DUKE, my fellow-journeyman, aka The Whisperer, put up this piece onto his blog. It is GABRIELLE CHONG YONG WEI's speech at the 2008 Bar Council Human Rights Public Speaking Competition.. Gabrielle was adjudged winner at this event. I was attracted by the RAW quality of the speech-content. It was a cry FROM THE HEART for UNDERSTANDING and TOLERENCE.
The 19 year old opens up her heart:
Good evening everyone.
In this country, I’m the minority of minorities.
Firstly, I’m a female. Secondly, I’m a Chinese and thirdly, I’m an agnostic.
I’m glad to let you know that, throughout the 19 years of my life thus far that I have spent in Malaysia, I’ve never encountered serious oppression because of my sex, race of religious belief, because thank God, in Malaysia, we acknowledge and have satisfactory protection of women’s rights, as well as the rights of racial and religious minorities.But I also belong to another minority that has been discriminated and persecuted until this very day.
Ladies and gentlemen,
I stand before you today as a gay Malaysian to appeal for the protection of gay rights in
What does it mean to be gay person?
A gay person is someone who is attracted to persons of the same sex.
But that’s it. The definition ends there.
Far beyond our differences, I share many similarities with all of you in this hall.
For example, I’m here today because like you, I’m concerned about human rights and I enjoy debates.
Like you, I’ve a family that I love and cherish.
Like you, I too, long for the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
And most of all, like you, I am capable of love.
What does it mean to be a gay person in
For one, I know that I probably will never be able to marry the person that I love in this lifetime.
Until today, there’s no formal organization that I can rely on to speak up and stand up for my rights.
Sometimes, I’m even subjected to state-sanctioned homophobia such as that propagated by the National Fatwa Council’s recent decision to outlaw tomboys and lesbianism.
In the last three days of this tournament, I’ve made quite a number of friends, who are in this hall right now.
And I’m thankful for your priceless friendship.
But there’re many occasions in life when, in the course of making friends, I wonder…I wonder if their friendship is subjected to the assumption that I’m a heterosexual.
I hate to doubt anybody’s sincerity and capacity for acceptance and friendship, but as a homosexual Malaysian living in a homophobic Malaysian society, I’ve no choice but to grapple with such fears and suspicions on a daily basis.
And what about gay rights? What are gay rights?
Gay rights are simply the rights of gay persons to live in peace and dignity, and to be accorded the same recognition and opportunities as other human beings.
Ladies and gentlemen,
We have gathered here today at this human rights debate tournament because we share a common ideal: that all men and women are created free and equal, but I would also like to introduce another concept to you today: that not only do we deserve equal human rights, but that all human rights are equal.
That means, gay rights are no less important and impacting to the preservation of human dignity than women’s rights, the rights of racial and religious rights as well as other rights.
For far too long in
And this has to stop, because discrimination towards gays is no less demeaning and dehumanizing as discrimination towards women, blacks, Jews, Tutsis and other minorities.
At the same time, I realize that some of you here will hold views contrary to mine, and I realize that I probably won’t be able to change those views with a single speech, but I would still like to encourage you to reconsider some of the common arguments against gay rights.
If you fear that the granting of gay rights will bring about the end of procreation and the human race, let me assure you that the granting of gay rights will eliminate heterosexuals no more than the granting of heterosexuals rights will eliminate gays.
If you believe that homosexuals are perverted and abnormal, then remember that there’re many things which we approve of today, such as hand phones and cars, and the concepts of democracy and gender equality, which are unnatural outside the realm of civilization, but are still worthy of preservation anyway.
At the same time, there’re many things which come naturally to us, such as hatred, fear and bigotry, which I believe aren’t worthy of preservation.
If you’re one of those who object to gay rights on religious grounds, and believe that we’re the untouchables, then remember that the untouchables too, are the children of God.
I stand before you today as a gay Malaysian to appeal for the protection of gay rights in
I do not speak for the person I love.
Neither do I speak on behalf of the estimated 350,000 gays and lesbians in
Rather, I speak on behalf of humanity as a whole, because our fate is intertwined.
When one man is not free, all are bound.
And when the gay community triumphs, our triumph too, shall be your triumph.
Martin Luther King had his dreams, on which my fellow speaker Marcus Wee will elaborate after me.
I too, have my own dreams.
I hope to pursue a life of happiness and companionship with the person I love, freely and without fear or fervor.
I hope that someday, if I ever win a public competition with a speech on gay rights, I can go home and proudly tell my parents of my achievement without fear of repercussions.
I also hope that you will join me in the cause to uphold gay rights. But if that is too much to ask of you, then I appeal for tolerance.
But most of all, I dream that someday, speeches like this one will no longer be necessary.
Lastly, I end my speech with a quote by Boethius:“Who can put a law unto love? Love is unto itself the highest law.”
Thank you.
6 comments:
Here's big hug for you, Zorro - ever the generous soul! :-)
Zorro,
Thanks for the honor.
