Facta, Non Verba

This week, social media has been buzzing with the age-old controversial matter of some public figures who have decided to "come out".

Actress Ellen Page's inspirational and emotional speech is doing the rounds on Facebook...

and Michael Sam, to name but a few...

...of the many celebrities who, despite living in modern and civilized societies, still feel the need to announce their sexual preferences in public. It's as if these people have something criminal to confess. They haven't.

This troubles me. A great deal.

Why should anyone, celebrity or not, feel the need to inform the public of their intimate preferences? Is it any one's business?

Why should so many organizations and pressure groups protect and promote the rights of so many minority groups at the expense of other just-as-worthy causes?

Surely, the better option is for all rights groups to merge and work together for the common good.

Strength in numbers.

After all, human rights issues should not be fragmented, diluted, dispersed and separated form each other. We should join forces with all rights groups and create one, multifaceted global movement to promote Human Rights. Unconditional human rights.

We already have the International Court Of Human Rights in Geneva. An organization that would undoubtedly welcome the "coming together" instead of the "coming out" of all human rights pressure groups.

Better still, all Human and Animal Rights.

The rights of gay and lesbian people are no more important than starving children's rights. Or the absent rights of millions of women and children displaced by wars caused by avaricious and megalomaniac men.

How about the rights, or lack of, of so many young girls in cultures that award them less rights than livestock?

Should anyone be so single-minded as to fight against inequality of one kind and not the other? Isn't that promoting a shattered society? Care for some but not for the masses?

If I were a celebrity would I need to announce my preferences in public? Would I need to pronounce my undying preference for women? Especially beautiful ones? Petite and feminine? Hell, no. It would bore the pants off most people if I did so.

But since they're all at it, I may as well come out and show you a photo of my unerring preference...

Tania, a friend from Madeira, graciously exhibits all of my preferences

The danger I foresee with this "coming out" modern phenomena is the marginalization and trivialization of other serious human conditions.

Let's all get together for the rights of all creatures who inhabit our wonderful and diverse planet.

And as the title suggests, Actions Speak Louder Than Words

I'd appreciate your views on this subject - please leave a comment.

Thanks

:)

Contentious News of The Week

A few News items this week have grabbed my attention to the point I need to think about them and then express my views. I'm sure we all do it to a degree - comment on what's happening around us.

Despite my new found optimism and desire to not dwell on upsetting events (in fact I try to overlook them completely) some matters are not easy to ignore. Especially when they contravene human rights.

(...)

Over in the US, 15 year old Tuesday Cain, who in my opinion is a smart and free-thinking young lady, has come into unjust and vile criticism over her stance against anti-abortion and pro-lifers (the religious bigots who, ironically, normally support capital punishment and the right to bear arms, but not the right of women to choose).

Ms Cain penned the placard message her friend was to hoist  for all to see.

Controversial or just plain genius?

Tuesday is being unfairly ridiculed, offended and judged by the Religious Right bigots who apparently are followers of a man who asked his flock to be fair to all and not to judge others.

Damn cretins! I'd love to address them one day and spell out a few home truths.

Tuesday, keep up the good work and never let anyone silence you or deny you of your rights to express your views, especially when it comes to human rights. Those who attack you are the fools, the lambs-to-slaughter idiots who live by the words of ancient drug-using scribes that were commissioned by the church to write a book of rules. A book (The Bible) full of contradictions, misogynist propaganda and damn right lies.

Let the fools rant on girl, for they will run out of steam eventually and will go the way of the dinosaurs. Your views will remain and be carried forward by the intelligent and the rational majority.

(...)

Another recent video that almost made me weep was the following plea by 11 year old Yemeni girl Nada, who had to run away from parents intent on marrying her off to some older man. This beautiful and articulate little girl is highlighting an injustice that befalls so many innocent children who are unfortunate to be born into archaic societies with cultural habits that no civilized human should tolerate.

Watch Nada's attempts to explain the unjust situation she has to face on this Youtube Link

Don't you just want to take her home, protect her and give her the chance in life she deserves? I do. Her and all the other who need help.

Thanks to the power of social media, this video has had nearly 8 million views in a couple of weeks and prompted the government of The Yemen to reinforce their own laws against child marriage.

(...)

On a lighter note, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby - head of the Church of England - has spoken out against the parasitic pay-day loan companies whose offices are now in every high street.

Companies such as Wonga who charge exorbitant rates of interest on short-term loans to the people who have no other port of call. The vulnerable poor.

