Anti-Gay Bumper Sticker Lands Gun Boss In Hot Water
 
 


An Australian tribunal wasn't laughing at gun lobbyist Ron Owen's bumper sticker.

Owen claims the proclamation – which says gays only have the "right" to die – was a joke, but the tribunal disagreed:

The former president of the National Firearm Owners of Australia was taken to the tribunal by several local lesbians, who claimed they had been offended despite only one having seen the bumper sticker.

Two of the women were awarded $5000, with a third awarded $2500 in damages.

Tribunal member Darryl Rangiah handed down a 77-page decision, which also ordered Mr Owen to publish a written apology for inciting hatred and causing offence to the homosexual community of Gympie.

Mr Rangiah acknowledged Mr Owen's right to free speech, but said he had gone too far with the bumper sticker and in ensuing comments made during a television interview, in a report to a subsequent council meeting and in a letter on his website.

"Ron Owen is entitled to be a homophobe and he is entitled to publicly express his homophobic views," he said. "That much is required in a society that values freedom of thought and expression. However, there are limits."

Owen reportedly once justified his car's adornment by saying, "If a person chooses to follow non-human acts, if they break the law, they lose their human rights." Sarah Palin, is that you?

 
 
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Comments (16)

No. 1 · Woof

That is just plain disgusting

Posted: Sep 23, 2008 at 1:27 pm
No. 2 · CitizenGeek

John McCain probably has one of them on each of his 7 cars!

Posted: Sep 23, 2008 at 5:49 pm
No. 3 · Kid A

Luckily for me, I don't have to live under god's law.

Posted: Sep 23, 2008 at 7:27 pm
No. 4 · Bill Perdue

The only good bigot or racist is a bigot or racist imprisoned for life at hard labor.

Posted: Sep 23, 2008 at 8:34 pm
No. 5 · Tim

Oh Christianity! The religion of peace.

Posted: Sep 23, 2008 at 9:07 pm
No. 6 · Brian Miller

Owen is clearly a jackass.

That said, so are the plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

If you don't like someone's bumper sticker, don't read it. This cult of use of government to censor every viewpoint considered "offensive" or "outside the mainstream" is leading to a culture where free expression — artistic, literary, religious, philosophical or otherwise — is being crushed under the jackboots of "tribunals" who scramble to erase all expression that offends the delicate sensibilities of "offended" busybodies.

Whether those busybodies are trying to silence "Naked Boys Singing," trying to ban books they don't like, or trying to sue a jerk with a controversial bumper sticker into insolvency, we're all poorer for it.

Posted: Sep 24, 2008 at 2:17 am
No. 7 · Brian Miller

"Ron Owen is entitled to be a homophobe and he is entitled to publicly express his homophobic views," he said. "That much is required in a society that values freedom of thought and expression. However, there are limits."

So in other words, he has his right to free speech, until he doesn't. Which really means that he (and anybody else in that jurisdiction) have no free speech rights at all.

Posted: Sep 24, 2008 at 2:18 am
No. 8 · Rowen

While I understand this happened in Australia, I do know that death threats, in America, are not protected under freedom of speech. Frankly, this bumper sticker is a death threat, advocating murder. So, I'm gonna say that this is where his freedom of speech ends, and my freedom to live begins. To restate one of the most stupidest phrases that gets thrown around on the internet, "If my being alive offends this guy, well, he can just go live his own life."

Posted: Sep 24, 2008 at 3:46 am
No. 9 · Mark Wickens

"Frankly, this bumper sticker is a death threat"

Frankly, you're out to lunch. I was going to tell you to "drop dead," but…

Posted: Sep 24, 2008 at 2:59 pm
No. 10 · David

I think one must take into consideration, that this form of speech promotes hatred and murder . . . other forms of free speech are not sensored . . . I would haste you to remember Mathew Shepard, Brian, when you think all free speech might be being disavowed in Owen's case. Me thinks you talk too long, and thinks too short.

Posted: Sep 26, 2008 at 3:41 am
No. 11 · TJ Karaba

(SSAD) Same Sex Attraction Disorder
narth.com

Posted: Mar 28, 2009 at 6:50 pm
No. 12 · MPsizzle

America was founded on the idea that everyone is entitled to their own beliefs which is why we have freedom of speech and religion and press and assembly and petition (just to name a few). But homosexuality is not a belief or religion or anything like that. It's not even an opinion or point of view. It is a LIE. There is no truth in homosexuality. Yes, you can have sex with a member of the same gender. Yes, you can even agree with it, even though it is truly a lie. It's not a you-believe-in-it-but-I-don't-so-let's-argue-about-it sort of thing. The fact of the matter is that everything around us tells us that's it wrong and not natural. You don't have to believe in God to see it either. Just take a look at nature and the natural order of things.

Can homosexuals have kids? No.

Maybe this should be our first tip-off that something isn't right. One of an animal's primary responsibilities and functions is to reproduce, with out that the human race would die out. If it was meant to work, shouldn't homosexuals be able to reproduce? Heterosexuals can.

Why don't you just look at the male and female bodies?

It's pretty obvious that they were created to fit together in a way that is impossible for, say, a male and a male or a female and a female.

Posted: Apr 16, 2009 at 10:32 pm
No. 13 · getreal

@MPsizzle: Obviously you have never spent time on a farm or around animals in general or you would see homosexuality is very normal and it occurs in every species even some insects. As a christian I take umbrage with your assertion that it is against God's law we are all created in God's image so if he created 10% of the population a certain way he is clearly on board.

It's pretty obvious that they were created to fit together in a way that is impossible for, say, a male and a male or a female and a female."

I don't mean to be crass but sexually people fit together sexually be they straight or gay. Feel free to rent some gay porn if you are unsure of how.

Posted: Apr 16, 2009 at 10:42 pm
No. 14 · DavidMichael

Getreal, right on. There are actually over 12,000 animal species that engage in homosexual behavior, man being one of them. Yes we are animals.

I think it is important to realize there are many levels of Gods and Godliness, and the biblical sex education is well, shall we say in my opinion, done by a lesser God, most likely a low intellect male human "God".

That being said, I think your take on sex MPsizzle, about fits in that category. You have about as much education about gays and gay sex as a 5th grader, which is zilch. Your problem is you are backed up with anger around it, so you may want to ditch that so you can think clearly.

When I want to learn about a subject I go to the source. So if you want to learn something about human sexuality, instead of sounding like a proverbial dumdum, grab a few gays or gay, sit down and start asking questions.

I highly recommend you take something to relax you also, because at this rate, you're just going to give yourself a heart attack. Silly thing.

Posted: Apr 17, 2009 at 3:25 am
No. 15 · MPsizzle

Leviticus 20:3 (the verse on the above bumper sticker) says:

[these are the words of the Lord, God]

"'If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.'"

How can you claim to be Christians if you obviously don't agree with the Word of God?

Posted: Apr 17, 2009 at 8:51 pm
No. 16 · DavidMichael

We are all "God" MPsizzle, man-gods if you will as we all have the soul of God within us. And some man "Gods" are dumbfux, like the one that wrote that line. That isn't a line from anyone of great intelligence, a more intelligent "God".
To be a true Christian, you must learn to decypher fact from funk, or you will remain uninformed and sound as stupid as the guy who wrote that line in Leviticus.
When you look more at the heart of your neighbor, the Christ or "kingdom" within, you will start to understand. This was the only teaching Jesus ever taught, to look at your neighbors heart, and only that. Until that happens, and it is a hard teaching to teach oneself when so full of fear, you will be blinded by your desire to stay judgemental and confused.

Posted: Apr 18, 2009 at 1:26 am
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