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A Couple of Items . . . 10/21/2004 9:35:08 AM
Musings from the Other Side of the Pond Two items from this side of the Atlantic where I live:
This from Reuters: PARIS - The European Parliament's revolt against a new EU commissioner who sees homosexuality as a sin has left devout Catholics wondering if their beliefs are now so politically incorrect as to rule them out for high office.
Rocco Buttiglione, the conservative Italian Catholic named as the incoming justice commissioner, has come under a storm of criticism from the European left for slighting gays and saying marriage existed for women to have children and male protection.
The Italian communist newspaper Il Manifesto has branded Catholics like him "theo-cons," a play on the neo-conservatives it opposes in the administration of United States President George W. Bush, another fervent Christian.
The Vatican fired back vigorously, with a senior cardinal warning against "a new Inquisition." Outraged Italian Catholic intellectuals charged that anti-Catholicism was the anti-Semitism of modern secular Europe.
'This is the signal that believing Christians can't apply for certain jobs within the EU,' Catholic Bishop Joseph Duffy of Clogher in Ireland told the Irish Independent newspaper, accusing Buttiglione's critics of "pure intolerance."
Is this "political correctness" run amuck or what? By definition, homosexuality is a sin (no, I'm not advocating going out and beating up homos or anything like that). For centuries the major religions have regarded homosexuality (and, indeed, ALL sex outside of marriage) as sinful. So now if you hold to traditional religious beliefs you are a bigot! You are ineligible for political office!
The United States lost over 100,000 men in Europe to help save it from totalitarianism in the 1940. What for, to save it for a new form of totalitarianism, that of the self-appointed "guardians" of social justice? Notice the newspaper that attacked Buttiglione - it's communist. This morning on the BBC, I heard a socialist member of the Euro Parliament attacking him as well. Apparently it's okay to espouse extremist (and long discredited) political beliefs but not traditional religious ones . . . The only good thing I see in this is the rigorous defense by the Church. Good for them.
Item #2 - The Defense Department runs schools for dependents of servicemen overseas and of these is the American high school at RAF Lakenheath (near Cambridge if you know your UK geography). The other day, the new principal stated that if any students were overheard using the common expression "That's really gay," they would have legal charges brought against them. Legal charges. For saying "That's really gay." This is unbelievable. If students use racial slurs or what have you, counsel them, talk to them, call their parents, but legal charges? we're not talking about suspension or even expulsion here, folks, but actual CHARGES. (He cited some anti-discrimination law - I don't know the details). What the hell happened to the First Amendment to the Constitution? You know what, Mr. Principal, THAT'S REALLY GAY!!!!!
The world has been turned upside down.
Oh, one other thing: The Red Sox came back and beat my beloved Yankees four straight after the Yanks had them on the ropes. Damn - what a choke. That REALLY sucks. Just thought I'd mention it . . .
