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An
agitated group of homosexual leaders met at UN headquarters
this week and threatened foreign governments that do not
approve special rights for homosexuals. They also threatened
organized religion, singling out the Catholic Church and
Evangelical denominations. This odd meeting occured with
the participation of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and
had the blessing of UNICEF head Carol Bellamy.
US
Congressman Threatens Trade Sanctions Against anti-Gay
Governments
An
openly gay US Congressman announced at the UN this week
that he would seek trade sanctions against US trading
partners that oppose UN human rights measures for homosexuals.
Specifically mentioning Egypt as a target for sanctions,
Barney Frank, Democrat of Massachusetts, made the announcement
during a meeting of homosexuals at UN headquarters in
New York on Monday.
Buoyed by a "growing level of success at the UN"
and a seemingly decisive international cultural shift,
gay rights advocates met to discuss a multi-pronged strategy,
including attacks on traditional morality and Christianity,
that they believe will advance the complete gay, lesbian,
bisexual and transgender agenda.
During a panel discussion, Paula Ettelbrick, Executive
Director of the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights
Commission (IGLHRC) announced a coming "showdown
with religion" and that the Pope's "call to
arms" against homosexual marriage would be successfully
combated. Anthony Appiah, a professor at Princeton University,
said that religion posed "a challenge" to the
homosexual agenda, and wondered whether religious freedom
ought to be limited. Svend Robinson, a member of the Canadian
parliament, singled out Bishop Frederick Henry of Calgary
for criticism, calling his actions in defense of traditional
marriage "unbelievable." Robinson also received
thunderous applause from the audience when he told the
Catholic Church to "clean up your own house"
before criticizing the morality of homosexuals. Finally,
Robinson mocked "born again" Christians, asking,
"Did they have to come back again as themselves?"
The panel also discussed ways to ensure that the resolution
introduced by Brazil at this year's UN Human Rights Commission,
that sought to expand the UN's definition of discrimination
to include discrimination based upon "sexual orientation,"
would be successful next year. Robinson blamed the resolution's
failure to pass this year on the Vatican, which "lobbied
hard" by rallying "top people in Latin America."
In response, Robinson promised a worldwide lobbying campaign,
and announced that a "different
champion" other than Brazil will bring the resolution
forward at the next session of the Commission. There will
also be a meeting held in San Diego this fall of gay,
lesbian, bisexual and transgender parliamentarians in
order to coordinate these efforts.
In a flier distributed at the meeting, IGLHRC listed some
of the laws it considered discriminatory towards homosexuals
and that should be changed: "Sodomy, age of consent
and other 'sex act' laws…laws on prostitution…laws
penalizing those wearing clothing of the opposite sex…obscenity/pornography
laws…denial of marriage to same sex partners, denial
of marriage to trans [gender] people…laws on parenting/adoption."
The meeting was sponsored by UN Gay, Lesbian or Bisexual
Employees (UNGLOBE), and illustrates the growing influence
of homosexual rights advocates at the UN. UN Secretary
General Kofi Annan briefly attended the meeting, and Carol
Bellamy, Executive Director of the UN Children's Fund
(UNICEF), sent a message of support.
Copyright – C-FAM (Catholic Family & Human
Rights Institute).
Permission granted for unlimited use. Credit required
Catholic Family & Human Rights Institute
866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 427
New York, New York 10017
Phone: (212) 754-5948 Fax: (212) 754-9291
E-mail: c-fam@c-fam.org
Website: www.c-fam.org
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