The speech you probably haven't heard. 'A Call to Action: A Call to Love' by ~ Grace Tame

The speech you probably haven't heard.  

'A Call to Action: A Call to Love' by ~ Grace Tame

"To the rest of the community, I ask you - if nothing else - you simply keep on loving one another, and yourselves.

You too have the power to affect positive change.

Smile at the next stranger you see. Hug your friends and family.

Thank yourself, for all that you are able to do, to move forward in this life, however slowly. 

These are the seeds of progress.

The most powerful of all actions. 

Together, as one, we must action truth.

Grace Tame, 7/2/2020

 

I respect Grace Tame. 

Her recent Australia Day award speech made me, at times, hold my breath from its intense impact. 

I don't respect the award she won at all and this is why. 

In 2020 we gave Bettina Arndt an Australia Day Award. 

She received an AM for "significant service to gender equity”. 

Bettina Arndt and the interview she produced with Grace Tame’s convicted Rapist, was the devastating trigger that prompted Ms Tame to try and change the law in the first place. 

The law that had been twisted from protection into prevention. 

Stopping Grace Tame from speaking out, not only against this convicted criminal but against the lies told by the reporter herself, Bettina Arndt.

Ms Arndt publicly stated that the, convicted criminal's victim, Grace Tame, was sexually provocative. That this was a case of a man falling for a promiscuous girl and having a relationship he later regrets. 

When this award was given in 2020, Ms Tame herself requested that Ms Arndt be stripped of her AM award.

Why?

After Grace Tame's rapist was released from jail, Ms Arndt published an interview with the twice-convicted paedophile on YouTube, titled,

"Feminists Persecute Disgraced Teacher".

In the 17-minute video, published in 2017, Ms Arndt accused Ms Tame of "sexually provocative behaviour".

"The question that remains for me is whether there is any room in this conversation for talking to … young girls about behaving sensibly and not exploiting their seductive power to ruin the lives of men," Ms Arndt said in the video.

Short Clip of now removed interview.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-08-12/bettina-arndt-interviews-nicolaas-bester/11399466?nw=0

So, what happened? 

A spokesman for Governor-General David Hurley said he "respects the courage and leadership Ms Tame has shown through her advocacy".

"The Governor-General acts on advice from and recommendations made by the Council for the Order of Australia.

"If and when the Governor-General receives requests to terminate or cancel an award (such as Ms Tame has made), it is referred to the Council for the Order of Australia for advice and action."

~ Ms Tame's, statement at the time.

"I just wanted to appeal to his humanity and to appeal to his compassion and sense of reason here," she said.

"I'm not asking for an apology or an explanation, but just a chance to show the Australian public, to show the world that we do make mistakes, but we can correct them."

"To the powers that be, I appeal to your humanity. I implore you to see reason, and ask that you consider reversing the actions,". ~ Grace Tame, February 2020.

In a statement published on Facebook and Instagram on Sat 8th February 2020,

Ms Tame issued a - "A Call to Action; A call to love"  

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1472212399623440&id=100005040815616

Australia's Collective Response? – SILENCE!

So why did she receive, the ‘Australian of the Year Award’ in 2021?

Because she bloody well did exactly what, she is asking of you and then so much more!

She SPOKE UP.

She did it continuously, loudly; sometimes quietly, often!

She refused at every single point, to be silenced.

It took years. A Supreme Court hearing that required fund-raising for the $10,000 dollar cost. 

She SPOKE UP at every opportunity, to people who shamed and judged her, to people whose eyes and ears were shut. 

But....

She just kept on SPEAKING UP!

Finally, she created enough controversy, enough attention, enough moments of connection that people in power could no longer, not listen. 

She had changed their very laws and in doing so changed their response, from one of indifference to one of 'recognition and reward'.

Dear Grace,

I am so sorry. Sorry it took all of this! Sorry it happened!

Sorry, that as a fellow survivor, I remained silent, for far too long. 

I feel disappointment, that I myself, did not personally know of your story until you received this award. 

It’s ironic that it is what has brought you to my attention.

Allowed you to touch my heart and release in me a sister like, warrior response! 

So, let’s use that! - Let's NOT celebrate this award! 

Instead, I want to celebrate you, Grace Tame. For your courage, your tenacity and your incredibly, powerful voice! 

Finally, THANK YOU! Thank you so much for inviting me, inviting all of us to the conversation.

Angela Kelly 

Let’s use this moment to respond, together as one, to her original call. 

"A Call to Action: A call to Love".

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1472212399623440&id=100005040815616

https://www.facebook.com/popegrace

#SpeakUp #roarlikeawarrior #survivor #childhoodsexualabuse #GraceTame #IsabellaMurray #AngelaKelly