Politics
Monday March 26, 2007
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British PM Blair Celebrates Passage of Sexual Orientation Regulations at Homosexual Activist Banquet
Praises legislation, that will penalize Christian moral teaching, for having a "civilizing effect" on society
By Gudrun Schultz
LONDON, United Kingdom, March 26, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - British Prime Minister Tony Blair celebrated the House of Lord's March 21 vote in favour of the controversial Sexual Orientation Regulations by attending an Equality fundraising dinner the following evening, put on by the UK's leading homosexual activist organization Stonewall.
The SOR passed by a 168-122 vote in the House, ensuring the implementation of new "anti-discrimination" policies beginning April 30.
In his speech at the Stonewall event, PM Blair said it was a "real honour" to be in attendance and thanked members of Stonewall, saying "we couldn't have done it without you."
PM Blair said of all the pro-homosexual legislation passed in recent years, the civil partnership law gave him more than just pride, "it actually brought real joy." The first same-sex civil union caused him to give "a little sort of skip," he said, it was "just so alive, and I was so struck by it."
He praised pro-homosexual legislation for having a "civilizing effect" on society, saying "by taking a stand on this issue and by removing a piece of prejudice and discrimination, and by enabling people to stand proud as what they are, it has had an impact that I think is far more profound on the way the country thinks about itself.”
Highly controversial, the Sexual Orientation Regulations have raised sharp concerns among religious leaders and some members of Parliament who see the legislation as tool to silence opposition towards homosexual ideology in the country.
In particular, Christian schools will face policies forbidding any teaching against homosexuality, and the requirement that all schools institute policies against "homophobia".
The Joint Committee on Human Rights, composed of members of Parliament and the House of Lords, issued a report late in February recommending that Christian schools be forced to modify religious instruction under the new regulations, "so that homosexual pupils are not subjected to teaching, as part of the religious education or other curriculum, that their sexual orientation is sinful or morally wrong."
The Equality Dinner reportedly raised more than £230,000--Stonewall said the money would be directed towards the group's ongoing efforts to implement the Education for All program targeting anti-homosexual content in schools. Saying it was an "incredible thing" that the vote was won, Blair applauded Stonewall's work in pushing through the legislation, saying it was an achievement he would "look back on...with pride.
Read full text of PM Blair's speech:
http://ukgaynews.org.uk/Archive/07/March/2301.htm
See previous LifeSiteNews coverage:
UK Christians to Anglican Bishops – Show up and Vote Against SOR’s or Forget About Relevance
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/mar/07032008.html
UK: Religious Schools May Not Teach Christian Sexual Morals "As if They Were Objectively True"
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/mar/07030504.html
Attempt to Defeat “Homophobic Hate Crimes” Legislation Fails in House of Lords
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/jan/07011202.html
Oppressive Sexual Orientation Regs Pass in UK Parliament; House of Lords Tomorrow
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/mar/07032004.html
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