Lithuania's Parliament has approved a censorship bill that sharply curbs the spreading of public information that lawmakers say could harm the mental, physical, intellectual and moral development of youngsters. The bill bans 19 examples of "detrimental" information that supporting lawmakers consider harmful to the development of Lithuania's minors. The bill prohibits any information that encourages homosexual, bi-sexual or polygamous relations. It also bans information which "subverts family relations and degrades its values". This includes the distribution of images of heterosexual intercourse, death and severe injury. The bill's amendments, cover a broad range of other topics, including the paranormal, foul language and bad eating habits. Lithuania's outgoing president Valdas Adamkus, who retired on Sunday, had been highly critical of the bill and vetoed it in June. Under Lithuania's constitution, at least 71 votes were needed to override his veto, a threshold passed with ease. On Tuesday, 86 of the Baltic state's 141 lawmakers voted in favor of the bill, six were against. Adamkus's successor, President Dalia Grybauskaite, cannot re-impose a veto. Homosexuality is frowned upon by many in Lithuania. The vast majority of the population of 3.3 million is Roman Catholic.
The bill bans 19 examples of "detrimental" information that supporting lawmakers consider harmful to the development of Lithuania's minors. The bill prohibits any information that encourages homosexual, bi-sexual or polygamous relations. It also bans information which "subverts family relations and degrades its values". This includes the distribution of images of heterosexual intercourse, death and severe injury.
The bill's amendments, cover a broad range of other topics, including the paranormal, foul language and bad eating habits.
Lithuania's outgoing president Valdas Adamkus, who retired on Sunday, had been highly critical of the bill and vetoed it in June. Under Lithuania's constitution, at least 71 votes were needed to override his veto, a threshold passed with ease. On Tuesday, 86 of the Baltic state's 141 lawmakers voted in favor of the bill, six were against. Adamkus's successor, President Dalia Grybauskaite, cannot re-impose a veto.
Homosexuality is frowned upon by many in Lithuania. The vast majority of the population of 3.3 million is Roman Catholic.
After Lithuanian lawmakers approved a bill to keep material deemed harmful away from children - including information about homosexuality - some EU parliamentarians and rights groups are considering what to do next. European members of parliament, including that body's gay and lesbian working group, as well as human rights groups are weighing their options regarding a response to a bill passed by Lithuania's parliament that would ban the dissemination of information to young people seen as promoting homosexuality. "This is crazy and un-European and totally out of thinking for me and many others," said Ulrike Lunacek, a new EU parliamentarian and member of the European Parliament's Intergroup on Gay and Lesbian rights. As Europe has long been held up as a global beacon on progressive legislation regarding gay rights - same-sex marriage or some version thereof is legal in many EU countries - the bill passed in Vilnius seems like an unexpected slap in the face. It brings back memories of cultural battles that many in western Europe at least thought were largely behind them.
European members of parliament, including that body's gay and lesbian working group, as well as human rights groups are weighing their options regarding a response to a bill passed by Lithuania's parliament that would ban the dissemination of information to young people seen as promoting homosexuality.
"This is crazy and un-European and totally out of thinking for me and many others," said Ulrike Lunacek, a new EU parliamentarian and member of the European Parliament's Intergroup on Gay and Lesbian rights.
As Europe has long been held up as a global beacon on progressive legislation regarding gay rights - same-sex marriage or some version thereof is legal in many EU countries - the bill passed in Vilnius seems like an unexpected slap in the face. It brings back memories of cultural battles that many in western Europe at least thought were largely behind them.
cos being RC means you can't be gay of course. Hide the children, the clergy are coming. keep to the Fen Causeway
