Conservative Commentator Bernard Gaynor has criticised weekend parties in the LGBT community over the ANZAC Day weekend saying a day set aside to remember the nation’s war dead has been turned into a disgraceful orgy.
At the same time Mr Gaynor taken aim at the head of the army and the plan to encourage more LGBT people to sign up to the armed forces.
Gaynor added a post to his blog criticising comments made by the head of the Chief of the Army Lieutenant General David Morrison that suggested that gay people were reluctant to join the army due to the perpetuation of the ANZAC stereotype.
Speaking to the Australian Financial Review on Thursday last week Lieutenant General Morrison said popular culture sees “the Australian soldier as a rough-hewn country lad – invariably white – a larrikin who fights best with a hangover and who never salutes officers…especially the Poms.”
Mr Gaynor said that the only way the army chief could know if the level of homosexuals in the army was less than general society would be if the army had begun collecting data on staff members’ sexuality. Mr Gaynor said the Lieutenant General was planning to prioritise homosexual recruitment and transform the army into a “gay wonderland”.
Citing posters promoting events in Sydney over the ANZAC day weekend, including Swagger, events at the Stonewall Hotel and Midnight Shift, Mr Gaynor said it was clear that the gay community were not afraid of ANZAC day.
“It is just absurd for the Chief of Army to suggest that Anzac Day hurts homosexual recruitment. But even if it does, it would only reflect poorly on the homosexual community. They are the ones who have turned a day set aside to remember the nation’s war dead into a disgraceful orgy.” Mr Gaynor wrote.
The Midnight Shift and In the Dark declined to comment, representatives of The Stonewall Hotel and the Australian Army were contacted for comment.
What do you think, is the LGBT community being disrespectful to the memory of the ANZACs? Would you consider joining the armed forces?
Graeme Watson
