letters

Five letters, five subjects

Regular writer disagrees

Regarding the editor's note in favor of homosexuality in the February 20, 2010 issue:

It is categorically wrong to suggest that those who oppose homosexual activity are "cherry-picking disparate scientific data to support their claim." Contrary to the editor there is no scientific data to support homosexual activity.

The editor can raise all the personal suspicions he wants about homosexual activity being normal but all the scientific data indicates otherwise --- that homosexual activity is an objective disorder. The Bible merely confirms what nature has produced.

Dr. Francis Collins, who received the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his work sequencing the human genetic code has stated that homosexuality is not genetically "hardwired." If genetics were determinative, then identical twins should virtually always show the same pattern of same-sex attraction. However, a study of the Australian Twin Registry showed that only 11 percent of identical twins with same-sex attraction had a twin brother who also experienced it.

Sexual orientation is a matter of self-affirmation and public declaration. Many African-Americans have come out of homosexuality, proving sexual orientation can change.

The Laumann Report, published in 1994, is today universally recognized as definitive. In summary, its major findings are that homosexuality is not a stable trait and that it tends spontaneously to convert into heterosexuality as an individual gets older; that sexual identity is not fixed at adolescence but continues to change over the course of life and that there is no evidence for homosexuality being innate.

The Western media often portrays the homosexual lifestyle and relationships as happy, healthy, and stable. On the contrary there are very high rates of sexual promiscuity among the homosexual population with short duration of even "committed" relationships. Homosexuals also have very high rates of sexually transmitted infections such as HIV.

Further, definitive studies show much higher rates of psychiatric illness, such as depression, suicide attempts and drug abuse among homosexuals than among the general population. And statistics --- which compare homosexuals with ethnic minorities exposed to racism - indicate this is not due to homophobia as the editor suggests. The homosexual lifestyle is also associated with a shortened life expectancy of up to 20 years.

In addition it is of grave concern that there is a disproportionately greater number of homosexuals among pedophiles and an overlap between the gay movement and the movement to make pedophilia acceptable --- especially through organizations like NAMBLA.

Homosexuals tend to recklessly and unjustly labels all those who oppose homosexual activity as "homophobic" --- the term "homophobia" itself intended to denote a disorder. In this way they seek to impose their own disordered behavior and lifestyle on society under the guise of tolerance.

No one "disapproves of their existence" as the editor states. They disapprove of their disordered behavior just as any parent might disapprove of their own children's desire to cheat, steal or kill. Disapproval of one's immoral activity is not the same thing as condemning the sinner. If homosexuals have been bullied in the past it is because of their open desire to foster their immoral behavior on society.

Were it to be proven that some individuals have a genetic determination to homosexuality, in itself this evidence would still not serve to invalidate the long tradition of Christian belief that homosexuality, according to the "natural law," is an unnatural or disordered condition.

"Natural" does not, as some think, refer here simply to what is in accord with biological processes of man. Nor does it refer to what is innate, nor even to what is "normal." Rather, the word "natural" has a metaphysical meaning. That is said to be "natural" which accords with what is good for human beings. Homosexual acts are contrary to the natural law because they close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. This is not only a religious statement but scientific fact.

All human beings are, in fact, in an unnatural and disordered condition. It is common to the human condition, for instance, for human beings to want to eat, drink, and sleep, more than is good for them. It is common to the human condition for humans to want to have sexual intercourse with those with whom they should not or when they should not or in ways that they should not. In this context, homosexuality is simply one more of the "unnatural" or "disordered" conditions to which humans are susceptible.

The editor states he fears that there may be a tendency to abort gay fetuses in the future. They are already using ultra-sound to kill humans in the womb because of their sex or genetic makeup. The correct response is to oppose every abortion as the senseless killing of a human being. Contrary to the editor, the Catholic Church will never sanction abortion including the abortion of gays. It respects all life. The Catholic Church states that men and women with homosexual tendencies must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity. Nonetheless, the church affirms that homosexual acts must be considered wrong and intrinsically disordered because they are contrary to the natural law.

The editor notes his approval of homosexuality by stating that one of his article of faith is that "homosexuality would not exist so abundantly in nature as it does without some reason for it being so." First of all homosexuality is not abundant in nature. Secondly its purpose is to draw men together through its correction. God did not create disorders for our approval. Sickness and suffering is God's way of drawing men together to become more compassionate and helpful toward others. Otherwise there would be anarchy.

Given the overwhelming evidence about homosexuality and it penchant for undermining the foundation of the family, homosexuals should be given no legal rights. On the contrary, homosexual activity should be vigorously opposed.

