The chairman of the Party of Regions and leader of the faction in the Seimas, Jonas Pinskus, together with his colleagues, proposes to prohibit the provision of any information about LGBTIQ persons in educational institutions without the written consent of parents.
If the ban was not followed, then violators could be fined a thousand euros.
Such an initiative outraged the Speaker of the Seimas, Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, as well as other politicians, including the chairman of the Human Rights Committee.
At first, TVRaskevičius got involved in a quarrel on Facebook with the mayor of Širvintos district Živile Pinskuviene, and on Wednesday in the program “Dienos kistas” of “Žiniai Radio” he had a confrontation with her husband – the chairman of the Party of Regions, co-author of this bill, Jonas Pinskumis.
But the emotions in the show were just overflowing.
Talked about damage
When asked how he evaluates the proposed project, TVRaskevičius equated it to censorship.
“You see, when we talk about something that’s not right as a matter of serious consideration, we kind of legitimize it. But I agree that there is definitely a need to debate and deconstruct certain things.
As for the very proposal to punish with monetary fines for the discussion of certain content in education and training institutions, it reminds me of such a matter of Soviet censorship”, assessed the member of the Seimas.
According to the “libertarian”, it is very strange when, in the age of the Internet and social networks, “members of the Seimas come and suggest not to talk about something”.
“It seems to me that just teachers, the balanced information they provide in accordance with the age of the students on all topics greatly contributes to the education of such people, becomes a counterweight to propaganda, disinformation, and the spread of extreme ideas.
Probably, if members of the Seimas could also propose to ban talking about left-handed people in schools, or about the theory of evolution, or about the Holocaust, then we all understand that such ideas are simply extreme populism”, asserted TVRaskevičius.
According to the politician, if such provisions were adopted, they would cause damage in two aspects. First of all, it would further deepen the already very sensitive problem of bullying.
“If we still pushed certain topics, the identity of certain students to the margins, that problem would only worsen, which means that teachers who can manage the situation would not be able to talk about those problems. If LGBT schoolchildren are bullied, how can that topic not be discussed? Some kind of phantasmagoria”, complained the representative of the Freedom Party.
Also, according to TVRaskevičius, J. Pinskus possibly does not understand that sexual orientation is not chosen, learned or does not start from the age of 18.
“So what to do about LGBT children who need objective, science-based information that they are okay, that they can understand themselves and the environment around them?” Such young people would generally be pushed to the margins,” explained the MP.
“Maybe, Aurimas, that monologue is enough, maybe we can discuss?”, J. Pinskus couldn’t take it anymore, turning to the host of the show, Aurimas Perednis. However, TVRaskevičius finished his thought.
“Maybe Mr. J. Pinskus will simply ban talking and reading about Oscar Wilde in schools or talking about the fact that A. Turing deconstructed the Enigma code during the Second World War?”
Those people were also LGBT, so maybe this one shouldn’t be needed cotton wool spread more propaganda and collect political points before the elections,” he urged.
In turn, J. Pinskus was surprised why TVRaskevičius was so angered by this proposal.
“It’s very strange to me – a person, a member of the Seimas, who represents the Human Rights Committee, of all people, he just singles out one group that is useful to him, tries to represent it…” J. Pinskus thought, but was soon interrupted by TVRaskevičius’ shout.
“It’s you who make the difference!” It’s not me who singles out, you single out as evil!” – retorted the “libertarian”.
“You see, that aggressiveness, perhaps inferiority, can be seen again,” J. Pinskus commented. He did not agree with the idea that the ban is intended to be introduced in this way – according to the politician, they simply want to give more rights to parents who decide and take care of their children’s religious and moral education.
“This means that if the parents agree, this information can be disseminated. And there is no need to demonize our draft law here – we simply grant additional rights to parents based on our moral convictions”, emphasized the head of the Party of Regions, complaining that residents in various cities of the country are outraged by the “spreading of LGBT ideas”.
“We are not like beauties are biased against people of a different orientation, but we also have to defend the rights of the people of the other group”, noted J. Pinskus.
Organized an “exam” for J. Pinskas
At that time, TVRaskevičius asked him one question.
“I would like Mr. J. Pinskus to give me a simple answer – yes or no: let’s say if the theory of evolution contradicts the parents’ religious beliefs, the parents do not believe that humans evolved from primates, but were created directly by God, do you think this theory should to be taught in schools or not?” asked the “libertarian”.
