Posted on 02/04/2002 7:43:07 AM PST by truthandlife
A United Nations committee recently took a vote that pleasantly surprised many pro-family observers.
It was a significant vote when a U.N. subcommittee considered renewal of Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) status for the International Gay and Lesbian Association (IGLA).
Austin Ruse, with the Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute, said this was quite a departure from the norm for the United Nations.
“The significance is that the U.N. stood up to the homosexual lobby and said no,” Ruse said. “The U.N. never turns anybody down. What they generally do is defer a group to the next year and then defer them again and generally the group just loses interest and goes away.”
In this case eight nations voted against NGO status, six in favor, and six abstained. The U.S. representative voted for IGLA to continue as an NGO, according to Thomas Jacobson, U.N. analyst at Focus on the Family.
“The primary opponents were Muslim nations who believe that homosexuality is wrong — who know that it is and were willing to stand behind that,” Jacobson said.
Peter LaBarbera, with the Culture and Family Institute, said there were concerns about IGLA’s prior links to the North American Man-Boy Love Association (NAMBLA).
“While it is true that IGLA publicly distanced itself from NAMBLA, there were connections through the European organizations and we were never clear as to whether IGLA got rid of all organizations that sanction pedophilia,” LaBarbera said.
LaBarbera said he would like to see any evidence the Bush Administration has that those links have been severed.
Another positive vote: the same subcommittee granted NGO status to the Family Research Council. Jacobson says the Bush Administration had lobbied the U.N. to approve FRC’s application. A vote by the full U.N. on NGO status is expected to come in the spring.
I remember reading the "defense" the IGLA gave in reaction to the Helms charge- they didn't know that NAMBLA was a pedophilia group.
Many thanks to the 8 countries that voted no.
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