|
JOBS | DATING | PROPERTY | SHOPPING |
|
|
THE SMART NEWS SOURCE | Feb 10 2010 11:22 | LAST UPDATED Feb 10 2010 11:22 |
|
Italian political leaders of left and right united on Wednesday to condemn a European court ruling that crucifixes displayed in schools are a breach of human rights. The Italian government, the Vatican and Catholic right wing parties quickly attacked the European Court of Human Rights ruling in response to a case brought by an Italian mother opposed to the hanging of crucifixes on classroom walls. But even Pierluigi Bersani, head of the main left wing opposition Democratic Party, joined the assault on Wednesday, saying "common sense has become a victim of the law". The liberal Italy of Values party said the ruling was "an erroneous response". The Strasbourg court found that the right of parents to educate their children according to their own beliefs, and childrens' right to freedom of religion, were breached by the crucifix in classrooms. Crucifixes in classrooms could also be "disturbing for pupils" from other religions and ethnic minorities, the court found, saying that there was a breach of the European Convention on Human Rights. The Italian bishops' conference denounced the court as "partial and ideological". Vatican spokesperson Federico Lombardi said the Church reacted "with astonishment and regret". "The crucifix has always been a sign of God's love, unity and hospitality to all humanity. It is unpleasant that it is considered a sign of division, exclusion or a restriction of freedom," he said. Education Minister Mariastella Gelmini said the cross was part of Italian tradition. "No one, and certainly not an ideological European court, will succeed in erasing our identity," Gelmini said. "The presence of the crucifix in classrooms is not a sign of belief in Catholicism, rather it is a symbol of our tradition."  CONTINUES BELOW The government has said an appeal will be made. Alessandra Mussolini, granddaughter of the Italian dictator Benito Mussolinio, said the ruling aimed to "wipe out our Christian roots". The case was brought by Soile Lautsi. Italian judges threw out her case after years of legal wrangling, ruling on more than one occasion the crucifix had become as much a symbol of Italian national identity as of Catholicism. But the European court ruled in Lautsi's favour on Tuesday and awarded her €5 000. Lautsi launched the action eight years ago to defend her children, Dataico and Sami Albertin, aged 11 and 13, who went to a state school in Abano Terme near Venice. Taking the case up to Italy's Constitutional Court and council of state, she used the example of a 2000 court ruling which found crucifixes in polling stations against the principle of secularism of the state. The Corriere della Sera newspaper said the Strasbourg court had carried out "a little miracle, creating almost national unity to defend the symbol of Christianism". Commentator Massimo Franco wrote in the newspaper that the outrage in Italy went beyond "political and even religious membership" but warned that the court could also boost more fundamentalist tendencies inside the Roman Catholic Church. But La Stampa newspaper said that "if a religion is strong, if it has faith in its ability to create faith, then it does not need special protection". Some right wing politicians have said that Italy's Christian roots should be enshrined in the country's Constitution. -- AFP TOPICS IN THIS ARTICLE
Comments
Good - keep them out of the classrooms.
J VM on November 4, 2009, 3:55 pm
Yeah, and I bet the same group that goes along with you has no problem with an islamic or Jewish item in the classrom? I laugh at people who say the cross is offensive. Christians do more for mankind than atheist or the islam radicals. Where are the atheist soup kitchens, hospitals, or helping the poor? All they do is use their money for suing. So, I am glad your group won another one. No crosses in the classroom accomplishes alot!
Christine Mulcahy on November 5, 2009, 3:21 am
Yeah, and I bet the same group that goes along with you has no problem with an islamic or Jewish item in the classroom? I laugh at people who say the cross is offensive. Christians do more for mankind than atheist or the islam radicals. Where are the atheist soup kitchens, hospitals, or helping the poor? All they do is use their money for suing. So, I am glad your group won another one. No crosses in the classroom accomplishes alot!
Christine Mulcahy on November 5, 2009, 3:30 am
click here to log in
M&G Online Comment Guidelines In Brief
Advertising Links
|
2,3-million titles to choose from.
iPod nano 16GB - Black, Was R2,499.00 Now R2,299.00! Save R200!
46 000 DVDs and Blu-Ray on sale now!
100s of new releases now in stock. Get the new Sade & Bon Jovi albums.
Widest toy range and unbeatable prices!
AdvertisementsAdvertising links |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3 comments
Make us your home page | Add our headlines to your site | Desktop news with NewsFlash
Contact us | About us | Story tip-offs | Online advertising | Print advertising | Subscriptions | Topics A-Z | Corrections | Mobile sites
All material © Mail & Guardian Online. Material may not be published or reproduced in any form without prior written permission.
Read the site privacy policy and Ispa code of conduct relating to our blog hosting.
RSS feed
This site is proudly hosted by Internet Solutions. We are a member of the Online Publishers Association.
Contact us | About us | Story tip-offs | Online advertising | Print advertising | Subscriptions | Topics A-Z | Corrections | Mobile sites
All material © Mail & Guardian Online. Material may not be published or reproduced in any form without prior written permission.
Read the site privacy policy and Ispa code of conduct relating to our blog hosting.
RSS feed
This site is proudly hosted by Internet Solutions. We are a member of the Online Publishers Association.
 |  |  |