Been There Done That

2 May 2018

Setting examples for us all …

Activism, Anniversary, Community, Disasters, Health, History, Homophobia, Inventions, Royalty, Science, Visibility

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With the meeting of leaders of Commonwealth countries at CHOGM in London, the opportunity has arisen for Britain to re-state the desire that Commonwealth countries stop using old colonial laws of discrimination, and PM Teresa May has stated that those countries should adopt more modern attitudes to their GLBTI communities. And recently, Prince Harry has come out in support for GLBTI people and organisations, as he echoes his mother’s earlier example of connections to our community.

We are being urged to take collective action during World Immunisation Week to ensure we are protected from vaccine-preventable diseases, and we recall the death in 20 April 1862 of Louis Pasteur, the creator of vaccines for diseases like diphtheria, rabies, tuberculosis – which are ever present in our modern world.

An horrific event occurred in beautiful and quiet Port Arthur in Tasmania on 28 April 1996, when a deranged gunman massacred innocent men, women and children at the Broad Arrow cafe. This event prompted the federal government to call for the tightening of gun-ownership laws in a national gun amnesty, which saw over 700,000 firearms handed in for destruction. This action is often cited as a positive example of addressing the gun menace.

On 30 April 1999, a nail-bomb was exploded in a gay pub in Soho, London in which 3 patrons were killed and about 70 injured. The bomb was planted in an attempt to stir up ethnic and homophobic tensions. The bomber was caught and sentenced to 6 life sentences; an example for other trouble-makers.

We also remember the events and loss of our young innocent troops at Gallipoli in 1915 – examples of bravery and sacrifice in the face of overwhelming odds.

In a lighter vein, we relate the examples of humans’ taming of the world with the construction of the Suez Canal and the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.

Listen to these stories, opinions and more, presented with some merriment by Chris, Gordon & Phil.

Show #800- First broadcast on 24 April 2018