Free Republic

LONDON, OCT. 8, 2006 (Zenit.org).- In many countries speaking out publicly against homosexuality leads to serious legal problems. And in the battle under way to protect freedom of speech for Christians to express their beliefs, the future is far from clear. A recent victory in Britain saw legal charges against Stephen Green dropped, the Telegraph newspaper reported Sept. 29. Green was arrested by police in early September after handing out pamphlets at a "Mardi Gras" homosexual festival in Cardiff, Wales. The pamphlet contained Bible verses about homosexuality. During a hearing before a magistrate's court last week, the Crown Prosecution Service...

A friend emails thoughts on the recent firing of a transportation commissioner in Maryland for remarks about homosexuality: Back in 2004, Rocco Buttiglione was nominated to be the commissioner of justice on the newly formed European Commission, the executive branch of the European Union. A distinguished political philosopher and a friend and confidante of Pope John Paul II, Buttiglione had a long and admirable career of public service, but various members of the European Parliament objected vehemently to Buttiglione’s views on homosexuality. A Roman Catholic, Buttiglione had said publicly that he believed that homosexual conduct was immoral. He was quick...

A Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority [WMATA] Board member, Robert J. Smith, a Catholic husband, father of four and a seasoned Republican activist, was fired from his three-year term board position by the Republican Governor who appointed him. Maryland Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. fired Smith on June 15 because he spoke against sodomy during a local cable television round-table discussion. During a taped June 9 weekly-televised show, Smith told the program's discussion panel that same-sex marriage was wrong and homosexuality was a deviancy. Referring to Vice President Cheney's lesbian daughter who has stated publicly she does not want government...