Lana Murphy is a journalist working for 9NewsMelb from Melbourne, in the Australian state of Victoria. On Saturday, July 2, she was doing a news report covering the pro-abortion rally organized in her city by those who think the U.S. Supreme Court made a mistake by overturning Roe v. Wade and thus rightly returning the competence to legislate abortion to the individual states.
Among the many signs that extolled women’s so-called “right” to eliminate a baby in the womb, one in particular was passed to her, and the reporter picked it up laughing. At that moment, a photograph was taken of her, and the image came to prominence on Murphy’s Twitter profile as well.
The writing on the sign reads as below.
Now, this is not the first time nor will it unfortunately be the last time that the Christian religion is mocked and derided, that the deep and sincere beliefs of millions of people around the world end up among the waste paper, both abroad and in Italy, for example, where the statue of the Madonna was defaced and carried around the streets during the recent “Milano Pride”. The “joke” was not too original either, and it matches others of similar tone that mock the authorship of St. Joseph.
Rather, what is striking is the fact that such treatment is reserved exclusively for Christians. No other religion can be spoken of in a tone that is less than respectful. No category of people can be offended or mocked. No “different” consideration with respect to sex, real or self-perceived, skin color, sexual orientation, physical appearance, disability, can be allowed to transpire. Never. Only Christians can be taken at face value.
“Do not address a trans woman using the wrong pronoun,” says James Macpherson on the website of Spectator Australia. “And don’t start a meeting without addressing aboriginal people, even if there isn’t even one in the room. Don’t imply that people with disabilities are disadvantaged in any way. And don’t criticize grown men in fishnets reading stories to preschoolers as anything other than perfectly normal.”
But, the Australian journalist continues, “there is one group for which normal sensitivities do not apply. “Inclusiveness” means excluding Christians. ‘Diversity’ means everyone but Christians.”
Macpherson, to tell the truth, for his own part would also advocate the freedom to say whatever one wishes about anyone, without going too far out on a limb. He discusses what he calls a “double standard,” which he specifically attributes to the Left in his country, and calls on Prime Minister Daniel Andrews to take a public stand with respect to the matter of the sign in Murphy’s hands. The Racial and Religious Tolerance Act of the rest “makes unlawful conduct that incites or encourages hatred, serious contempt, revulsion or serious ridicule of another person or group of persons because of their race or religion.” He doubts, however, that the minister will move.
After some people on social media called for disciplinary action by Murphy’s employer, the journalist apologized for “giving the impression” that she agreed with what was expressed on the placard.