Akin to loan-sharks of the past, these companies have acquired, unjustly, some semblance of respect - and that is a huge social problem. Archbishop Welby wants to finance a project that enables the Church of England to provide loans to the most needy.

I can imagine possible slogans for the new Church Enterprise. Maybe "A Wad From God" or " Money From Heaven".

Just Justin

I don't know how you all feel about the church acting as money lenders but I for one agree wholeheartedly.

It is not the first time the Christian Protestants intervene against social injustices. Unlike the Vatican and all the rest.

I would appreciate your views, dear readers, for your views count more than you can possibly imagine.

:)

human rights...and wrongs - Part II

On my blog entry of 11/05/2010, "human rights and wrongs",I wrote about the subject of "gay adoption" and mentioned my concerns for the children involved. I urged caution and a fostering system first, followed by assessments, before allowing full adoption. After watching the TV documentary "My Weird & Wonderful Family", aired a few nights ago, about 2 gay men (millionaires) from Essex, who have, by means of surrogate parenting, "obtained" 5 children, I am more concerned than ever!

I say "obtained" for obvious reasons. They had to travel to California, for legal reasons, to choose a surrogate mum. Once chosen and the $50,000 fee paid, the woman's ova were fertilized by the "daddy's" sperm. End result= 5 babies bought by 2 wealthy gay men!

Dad and Daddy seem like a nice couple, devoted to their children, but,.. sadly missing the point. The daughter is being brought up by two dads and surrounded by four brothers. She is obese and to me,looks bewildered. She has asked to meet her biological mother but that request has been declined by the "mum", who has since sold countless other babies .

What must this girl think of women? Will she grow up to think women are "unnecessary" , a "commodity" who sometimes have babies only so as to sell them on?

Her "mother" created her for money and now refuses to see her!!! Tragic situation as far as I am concerned.

If "Dad and Daddy" felt such desire to have children, why not try to adopt the ones already here who need a home? Why create new ones, who, by no fault of their own, will never meet their real mums?

Almost all of the people I have ever met through life , be they boys or girls, feel a stronger affinity to their mums than they do their dads. Most of society, including the judiciary system, realises that young children are better off with their mothers. It's a shame "dad and daddy" from Essex don't seem to agree and instead seem to believe that money can buy them whatever they want.

I hope it all turns out OK for the children...but I have my doubts... only time will tell

seen but not heard...The Burka

I support the old saying "when in Rome do as the romans do". With some European countries moving towards banning the wearing of burkas in public, I await in anticipation to see where it all leads. I agree that it should and must be banned. I would be arrested if I went to the local shopping centre with the same head-wear. The backlash has started, muslim fundamentalist are outraged, they see it as an infringement of their rights.To most sensible people, forcing women to wear the burka can only be seen as an infringement of those women´s rights.The human face is our means of identification, that´s why photos are used in passports, drivers licences etc. But are there actually many muslim women complaining? Women the world over want to look beautiful and show their charms and be complimented. It´s as natural as their desire to be clean and fragrant. Are western women allowed to dress as they like in the muslim world? Allowed to show a bit of leg and tummy? Not a chance! A lot of muslim men want their women to cover up for whatever reason,but won´t allow western women the freedom to dress as they like in their world. Double standards once again, from societies that treat their women as second-class citizens. If the western society is unacceptable to some, those same people should stay where they belong and feel happy. No one is forcing them to head west! But should they wish to join our modern, fair,successful "Rome, then they should do as the romans do".....

human rights...and wrongs

The "old chestnut" topic is back at the fore. I´m referring to "gay adoption". I am a supporter of full human rights to all, regardless of race,creed,religious or sexual orientation.If gay couples wish to be married, that´s understandable and a civil ceremony should be available to all. But, something seems wrong with this adoption topic. Are the powers that be forgetting about "children´s rights"? No one seems to mention it! Incredible! If gay couples wish to adopt, are they thinking about the child´s welfare fully? Are there children who would rather be adopted by same sex couples? I very much doubt that, but that´s only my opinion. We all know how cruel some school children can be when they find out some one else´s weaknesses and differences. Should we not embark on a fostering program first? A sort of trial run with psychological assessments after 5 or 10 years? If it all worked out to the child´s benefit, then, and only then, adoption could be considered. It´s like a race for political correctness gone wrong. Why rush? Why gamble with children´s lives? Why do so many people think they can acquire/buy anything they want? It´s a case of not "seeing the wood for the trees"...Mad world...