Posted on 07/02/2011 10:23:56 AM PDT by Maelstorm
Lithuania is torn apart over what stance to take toward its own gay population. As the country grapples with how much tolerance it will tolerate, it is facing strong pressure from the EU.
Local deputies have recently voted for the draft law banning homosexual propaganda. The European Parliament reacted immediately, lancing those who disapprove of what many see as the agitation of homosexuality in schools and, what is even more surprising, in kindergartens.
The struggle escalated in 2009 when the National Association of Parents and Families petitioned the Lithuanian Ministry of Labor and Social Security, complaining about a teaching technique and project called Gender Loops that was being introduced in kindergartens. It was a fairy tale called A King and a King that triggered the parents rage. The summary of the tale is quite unusual: a prince went to see a princess in order to propose to her. But on the way to the princess, the prince saw her brother and fell in love with him, forgetting all about the princess. And the princes lived happily ever after. The tale was illustrated with colorful pictures, drawing the kids attention to gender roles.In some European circles, it is believed that such fairy tales help instill in children a tolerance for homosexuality. But Katya Chirkunova, a Moscow psychologist and psychiatrist, told RT that children do not need any special projects and techniques in order to become tolerant.
The kids whose parents demonstrate tolerance toward homosexuals will automatically grow up to be tolerant themselves. Small children will most certainly not be able to perceive such fairy tales correctly, said Chirkunova.
The teachers who were supposed to read A King and a King to kids were horrified. They believed they were helping instill in children not tolerance, but rather a craving for homosexuality.
Such education causes damage, distorting the fundamental human values, blends the mans and womans gender identities," the Lithuanian Catholic Church wrote in an appeal to the countrys president, chairman of the Seim (Parliament) and prime minister.
Olga Malykh, an experienced Russian teacher, believes children must grow up to be tolerant, but that such education should start when they are 10 to 12 years of age.
It is not right to teach them to be tolerant of homosexuality when kids are not really interested in sexual relations at all just yet, Malykh said. Illustrated fairy tales bring more harm than good kids like colorful pictures, and a 7 year old is sure to say, I want to be like him too!, without even understanding.
Political differences
The book containing the disputed fairy tale was soon withdrawn from kindergartens. And the consequences followed immediately. The Lithuanian parliament was so shocked by the fairy tale that a law about the defense of minors from perverse information was passed in the country, guaranteeing that access to information about homosexuality was limited for children.
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The law was harshly criticized by the EU, European Parliament deputies and two non-governmental organizations Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. The law summarily gutted, and only the item dealing with limiting childrens access to information encouraging sexual intimacy was left intact. The line banning the public promotion of homosexual or bisexual relations was withdrawn for good.Children must have access to any information concerning sexual relations if they are interested in it, argued one of the co-founders of the Best For magazine. Parents should not lie to kids or try to hide any information; if a child is interested, it is the parents duty to carefully and correctly explain everything he is willing to know.
But the withdrawal of the fairy tale did not close the chapter far from it. The public cried out against a gay pride parade that was organized in Vilnius on May 8, 2010. City authorities were against the demonstration, but finally the participants got the nod, and the parade was organized, but under tough police supervision. The supervision, however, was not up to the occasion there were hundreds of people who were willing to force their way toward the demonstrators and throw stones at them, a few politicians included.
LTU versus EU
Although Lithuanian society is not particularly open to homosexuality, it has not prevented openly gay men from pursuing careers in public office. One of the Seim deputies, Rocas Zhilinskas, a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and Europe Committee, makes no secret of his sexual orientation.
Im absolutely happy, but prefer to enjoy my private life at home, he said. I see no reason to tell everybody Im a homosexual because it is nobodys business.
But Rocass colleagues have not lowered their flags. Pyatras Grazhulis, a deputy from the Order and Justice Party, introduced a new law that provided punishment for promoting homosexual propaganda. The law involved a $400 fine for what they would deem as propaganda, and immediately triggered a mass protest in Europe. Pyatras, incidentally, was one of those who tried to demonstrate against the gay pride parade in Vilnius. Joe Higgins, an Irish European MP, compared the desire of Lithuanian politicians to fight gay rights promotion to Stalinist purges. And an Austrian European MP, Ulrike Lunazek, reminded her Lithuanian counterparts that all Lithuanian citizens fought for the countrys independence, gays included, so it would be an injustice to restrain their activities today.
Political analyst Kirill Koktysh believes the struggle between the EU and Lithuania is not really about tolerance.
The EU cannot be called a single entity just yet; it is still to acquire its unity, Koktysh said.I believe the struggle with Lithuania has a sole goal: to hurt Lithuanias reputation, and vice versa. The question is not whether kids should grow up being tolerant, but who wins the argument.
This is an old story but it illustrates exactly what is coming and in many places is already here. They want the minds of our children so they later can have their bodies.
If Lithuania could stand up to the Soviets, they can stand up to the EU.
The EUSSR...
They did.
How upside-down is the world when a tiny group of perverts can demand conformance to their deviance by the vast majority of right-thinking people? If tyranny by the majority is wrong, how much more wrong is tyranny by the minority?
Sounds more like 'A Tale of Two Queens' if you ask me.
Homosexuals target everybody ~ and they start the practice as young as they can get away with.
Im absolutely happy, but prefer to enjoy my private life at home, he said. I see no reason to tell everybody Im a homosexual because it is nobodys business.
I wish the ones who live here were so private.
I agree. I noticed that comment and the truth is that very many homosexuals do live exactly that way and I don’t seem them as an enemy. However the juvenile egocentric ‘I must be out and proud’ crowd and ‘you must love me or else’ are just no better than vermin in my eyes.
“The EUSSR...”
Unless they successfully make us a colony again, we will be at war with the EU eventually. Their intermeddling is intolerable.
In the USA, in contrast, the teachers would be delighted to use such a book. Unfortunately, large numbers of them would find the words too hard to pronounce.
If it’s natural, why does everyone have to be indoctrinated from childhood not to show disgust and hatred for the act?
Mandatory Standardized testing for would teachers. When ever this brought up, the teachers unions start howling. They'll point to things that they deem 'intangible', which I believe is simply cover for a leftist, gay rights, and other indoctrination programs.
We need to simply ignore Europe. We left for good reason We intervened on two occasions (WWI AND WWII of course, not to mention their upkeep during the Cold War) and they still cannot keep their house in order.
I'm starting to lean to not quite an isolationist policy, but pretty close. Relations with other nations are fraught with trouble, no matter what stance we take or what we do.
Seek energy independence, endeavor to fix our problems first and foremost. Let the rest kill each other. Europe has a propensity for this type of course.
Rebuild our military strength, and make it well known that we want to be left alone. Or else.
Such education causes damage, distorting the fundamental human values, blends the mans and womans gender identities," the Lithuanian Catholic Church wrote in an appeal to the countrys president, chairman of the Seim (Parliament) and prime minister.Right on.
Placemark.
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