Andrew Sciberras

In the beginning it was the threat of secularism. This was then followed by the great threat of gender theory. We have now moved on to the dictatorship of relativism. This the Church has claimed. It would be apt to give a brief definition of these principles, that's what Wikipedia is for after all.

• Secularism is the assertion that governmental practices or institutions should exist separately from religion and/or religious beliefs (e.g. a state that is neutral on matters of belief and gives no privileges to a specific religion or religions).
• Gender theory studies the social and cultural constructions of masculinity and femininity. It does not refer to biological difference but rather to cultural difference between the sexes (e.g. "one is not born a woman but becomes one").
• Relativism is the idea that some elements or experience of culture are relative to, i.e. dependent on, other elements or aspects (e.g. "you can't judge other cultures by the standards of your own").

Secularism

It was on the 8th September 2008 when Archbishop Cremona declared the "ideology of secularism" a threat for Christians and the Church, obviously. This came in the light of renewed discussions and interest on divorce legislation, which by the way does not exist in Malta (the only other country in the world where divorce is inexistant is The Philippines). He claimed that after divorce, abortion and euthansia will follow as if they are one and the same concept. It is this secularism, which according to the Archbishop is a powerful influence on State law that threatens to destroy the social fabric of the country. He linked the secularist ideology with that of Fascism and Nazism.

What the Archbiship forgot to mention is that the Church has in the very recent past held extraordinary powers, which have since been minutely diminished. Amongst other things he also failed to mention that the Constitution of Malta declares the Roman Catholic Apostolic Faith as the national religion (Art. 2.1); gives to the Church exclusive power to teach society right principles from wrong ones (2.2); and furthermore that Catholiscism is to be taught at State schools on a compulsory basis (2.3). He did not mention that the Church has a vast hoard of wealth, land, including radio stations, newspapers and tv channels. What he also failed to mention was that extreme political ideologies such as Fascism and Nazism or at least resembling them, of which he was so critical, are ironically the fruit of religious fundamentalism and the fear of other races, religions and cultures. One other thing. The Archbishop forgot to say that the arts are still subject to censor under those same rules existing since the 1930's.

Gender theory

According to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, the idea that one should be allowed to exrpess his masculinity or her femininity in privacy and freedom, i.e. in a way in which he or she sees fit is also a grave threat. In the same way that one must conserve the environment one should conserve gender. Although he did not say it plainly, what he did mean to say was that homosexuality is destructive. This renewed dogma was also echoed in Malta. In a time when the gay community (including Christian gays) is still trying to seek equal rights and inclusion this must have been a huge slap in the face.

Relativism

Gozitan Bishop Mario Grech has been recently infuriated at the degeneration of the Nadur Carnival festivities. Society is living under the dictatorship of relativism where people thought they were free from legal or ethical boundaries and could do what they wanted. I would like to ask the Bishop what dictatorship is he talking about. On the same day that he released this statement I had a lecture in philosophy of ethics. Does he know what the subject material is? Well, it is basically a one-sided approach praising the ethical approaches of Aristotle, Aquinas and a more contemporary philosopher Alasdair MacIntyre who lambasts modern society for failing to revive the traditional morality of Aristotle and claims that the liberalism and reliativsm emerging from the Enlightnment is the downfall of ethics and virtue. This particular subject was compulsory. I have no other choice but to take it and study it. You tell me... where does the dictatorship arise from exactly?

It seems to me that secularists, homosexuals and liberals do not even come close to being dictators. Those, like me, who fall under one such category still wonder 5 years later why on earth we joined the EU. They do not feel that the only reason was for funding and easier passage. Perhaps they sincerely believed that we would finally conform with the broad civil rights ,and to put it plainly, the common sense of our EU counter-parts. We were wrong.

Dictatorship is coming from other quarters.

An odd title but a fantastic movie on many levels. 'Milk' tells the story of American gay rights activist turned politician Harvey Milk (Sean Penn). Set in the years 1970 - 1978 the movie is a great eye-opener on the scarcity of gay civil rights at the time, a time mired by extreme conservatism and religious fundamentalism. It is a the moving saga of a man who took to the streets of San Francisco, California telling the world that gay men and women are not sick, not a threat to society but humans of flesh and blood, humans endowed with inalianable rights just like anyone else. Against all odds, Milk and his movement managed to overcome a law that would have had all gay teachers lose their job just because of their sexual orientation. Milk tragically lost his life in a cold-blooded assasination conducted by his psycopathic ex-political colleague Dan White in November of 1978.

