Boot out Buttiglione
The vehemence of David Quinn's (today on RTE Radio 1) and Breda O Brien's (Irish Times Sat) defence of Mr Buttiglione's civil rights is a sight to behold. What is most interesting is to see such reaction dressed up in this manner as a defence of pluralism, multiculturalism, minority rights, and in Breda O Brien's article, democracy itself. We are told that Buttiglione's rights to freedom of belief and freedom of speech are being trampled on, and that this is an example of left/liberal intolerance and witch-hunting. And then O Brien has a rant about the democratic deficit, how the president of the commission should be elected etc.A few thoughts. Buttiglione is not elected. The European Parliament is. A proposal to oversee his tenure as commissioner is not actually the imposition of orthodoxy, it is parliament doing its job of oversight and holding to account. Also we need to remember what the commission is charged to do. Devise new legislative proposals, and oversee the implementation of legislation already passed. According to Labour MEP Michael Cashman, Buttiglione opposed the inclusion of sexual orientation as an area of fundamental rights during negotiation of the new constitution. Is this commissioner likely to introduce innovative porposals under a fundamental right which he opposed?
Apparently, if my Italian serves, he also did his level best to water down workplace anti-discrimination sections in Directive 2000/78/CE. (http://www.unita.it/index.asp?SEZIONE_COD=LIBE&TOPIC_TIPO=&TOPIC_ID=38120) .
Is this the man we want making sure that anti-discrimination directives are implemented?
Apparently he had serious issues with a gay march in rome, saying it was a provocation, and an offence to catholics. Multicultural indeed.
Most bizarre in the Breda O Brien article was the implied comparison of the European Parliaments bringing-to-account and the holocaust. She quotes the famous Martin Niemöller?s lines 'First they came for the Communists...'
The "demotion" of Buttiglione she implies is the thin end of the wedge. What an offensive insult to the memory of those who the Nazis also came for, and who died in their thousands wearing pink triangles.
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