Category Archives: human rights

I am human just like them

Posted on September 6, 2007 by Charles Lambert

Johann Hari may have got it wrong about Iraq (and, if I remember correctly, he’s acknowledged this more than once) but he’s spot on when he talks about homophobia. His article in today’s Independent, examining the way gay kids are … Continue reading →

Posted in education, homophobia, human rights, religion | 2 Comments

Butchery

Posted on July 10, 2007 by Charles Lambert

Of the 93 protesters beaten to a pulp, pissed on, verbally abused and then framed by the Italian police after being woken from their sleep at the Genoa G8 summit in 2001, at least 59 were foreign. It’s well known … Continue reading →

Posted in berlusconi, human rights | Leave a comment

Good riddance to…

Posted on June 19, 2007 by Charles Lambert

…Bernard Manning, admirer, among other things, of Mother Teresa. And before you get sentimental and talk about his perfect comic timing, read this, taken from a Guardian blog posting by Strunt: A charity dinner was held in 1995 near Manchester … Continue reading →

Posted in good riddance, human rights | 2 Comments

Your bodies, their bigotry

Posted on June 14, 2007 by Charles Lambert

Amnesty International’s recent advocacy of abortion in the case of rape, incest or risk to the woman’s health has inevitably got up some clerical noses. One of the largest belongs to cardinal Martino, president of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for … Continue reading →

Posted in berlusconi, church, human rights, politics, religion, value, vatican | Leave a comment

Naughty Fausto!

Posted on May 31, 2007 by Charles Lambert

The Families Association Forum is frothing at the mouth about the fact that Italy’s Speaker at the House of Deputies, Fausto Bertinotti, friend of Castro, Carlos and, er, the Dalai Lama and just back from a rejuvenating spiritual break on … Continue reading →

Posted in civil union, homophobia, human rights | 2 Comments

Thoughts on Family Day

Posted on May 15, 2007 by Charles Lambert

Last Saturday, over a million people (I’m quoting the organisers’ possibly over-generous estimate) gathered in Piazza San Giovanni, Rome, to assist the Vatican hierarchy in its dirty war against civil union legislation and, indirectly, the centre-left government. On the same … Continue reading →

Posted in church, civil union, family day, human rights, ratzinger, vatican | 1 Comment

Terrorism? For the love of God…

Posted on May 3, 2007 by Charles Lambert

The boundaries of what constitutes terrorism are daily being redefined in Italy. I’ve already spoken below about the way in which rough-and-ready political comment is considered a threat if the person to whom it’s addressed wears a long black frock … Continue reading →

Posted in church, human rights, ratzinger | Leave a comment

Bagnasco: Shame!

Posted on April 30, 2007 by Charles Lambert

When does a comment become a threat? Apparently, when it’s directed at the head of the Italian Episcopal Council. God’s ferret stepped down a couple of months ago, to be replaced by Archbishop Bagnasco of Genoa. This would be of … Continue reading →

Posted in church, civil union, homophobia, human rights, mafia | Leave a comment

Roy Zimmerman: Defenders of Marriage

Posted on April 23, 2007 by Charles Lambert
Posted in civil union, homophobia, human rights, religion, roy zimmerman | Leave a comment

Archbishop Arsehole stays mum over corruption

Posted on April 23, 2007 by Charles Lambert

Amid claims of Nigeria’s presidential elections being conducted in the same climate of anarchy and corruption (see this report in today’s Independent) that marked last week’s general elections, you’d have expected the moral fulcrum of the nation, Archbishop Arsehole, to … Continue reading →

Posted in homophobia, human rights | Leave a comment