Sean Penn, who brilliantly portrayed the role of Milk and for which he won an oscar, opened his speech on a light note, thanking the "commie, homo-loving sons of guns" who awarded him his prestigious prize. Yet it's not all humor, for Penn then goes on to say

Persecution and blatant discriminatory treatment for gays was abolished in Malta decades ago and their rights reinforced under the community law of the EU. But it's not all that rosey for Maltese gays. Gay marriage is still light-years away in a country were the relationship between Church and State, or let's put it this way, religion and "secular" politics is still very strong. It was only by the intervention of gay-rights activist Dr. Patrick Attard that an utterly brutal and hateful book "The Catholic Church and Homosexuality" (a book which claimed aids is God's answer for homosexuality and defended the slaughter of gays in the past) was removed from the book-shelves. Like Dr. Attard I am myself confused as to how a person, such as Norman Lowell receives a suspended sentence for inciting racial hatred in his speeches, and the Church does not even issue one apology for selling and promoting this book. The religio et patria (religion and country) sentiment, believe it or not, is still very much alive today. Just take a look at today's politicians and opinionists writing on newspapers.

Back to the point...gay persons also lack other basic rights afforded to heterosexual couples. A clear example is in rent law. Whereas legally married heterosexual couples have the successory rights to a rent, cohabiting and/or gay couples do not. Why? The reason is because the PN (who is in power) is not 'liberal' according to vice prime minister Tonio Borg:

When I look at the Constitution, the European Convention for Human Rights, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights the principle consistently embodied therein is one: "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood." I cannot for the life of me understand how we hold such a noble truth in high regard and yet supress it at the same time. I'm sure Harvey Milk would be most displeased with this current status-quo. I'm sure he would not just sit back and take it however. He would say: it is time to come out of the closet and fight!

For this I congratulate Dr. Attard who is doing a fantastic job - he has my full support.

Well, it's another post on immigration - that dreadful topic that is consuming the country with incessant fear, for that's what I've been told. When I questioned this fear and the utter hatred for migrants I was told to shut up; that I was naive and that I had no idea how much people are scared. I was also told that I wouldn't dare go to Marsa at night. Moreover, when I said that I do not believe in that patriotic slogan"Malta l-ewwel u qabel kollox" (because Malta can never come before the basic rights and dignity of human beings the world-over) I was branded an idealist and a dreamer. I was told people are alarmed, frightened out of their senses and that we must tackle the problem head on rather then let it dangle in vacuum. I was told that I am living in a state of isolation and denial.

Well guess what. I do not deny a single charge. I do not deny that people are consumed with fear. I do not deny that this is an urgent national matter. I do not deny that I am an idealist. I do not deny that I am cut off from the pulse of the people.

1. Fear

The extent of the fear is so deep that it has led ultra-nationalist organizations like CNI to claim that we must "send them back without exception" and AN suggesting that we must immediately suspend our international obligations under the Geneva and Dublin II conventions. The Maltese people must be brave in face of this great invasion and fight for freedom and sovreignty like our fore-fathers did they say. The UN and EU dictators must not be allowed passage to detention centers and they have no right to tell us what to do. They should just shut the hell up and take the migrants themselves if they are so concerned. We don't want them here. I am to understand that the political ramifications and international sanctions incurred as a consequence are simply something that we should have to endure.

2. Urgency

Malta is a tiny country - roughly 4 times smaller than New York city just to give an idea. I don't know if my math is correct but lets assume, for the sake of argument, that 1 migrant in Malta is equivalent to approximately 1000 in Germany. Clearly Malta cannot handle the influx alone and it needs assistance. This I neither deny and I have said it many times over. It is for this reason that this is a national urgent matter, perhaps justifying the use of the word 'crisis'. In fact Muscat from the Labour Party harped upon its importance in parliament. He is correct to do so but I just hope he knows what he is doing. I hope that he has not fallen victim to the national socialist sentiment of his predecessors writing in l-orizzont and betrays the progressive social democrat ideals he is fighting for in the process. That would lead to a crisis of my own. But a strategy and set of proposals on the matter is yet to be drawn up by the LP and one must wait and see with what they come up with before rushing to any conclusions.

3. Idealism

Yes I am an idealist and I have no shame either. If the belief that all men and women of this earth are born free and equal is tantamount to fantasy and idealism than I am that. If the belief that persons have a human right to flee a nation in which they will be persecuted owing to reasons of race, nationality, religion, political opinion is idealism then I am an idealist. Moreover , if the belief that a person although found guilty of entering a country illegaly should still be treated with dignity and detained in humane conditions is idealism then I am an idealist. Guilty as charged.

4. Denial

I was never a socialite. I'm not a church-goer, I don't really attend meetings, go to pubs for a beer or have chats with the locals at the party or band club. In this regard I must admit that I am rather unaware of the 'word on the street'. For this reason it may be said that I am in denial and not much more than an armchair critic. My looking glass is the news and the respective comments, opinions and letters held therein and I don't like what I see and read most of the time especially on this matter. In any case I don't care if I am alone in my isolated idealistic views. I believe that one day they will be vindicated.