Swedish diplomat and Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Thomas Hammarberg speaks out on the Lithuania Gay Pride ban:
“I am seriously concerned about the decision of the Vilnius District Administrative Court to suspend the permit given by the Vilnius municipality to hold the Baltic Pride march “For Equality”, scheduled for 8 May.
“If the suspension of the permit will be prolonged and lead to a definite ban of the march, this means a setback in the implementation of agreed human rights standards.
In particular, the right to peacefully assembly guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights, as well as by the Lithuanian Constitution, is hindered.
“This right applies to all persons, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) persons. States have therefore a positive duty to ensure that Pride festivals or demonstrations promoting LGBT rights can take place peacefully and that participants are protected, even if the ideas they promote may annoy or upset other people.
“Banning Pride festivals is alien to the values of a modern European country and contrary to Council of Europe standards.
“I hope that the decision will be overturned and that the Baltic Pride march can take place with all the guarantees of security and protection for the participants.
“This could also be an occasion to foster a constructive dialogue in the Lithuanian society to overcome persistent discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, which is still an unfortunate reality also in many other European countries.
“LGBT persons are human beings and deserve to enjoy the same rights as others.”
Thomas Hammarberg
Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights
“LGBT persons are human beings and deserve to enjoy the same rights as others.”
“This right applies to all persons, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) persons. States have therefore a positive duty to ensure that Pride festivals or demonstrations promoting LGBT rights can take place”.
By the reasoning of this person we should also have “Bestiality pride parade” why not? they are also humans, they just like cows, chikens, dogs, etc. And we should bring our chlidren and family to the bestiallity parades and let them be exposed and learn from this lifestyle so they can become more “toleratn” and.. why not? maybe go into bestiallyti themselves.
What about “Alcoholic pride parade” why not? they are humans too, and if they want to parade their lifestyle and be proud of beeing an alcoholic, we should support them and encourage them.
You might say, these are negative things, why to relate gay with something negative? but give it enough time and promote it hard enough, in every other TV series and movie, and media outlet and in no time it will become very normal, in every other TV series or movie instead of just having the gay person(that seems to me that is almost like required by law to have), well, we just have to put in every other movie and TV series the funy cool fashonable bestiality lover, and a cool inteligent good looking alcoholic, give them a TV show or two to host and you’ll see, in no time it will be ok.
If beeing straight is normal and beeing gay is normal too, why do I have to parade it?? shall straight people have the “straight parade”?, shouldn’t straight people be also proud of beeing stright and parade it? or should straight and gay people be just people and none have to be parading it to the world, I’m straight!!! or I’m gay!!! what’s the point? attention? trying to convince others of my life style?
To answer your question Yes they should be allowed to have a Bestiality Pride Parade(as long as there is no actual bestiality at the parade), and Alcoholic Pride Parade. TV Shows? That should be up to whoever owns the TV Show.
Not because these are good things that should be promoted, but because of FREEDOM OF SPEECH.
It should not be up to the state to decide what views can and can not be expressed. The right response to bad speech is more speech. If they hold a Gay Pride Parade or even a Bestiality Pride Parade, get a group together to organize a protest of the parade on the same day. Don’t go asking the government to silence them.
It shouldn’t even matter if Neo-Nazis want to hold a rally. I abhor Nazis but I would not deny them their freedom of speech. Why doesn’t Lithuania make an example by allowing all groups and all opinions freedom of speech regardless of whether Lithuanians agree with these opinions and then use their example to point at other European countries and call them out for their limits on free speech of certain groups such as racists and nazis.