“Dear Vytautas…”, J. Pinskus thought.
“You simply answer yes or no,” urged TVRaskevičius.
“I don’t need to answer yes or no,” J. Pinskus began to explain, and was soon interrupted. Later, he mentioned the example of ethics and religion lessons, when parents themselves choose what their child believes.
“What about biology classes that teach the theory of evolution?” Should it be banned?” TVRaskevičius did not answer.
“You have no more arguments, colleague. (…) Maybe let’s leave it to the parents to decide, not to us, okay?”, J. Pinskus suggested, indignant at the position previously expressed by the Speaker of the Seimas V. Čmilytė-Nielsen.
“I find it very strange when the chairman of the Human Rights Committee opposes this draft law, and it is even more terrible when the Speaker of the Seimas opposes the right of parents to decide how to raise their children. This is some kind of nonsense,” the chairman of the Party of Regions thought.
According to TVRaskevičius, J. Pinskaus’s inability to answer the question about the theory of evolution shows the absurdity of the proposal itself.
“J. Pinskas doesn’t like something and he wants it not to be talked about at all.” Establishing the fact that LGBT people exist in society, that they are a part of society, that they are not some kind of sick, perverted, discussion has nothing to do with indoctrination, persuasion, but an attempt to accumulate political capital by manipulating hatred of minorities, mobilizing certain segments of society, before the elections. , – the version was raised by a member of the Freedom Party.
According to him, J. Pinskus has gathered a “faction of defectors” in the parliament, he is worried that they will not be elected to the Seimas, so various measures have to be taken.
“Here is an attempt to prove to this dark, angry group of voters which party and which politicians are bigger homophobes,” said TVRaskevičius, but immediately received retorts.
“There is no dark part,” J. Pinskus objected.
“Why are you interrupting me, John?” I didn’t talk to you,” the “libertarian” shouted.
“You are talking nonsense, not“, stated J. Pinskus.
TVRaskevičius also reminded the leader of the Party of Regions that the desire to limit information about a certain group of society is incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights and the decisions of the ECHR.
“There is nothing else in this draft law, only the election campaign of Mr. J. Pinskas and Živilė Pinskuvienė”, he declared.
J. Pinskus did not agree with such considerations.
“Since the Freedom Party failed to achieve results with either drugs, the Istanbul Convention, or the Civil Union, they are now trying to distort our draft law and show what kind of fighters they are for their rights,” explained the politician.
He reiterated that if parents agree, issues affecting the LGBT community can certainly be discussed in schools.
“Or you can even create your own Sunday schools and teach your children there. Nobody forbids it,” assured J. Pinskus.
“When you don’t have arguments, they are already pro-Russian and pro-Western. Why is that Westernness assumed now?” he did not understand.
TVRaskevičius, for his part, turned to the example of Russia.
“Dear John, V. Putin’s career and authority in Russian society is built on the persecution of minorities and Soviet nostalgia.
Bearing in mind that your wife is unable to remove the Soviet obelisks in Širvintos, it seems that Soviet nostalgia is very close to you,” the MP pointed his finger, and soon the show was in chaos again.
“Dear Jonas Pinskaus, do you know what the portrait of Dorian Gray is?” TVRaskevičius asked.
“So what, we’re going to test each other now?” I really don’t want to take part in your exam,” J. Pinskus objected.
“This is the work of the English writer O. Wild, which is taught in general educational programs as a readable work of literature. The main character in this book is a homosexual and it is about that – about his experiences, feelings, world view.
Should the literature teacher, while teaching The Portrait of Dorian Gray, if the 10th grade students examine it, according to this law, get the parents’ consent so that this work can be discussed in the literature lesson?” – asked TVRaskevičius.
“If the parents agree, it is possible to examine not only these books, but also others where you burned them there, if the parents agree,” answered J. Pinskus.
“Is it necessary?” – the “freeman” did not give up.
“Parents need to decide, not Raskevičius,” J. Pinskus interrupted.
“Do you need to ask questions while teaching?” TVRaskevičius asked again.
“Parents will decide whether they…” – answered J. Pinskus, but after getting the desired answer, the member of the Seimas cut him off.
Portal lrytas.lt already wrote that the conflict between TVRaskevičius and the Mayor of Širvintos Ž. Pinskuviene also arose due to the same issue on Facebook.
2024-08-23 05:58:32