We will get her to speak on the podium this Sunday at the vigil.
She was there standing with us last week and was sitting beside me at Lotus. From what i gather, she will be joining us this Sunday too.
Time to give her a warm welcome.
freewill must prevail !
Transgenders have my support. I understand that there are 250 known types of physical and mental sexual disorders and variations, and the homosexual is just one out of 250.
Zorro,
There's just too many groups clamouring for special rights for their own kind.
How about one universally accepted Bill of Rights sposored by the United Nations, for all time, for everyone, anywhere.
Any Gomen flouting these Bill of Rights, should be hauled up and tried by the International Court of Justice, at the Hague.
Gomens of Burma and Zimbabwe should be among the first to be hauled up.
Incidently we could draw inspiration from ....
The following, which is the text of the Virginia Declaration of Rights (1776):
I That all men are by nature equally free and independent, and have certain inherent rights, of which, when they enter into a state of society, they cannot, by any compact, deprive or divest their posterity; namely, the enjoyment of life and liberty, with the means of acquiring and possessing property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety.
II That all power is vested in, and consequently derived from, the people; that magistrates are their trustees and servants, and at all times amenable to them.
III That government is, or ought to be, instituted for the common benefit, protection, and security of the people, nation or community; of all the various modes and forms of government that is best, which is capable of producing the greatest degree of happiness and safety and is most effectually secured against the danger of maladministration; and that, whenever any government shall be found inadequate or contrary to these purposes, a majority of the community hath an indubitable, unalienable, and indefeasible right to reform, alter or abolish it, in such manner as shall be judged most conducive to the public weal.
IV That no man, or set of men, are entitled to exclusive or separate emoluments or privileges from the community, but in consideration of public services; which, not being descendible, neither ought the offices of magistrate, legislator, or judge be hereditary.
V That the legislative and executive powers of the state should be separate and distinct from the judicative; and, that the members of the two first may be restrained from oppression by feeling and participating the burthens of the people, they should, at fixed periods, be reduced to a private station, return into that body from which they were originally taken, and the vacancies be supplied by frequent, certain, and regular elections in which all, or any part of the former members, to be again eligible, or ineligible, as the laws shall direct.
VI That elections of members to serve as representatives of the people in assembly ought to be free; and that all men, having sufficient evidence of permanent common interest with, and attachment to, the community have the right of suffrage and cannot be taxed or deprived of their property for public uses without their own consent or that of their representatives so elected, nor bound by any law to which they have not, in like manner, assented, for the public good.
VII That all power of suspending laws, or the execution of laws, by any authority without consent of the representatives of the people is injurious to their rights and ought not to be exercised.
VIII That in all capital or criminal prosecutions a man hath a right to demand the cause and nature of his accusation to be confronted with the accusers and witnesses, to call for evidence in his favor, and to a speedy trial by an impartial jury of his vicinage, without whose unanimous consent he cannot be found guilty, nor can he be compelled to give evidence against himself; that no man be deprived of his liberty except by the law of the land or the judgement of his peers.
IX That excessive bail ought not to be required, nor excessive fines imposed; nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.
X That general warrants, whereby any officer or messenger may be commanded to search suspected places without evidence of a fact committed, or to seize any person or persons not named, or whose offense is not particularly described and supported by evidence, are grievous and oppressive and ought not to be granted.
XI That in controversies respecting property and in suits between man and man, the ancient trial by jury is preferable to any other and ought to be held sacred.
XII That the freedom of the press is one of the greatest bulwarks of liberty and can never be restrained but by despotic governments.
XIII That a well regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, trained to arms, is the proper, natural, and safe defense of a free state; that standing armies, in time of peace, should be avoided as dangerous to liberty; and that, in all cases, the military should be under strict subordination to, and be governed by, the civil power.
XIV That the people have a right to uniform government; and therefore, that no government separate from, or independent of, the government of Virginia, ought to be erected or established within the limits thereof.
XV That no free government, or the blessings of liberty, can be preserved to any people but by a firm adherence to justice, moderation, temperance, frugality, and virtue and by frequent recurrence to fundamental principles.
XVI That religion, or the duty which we owe to our Creator and the manner of discharging it, can be directed by reason and conviction, not by force or violence; and therefore, all men are equally entitled to the free exercise of religion, according to the dictates of conscience; and that it is the mutual duty of all to practice forbearance, love, and charity towards each other.
Adopted unanimously June 12, 1776 Virginia Convention of Delegates drafted by Mr. George Mason
gay rights ah??
what next? ..
paedophile rights?
child porn rights?
same sex marriage rights?
man loving little boy rights?
rapist to rape women who invite them by their dressing rights?
anarchist rights?
...all are the same with gays. All perverse in nature. If you are religious, then all religions forbids this.. if your not religious, u will still know how disgusting this people are.
If u have the right to be gay, then why deny the right of people who are homophobic?
isnt that a contradictory? U want your rights, but u deny others their rights ...
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