responsible for developing "best practice approaches" to embed climate change effects into QFES plans and processes, the job de-scription notes.

The climate change officer will also "liaise with stake-holders and facilitate workshops for key staff, including senior managers". QFES advertised the position on the State Govern-ment's Smart Jobs portal this month, but pulled the ad after it was revealed management had not signed off on the role. It is understood the job be readvertised next month.

LNP fire and emergency services spokesman Lachlan Millar said the money would be better spent on increasing rural fire service budgets and hazard-reduction burning.. "Queenslanders don't need a change bureaucrat in Brisbane to tell them that climate change is a factor that needs to be considered," he said. "Labor have cut $13 million from the rural fire service budget this year and reduced hazard reduction activities by 83 per cent in 2018 compared to 2016.

"Climate change shouldn't be used as an excuse to cut budgets and reduce hazard-reduction burns needed to manage fuel loads."

Fire and Emergency Services Minister Craig Crawford applauded the move, insisting understanding climate change was "critical to winning and building community resilience". "Our firefighters are continually challenged by the frequency, intensity and duration of severe weather events," he said,

"While I understand the job advert was prematurely posted, QFES is committed to raising awareness and improving knowledge of climate change within the organisation." Mr Crawford said QFES was active on the Government's Inter-Departmental Committee on Climate Change, driving climate policy.

"Over the last year alone, Queensland has experienced extreme weather events leading to disasters including the Townsville floods and an unprecedented, ongoing bushfire season," he said "We must accept our changing climate and prepare for the challenges it presents."

From the Brisbane "Sunday Mail" of Dec. 29th

 Posted by John J. Ray (M.A.; Ph.D.).    For a daily critique of Leftist activities,  see DISSECTING LEFTISM.  To keep up with attacks on free speech see Tongue Tied. Also, don't forget your daily roundup  of pro-environment but anti-Greenie  news and commentary at GREENIE WATCH .  Email me  here