Hummingbird

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Join the world for Earth Hour 2010

At 8.30 p.m. on Saturday, 27 March, millions of people across all continents will switch off their lights for one hour --- Earth Hour --- to send a powerful message that individuals, businesses and communities around the world can work together to resolve the issue of global warming.

I would like to invite the people of Panama to join in this important global initiative. Moscow, Dallas, Rio de Janeiro, Rome, Sydney and many other world cities have already pledged their support and will be participating in Earth Hour next month. World renowned icons such as The Golden Gate Bridge, The London Eye and Table Mountain in South Africa will also be switching off their lights.

In 2009, Earth Hour reached over a billion people with more than 4000 cities and towns taking part in 88 countries and over half a billion people participating. With Panama’s help, we can come together as a planet unified by our resolve to create a sustainable future.

You can get involved by going to www.earthhour.org and registering your commitment. Unite your community by hosting an Earth Hour event such as a candlelight concert in the park and encourage people to "switch off"by turning the lights off at the Bridge of The Americas. You could even engage local businesses and celebrities to act as Earth Hour Ambassadors and communicate the Earth Hour message.

Please join the planet for Earth Hour 2010 and show the world what can be done.

Taking Leonard Peltier's case to the United Nations

A call to action at the UN Universal Periodic Review to assess US compliance with human rights obligations:

The United States is a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) and will be reviewed for the first time this year by the HRC's Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process in November 2010. Under the UPR all 192 UN member States (countries) are reviewed every four years to assess compliance with their obligations to respect and implement human rights for all. The review is based on each country's national report as well as independent submissions from "civil society stakeholders," including Indigenous Peoples.

The Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee is participating in the national report in a number of different ways, but we can't be in all places at one time. Therefore, we're asking supporters to attend the US State Department's "listening sessions" around the country and speak up on Leonard's behalf. While five sessions have already occurred, there are still five locations where sessions will occur during the next several weeks. These are unique opportunities to bring attention to Leonard's case and the human rights violations to which he has been subjected by the US government.

Session Schedule

• El Paso, TX, on March 8-9; Location: Camino Real Hotel

• Birmingham, AL, on March 11-12, Location: Miles College

• New Mexico, on March 16 and 17; Locations: UNM Law School (16th); Window Rock, Navajo Nation (17th). The NM sessions have been planned specifically for Indigenous Peoples and Nations, to receive input for its national report. Focus themes for the Albuquerque session will include Sovereignty and Self Determination, Nation to Nation Relations, Lands, Territories and Natural Resources, Treaty Rights and Sacred Sites among others.

• Chicago, IL, Date TBC, Location: TBC

• San Francisco, CA, on March 25-26, Location TBC (USF Law School and/or Boalt Hall, UC Berkeley)

Although these cities have been confirmed, in some cases the meeting sites and/or local contact organizations are still being worked out with the onsite hosts and Coordinating Committees. The best contact at this time for specific information about the rest of these listening sessions and who you can contact for more information about participation is Sarah Paoletti, Senior Coordinator for the US Human Rights Network UPR Project. She can be reached at paoletti@law.upenn.edu. You can also contact Laura Baum, USHRN Staff Coordinator at lbaum@ushrnetwork.org.

A word from Leonard: He's pleased that supporters are stepping up to speak on his behalf this way. He thanks you and asks only that you do your homework. It's imperative that you relay complete and accurate information.

If you need assistance with preparing your statement for a session, contact us. We'll be happy to brainstorm with you. Otherwise, we recommend that you use "In the Spirit of Crazy Horse" by Peter Matthiessen as your source material.

Time to set him free --- because it is the RIGHT thing to do.

Carnival catastrophe

I was stunned to read the letter to the editor commenting on the three floats in the Carnival Parade! Three? When I used to stand on the sidewalk and watch float after float go by as a child until I was so exhausted I had to sit on the curb, all the polleras in their gorgeous outfits, necklaces and hair decorations, the montunos accompanying them and the spectacular themes of the floats, it makes me want to cry.

Mr. Martinelli apparently does not understand the history or customs he is destroying or the strong feelings we Panamanians have for our treasured traditions. The celebration and the culmination with the burial of the prince turned back into a fish is not something to mess with. And I am not being sarcastic. The next day you went to Ash Wednesday mass and began Lent. Perhaps the Cardinal and the cultural historians should have a sit-down with the President and explain some things to him.

Jim Hadstate

Editor's note: Alas, Panama has no Cardinal, and even if we did the Catholic Church disparages Carnival as a remnant of paganism featuring behavior of which the church disapproves. Not only the Catholics, but also other denominations, use the Carnival holidays for religious retreats that offer an alternative to the drinking and revelry. Then there is the annual post-Carnival religious procession to Atalaya, which also attracts a few tourists from abroad as well as thousands of Panamanian pilgrims.