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SINCE WHEN EUROPEAN VALUES HAVE BOILED DOWN TO A SINGLE ISSUE OF SEXUAL MINORITY RIGHTS?
Mediamax, Armenia
March 29 2013
by Zohrab Mnatsakanian
Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister
Since when European values have boiled down to a single issue of
sexual minority rights?
Since when European values have boiled down to a single issue of
sexual minority rights? Millions of Parisians marching in support
of the traditional family are apparently outside the European
values system. Nonsense, isn't it? Because they are posterity to
Montesquieu and Voltaire, to Camus and Sartre, and the list will go
on for several pages. Because European values are a product of at
least three millennia of civilisation, from Aristotle and Plato to
Narekatsi and Gosh to Renaissance and Reformation, to Bentham and Mill,
to Hegel and Rousseau, to Cobden and Adam Smith, to Mazzini and Dunant,
to Dostoyevsky and Bulgakov, to industrial revolution, free trade,
national liberation and civil liberties. Because Europe has known
colonialism and war, discrimination and genocide, and because it has
risen from the ashes of shame to the common values of democracy, human
rights and fundamental freedoms.This is exactly what we claim fit for
our society and for our children. This is exactly the foundation we
see fit for our sustainable social and economicdevelopment. These are
not some abstract values imposed by outsiders. As a matter of fact,
these are our values, enshrined in our Constitution, which also happen
to be common European values.
On the more specific issue of sexual minorities, we have every reason
to object to the rights claims of sexual minorities, especially when
they challenge the integrity of the social fabric with the family as
a consensual union of a man and a woman, at the centre of it, or when
they collide with the rights of the child. However, whether we like
it or not, sexual minorities are amongst us, they live in the same
society, they are part of it. When our objections enter the domain
of abuse, discrimination and ultimately persecution, we inadvertently
differ little from any oppressor. To discriminate on one ground is a
licence to discriminate on any ground, whether national, religious,
ethnic or other. Then you know where the society takes itself. History
has given ample examples. How many people have been burnt to ashes
because they were different in colour, belief, language, ethnic origin
or political views? Europe, and us in particular, have seen enough of
it in the past to understand that there is no such thing as selective
discrimination.If a society accepts discrimination on one ground, it
is ready to discriminate on any other. A democratic society respects
fundamental freedoms, including freedom to personal life. To stay
away from other peoples' bedrooms is not just a matter of a right to
privacy, but also basic civility.Equally, parading sexuality is an
ugly invitation to one's bedroom privacy. Bottom line is that it is
our basic common European value not to discriminate. In the streets
of Paris I would march on the side of those in support of traditional
family, but would strongly object to the presence of hate induced
discriminators amongst my ranks. It is a complex issue, indeed.
Trivialisation of public debate about values and sexual minorities
undermines the seriousness of both issues and challenges the strength
and maturity of a society.
Zohrab Mnatsakanian is the Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister.
These views are his own.
http://www.mediamax.am/en/column/12412/
From: A. Papazian
Mediamax, Armenia
March 29 2013
by Zohrab Mnatsakanian
Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister
Since when European values have boiled down to a single issue of
sexual minority rights?
Since when European values have boiled down to a single issue of
sexual minority rights? Millions of Parisians marching in support
of the traditional family are apparently outside the European
values system. Nonsense, isn't it? Because they are posterity to
Montesquieu and Voltaire, to Camus and Sartre, and the list will go
on for several pages. Because European values are a product of at
least three millennia of civilisation, from Aristotle and Plato to
Narekatsi and Gosh to Renaissance and Reformation, to Bentham and Mill,
to Hegel and Rousseau, to Cobden and Adam Smith, to Mazzini and Dunant,
to Dostoyevsky and Bulgakov, to industrial revolution, free trade,
national liberation and civil liberties. Because Europe has known
colonialism and war, discrimination and genocide, and because it has
risen from the ashes of shame to the common values of democracy, human
rights and fundamental freedoms.This is exactly what we claim fit for
our society and for our children. This is exactly the foundation we
see fit for our sustainable social and economicdevelopment. These are
not some abstract values imposed by outsiders. As a matter of fact,
these are our values, enshrined in our Constitution, which also happen
to be common European values.
On the more specific issue of sexual minorities, we have every reason
to object to the rights claims of sexual minorities, especially when
they challenge the integrity of the social fabric with the family as
a consensual union of a man and a woman, at the centre of it, or when
they collide with the rights of the child. However, whether we like
it or not, sexual minorities are amongst us, they live in the same
society, they are part of it. When our objections enter the domain
of abuse, discrimination and ultimately persecution, we inadvertently
differ little from any oppressor. To discriminate on one ground is a
licence to discriminate on any ground, whether national, religious,
ethnic or other. Then you know where the society takes itself. History
has given ample examples. How many people have been burnt to ashes
because they were different in colour, belief, language, ethnic origin
or political views? Europe, and us in particular, have seen enough of
it in the past to understand that there is no such thing as selective
discrimination.If a society accepts discrimination on one ground, it
is ready to discriminate on any other. A democratic society respects
fundamental freedoms, including freedom to personal life. To stay
away from other peoples' bedrooms is not just a matter of a right to
privacy, but also basic civility.Equally, parading sexuality is an
ugly invitation to one's bedroom privacy. Bottom line is that it is
our basic common European value not to discriminate. In the streets
of Paris I would march on the side of those in support of traditional
family, but would strongly object to the presence of hate induced
discriminators amongst my ranks. It is a complex issue, indeed.
Trivialisation of public debate about values and sexual minorities
undermines the seriousness of both issues and challenges the strength
and maturity of a society.
Zohrab Mnatsakanian is the Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister.
These views are his own.
http://www.mediamax.am/en/column/12412/
From: A. Papazian