Rupert Murdoch’s The Australian’s Vile Attack on Same-Sex Marriage and LGBT People Is Outrageous

Rupert Murdoch’s The Australian is under fire after publishing a cartoon depicting gay people as Nazi Stormtroopers, complete with rainbow colored uniforms. The gross, disgusting, and historically offensive image, created byÂ cartoonist Bill Leak, offers the title, “WaffenÂ â€“ SSM,” a play on theÂ Nazi Party’s Schutzstaffel,Â Hitler’s military known as the SS, but substituting “SSM” for “SS.”Â

David Donaldson a reporter not at The Australian, expressed his outrage:

Just when you think The Australian couldn’t get any more cooked pic.twitter.com/SQm13u96bW â€” David Donaldson (@davidadonaldson) September 20, 2016

Today, even though the vast majority of Australians support same-sex marriage, Australia’s political parties are at an apparent impasse, with some insisting on a non-binding plebiscite forcing Australians to decide at the polls if they support equality, even though lawmakers would not be bound by that vote. YetÂ Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is insisting on the plebiscite.

The cartoon itself is offensive on a number of levels, including that LGBT people were not Nazi Stormtroopers. In fact, Hitler’s “purity” requirement would never have allowed it. Also, the Nazis murdered millions, including an estimated 15,000 people identified as gay, and likely a great many more. Gays were also ruthlessly targeted and persecuted by the SS.

Murdoch’s The Australian is the largest nation-wide daily newspaper in Australia. Murdoch is theÂ Executive co-chairman of 21st Century Fox and News Corporation, and is in charge of U.S. media outlets including Fox News.

Gay Times UK’s Josh Withey notes that “if anyone from the Australian is reading this, or if youâ€™re wondering why people are so outraged at this particular cartoon,Â you should read about the countless gay holocaust victims right here. And while youâ€™re at it, you should also read aboutÂ Sharley McLean, a Jewish lesbian survivor of Nazism.”

On social media, many also expressed outrage:

Yup. If anyone is a Nazi it’s a privileged straight white male like Bill Leak and his privileged enablers at The @australian #auspol https://t.co/a7hKZWDSSh â€” Keep Left (@mavisgrizzltits) September 21, 2016

Just when you thought The Australian & Bill Leak couldn’t get any lower.

Comparing the fight for #MarriageEquality to Nazi Germany#auspol pic.twitter.com/56tAIg7GXA â€” mango (@ByronBayMango) September 21, 2016

A tribute to those branded with pink triangles that died in Nazi concentration camps. Isn’t the @Australian great? https://t.co/jsuIeNqMYZ â€” Michael Fisher (@fisherx1968) September 21, 2016

Remember when Nazis rounded up the gays and put them in death camps? Anyway, hereâ€™s a respectful Bill Leak cartoon. pic.twitter.com/xmEhmwZQma â€” Alice Clarke (@Alicedkc) September 21, 2016

The Australian: it beggars belief that these activists think this country not capable of a respectful debate.

Also The Australian: pic.twitter.com/v0mDLRewvG â€” Ben Jenkins (@bencjenkins) September 21, 2016

As a queer Jewish person, it’s deeply disturbing to see Bill Leak and The Australian comparing LGBTI people seeking equality to Nazism â€” Margot Fink (@margot_fink) September 21, 2016

.@australian

1. Sack your cartoonist

2. Sack your editor

3. Read up on the persecution of LGBTIQ people by the Nazis.

3. Apologise. pic.twitter.com/D7N2t3AyZz â€” James Raynes (@jimmyraynes) September 21, 2016

Bill Leak is the perfect example of why giving people like him the platform of a plebiscite is a terrible idea. Just get it done. â€” evolvingmatter (@evolvingmatter) September 21, 2016

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Hat tip:Â Gay Times UK

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