Monday Conference

On June 30, Bob Moore interviewed Margaret Mead on MONDAY CONFERENCE.

Members of both CAMP (NSW) and MCC attended the prerecording of this session on Friday night (June 27) at the Opera House. There were many different minority groups represented such as aboriginals, New Guineans, South Africans, Chileans, Womens Electoral Lobby and of course the Festival of Light dressed in white T-shirts with red lettering.

The main topic of discussion was liberation groups and it was a pity that the questions were so limited on this particular topic. Bob Moore directed a question to a school girl in Canberra who spoke up about the drug problems at her school, etc. This changed the direction of the program towards education with discussions on authority and teachers.

The question which concerned CAMP directly was one asked by a women from the Festival of Light. She asked "What is wrong with 'normal' sex" to which the audience laughed. Margaret Mead handled it well by saying "There is nothing wrong with normal sex".

Rev. Lee Carlton of the MCC asked whether Margaret Mead favoured a repeal of laws relating to sexual relationships between consenting adults. Margaret Mead answered that "we should talk about repeal of laws not legalisation." "When laws on sexual behavior in private are repealed, the government is not writing a cook book that everyone should follow."

This is the main argument that people like the Festival of Light are using against the repeal of laws on sexuality. Odd comments from the audience arose that homosexuals would influence children, etc.

Our main argument needs to be stressed: we are fighting for the right of having an alternative lifestyle. Many people assume that because we are homosexuals, we want homosexuality legalised. CAMP (NSW) wants repeal of laws (not reform) so that homosexuality, bisexuality, heterosexuality, asexuality, etc, are all valid alternative lifestyles.