XN000022-1990-07-11 — Page 22

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 11, 1990

"THIS WOULD INDICATE SOME SORT OF APPROVAL TO THE IDEA, NOT THE LAW, ABOUT THIS SENSITIVE MATTER. PEOPLE WON'T SEE THE SUBTLETIES.

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WHAT WE SHOULD SAY IS THAT, WE DO NOT WISH

WHEN, IN FACT, WE DO NOT APPROVE OF IT ALL.

то APPROVE

SOMETHING

"FOR IT IS NOT JUST A QUESTION OF 'YES' OR 'NO' TO A AMBIGUOUS LAW. IT IS A QUESTION OF WHETHER THE HONG KONG PUBLIC SEE THIS COUNCIL AS CONDONING OR ENCOURAGING SOMETHING WHICH IT OUR PEOPLE FIND OVERWHELMINGLY REPUGNANT," HE SAID.

RATHER

WILL

FEELS

TIMES HAVE CHANGED

AS

A

TIMES HAVE CHANGED AND CONTINUING TO TREAT HOMOSEXUAL ACTS A CRIME CERTAINLY DOES NOT ASSIST THOSE BORN OR CAUGHT UP WITH SUCH PROBLEM, THE HON PETER WONG SAID

IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE MOTION IN THE DEBATE ON HOMOSEXUALITY, MR WONG SAID HE FOUND DERISORY THE ARGUMENT THAT HOMOSEXUAL LOVE WOULD DESTROY TRADITIONAL FAMILY VALUES.

"SURELY, OUR TRADITIONAL VALUES ARE BASED ON FIRMER FOUNDATIONS THAN THAT SUGGESTED, AND I AM CONFIDENT THAT DECRIMINALISATION SHOULD ALLOW US TO TREAT THE PROBLEM WITH OPENNESS AND HUMANITY.

IN

MR WONG NOTED THAT THE NON-ENFORCEMENT OF THE ORDINANCE AGAINST ACTS COMMITTED IN PRIVATE AND THE LIGHT SENTENCES IMPOSED RECENT YEARS ON THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN CAUGHT IN PUBLIC COMMITTING SUCH ACTS, HAD NOT AT THE TIME PRODUCED STRONG PUBLIC OUTCRY ONE MIGHT EXPECT IF THEY HAD OUTRAGED PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS.

HE ALSO FOUND THE ARGUMENT THAT HOMOSEXUAL ACTS SHOULD BE ALLOWED FOR MEN OF 21 AND OVER TO BE ILLOGICAL WHEN 18 WAS CONSIDERED TO BE OLD ENOUGH FOR ALMOST EVERYTHING ELSE.

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