BRAVO, BRAVISSIMO

Last night the House of representatives approved a revised Obama’s proposal for a new heath system. Finally, 96% of the Americans will have the possibility of having health care and the private lobbies will have real competition.

Sadly enough however, bigotry still prevailed and millions of American women will be deprived the right to decide about their own body or to have costly and/or illegal abortions. This is not freedom: freedom is choice. Nobody will force women who do not want it, to abort. But women who want or need, will not have such choice.

The fight is not over and Obama will face strong opposition in the Senate. Let us hope that he will prevail again. Health is a too serious matter to be left to profit making capitalists.

Bravo Obama, bravissimo.

Photo: AFP/BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI

The Vatican arrogance

After Obama cancelled the “Mexico City Policy” of non financing organizations that do not exclude abortion as a tool of family planning, the Vartican and the catholic church in general attacked him. Apart from the usual arguments (defending life etc) I was stunned by one comment : “Monsignor” Rino Fisichella, president of the Pontifical Academy for life accused Obama of the “arrogance typical of those who believe that they are right”.

A few days earlier, the Turin Cardinal, Poletto, reacting to a statement by the Region’s President about the readiness of its public structures to deal finally with the case of a lady who has been in coma for the past 16 years and whose right to die has been challenged by the Church and the right wing politicians (for selfish political interest) stated that “God’s law is above the human law”.

And remember the Popes traveling to Africa and making speeches against the use of condoms, right in those areas where AIDS is decimating the population.

Who says that they are right ? self-serving auto-certification on the basis of a smoky philosophy of natural law ?

Aren’t they arrogant ? it was good to read these days that Rabbis reminded the Church that for Jews, human law must be respected. On the contrary, bishops and the Vatican, especially in Italy, Spain and the USA, call for non respect of State laws, want to dictate to the States what the laws must be.

Monsignor Fisichella and Cardinal Poletto missed an opportunity to shut up showing that the arrogance lies with the Catholic Church. But it may be a reaction to their constant decline in influence and power. A real reactionary policy.

Photo: http://www.videocomunicazioni.com/uploads/2008/04/fisichella.jpg

Symbols: Obama and Benedict XVI

When Reagan, Clinton and GW signed the law forbidding (or re-establishing) the financing for UNFPA and family planning NGOs that do not exclude abortion, they did so on the anniversary date of the Supreme Courts decision to legalize abortion in the USA.

Obama just overturned GW’s decision. But, although he did so on the third day after he took power, he avoided confronting the pro-life movement and avoided signing it on the same anniversary date. No need to add insult to injury.

Yesterday, Pope Benedict XVI reinstated the conservative bishops excommunicated by his predecessor for being appointed outside of the rules of the Church. One of the main principles of such bishops is the negation of the decisions of Vatican II.

Pope Benedict XVI did so on the day before the anniversary of the calling of the Vatican II by John XXIII. Just to ensure that people understand that he himself is going back 50 years. We knew this but he added insult to injury and just confirmed that he is driving the Church to self-destruction. Thank you Benedict XVI

Picture : marranci.wordpress.com

Obama 2: Bravo

I am one of those who did not react to much at Obama’s election. Certainly I spent the night awake to follow the elections, certainly I welcomed the fact that the Democrats gained both houses and that the Republicans lost power.

But I am always doubtful about the Americans, their religious values, their conviction that they are the best and that their role is to lead the world.
So I was waiting to see what Obama would do.

Of couurse I welcomed the decisions taken on the first day and for imposing the return of the USA to the rule of law. But, as I said, all what he had done the first day, was normal, was nothing special. We all welcomed and praised Obama just for being a normal democrat.

However, after three days in power, I can only say Bravo.

Bravo of course for deciding to close Guantanamo.

Bravo for imposing what should be normal: the respect of the Geneva Convention.

Bravo for banning torture.

Bravo for taking immediately an initiative on the Middle East.

Bravo for re-establishing the funding to UNFPA and NGOs working for family planning, without excluding abortions.

Bravo for sending to the world a message of hope. And for showing since the first days in power that he is real and that he is more radical than he had to appear during the presidential election campaign.

Of course the opposition has started. And it will probably be stronger and stronger. Hopefully his supporters will not dump him.

Finally, after so long, a real leader, not an idiot like Berlusconi or Sarkozy or a criminal like Putin and Olmert.

As far as I am concerned, the solution of the Middle East crisis will be the issue for me to determine whether Obama may mean a new start for the world after so many years of regression. Wait and see.