[BartSimpson]

Dangerous Flirting: Russian Wonders Why West Is Enamored With Socialism

http://www.zenit.org/article-35137?l=english

$1:

ROME, JULY 5, 2012 (Zenit.org).- Like a fair number of citizens from former Soviet-ruled countries, Russian pro-life campaigner Alexey Komov is surprised and disheartened to see the West flirting once again with socialism as a consequence of the global financial situation.

Whether it be in the form of support for the Obama administration, or the backing of other socialist-leaning policies and political parties, he sees the trend as disturbing and irrational.

In Rome to address a conference to launch the Rome office of the Dignitatis Humanae Institute (Institute for Human Dignity) June 29, Komov stressed that socialism has "never worked in world history" and that he found it "really amazing" to see such support when, in the 20th century, the ideology had caused such great pain and suffering "all in the name of social reform, progress and improvement."

Speaking with ZENIT after giving his address, Komov recalled the estimated 100 million people who died in the Soviet Union "in the name of social reform or revolution." He alludes to the hounding of the nobility who were killed or forced to emigrate, the 200,000 clergy and religious who lost their lives or were sent to gulags, the tens of thousands of Kazakhs who were murdered, and the "one hundred percent" destruction of social classes.

What disturbs him now is that many countries have a "softer version" of socialism. "We're witnessing this in the policies of Obama in the United States, recently those of Zapatero in Spain and others," he says. "Each has been inspired basically by the same socialist ideas, a softer form but still from the same source."

A marketing manager by profession and a former adviser to Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Department of External Church Relations for the Russian Orthodox Church, Komov now serves as Russia's representative to the World Congress of Families, said to be the world's largest association of organizations defending the traditional family.

He explains that he finds the Obama administration's socialist leanings particularly disturbing, and draws attention to a hero of President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton: Saul Alinsky, a neo-Marxist writer who dedicated his first book to none other than the Devil, whom he saw as the first successful revolutionary to overthrow the "oppressive regime of God." (Alinsky's exact words were: "Lest we forget at least an over-the-shoulder acknowledgment to the very first radical: from all our legends, mythology, and history... the first radical known to man who rebelled against the establishment and did it so effectively that he at least won his own kingdom -- Lucifer.").

Komov believes that if you "dig deep enough into the ideological roots of these socialist movements, you end up finding satanic roots in them." And although only a softer version is prevalent now, "it is still very dangerous," he says. "I would warn all those people fascinated by socialist ideas that they have never worked in human history -- never worked."

The traditional nuclear family is a particular enemy of socialism, he says, because it is the basic institution that preserves values and passes them on to the next generation. "The state, if it wants to dominate life and the individual from birth to death, needs to destroy the family, because the family is independent of the state," he argues. "As Marx and Engels said, the family is a repressive, bourgeois institution that needs to be destroyed; they need to get rid of its patriarchal power and that of Christianity because they are the main obstacles of the social revolution."

He further believes that the merging of Freudianism with Marxism led to the sex and drugs revolutions of the 1960s, resulting in such ideologies as radical feminism and environmentalism.

During his speech, Komov noted the population of Russia has decreased by almost 10 million in 20 years, partly due to high abortion rates and an increasingly hedonistic culture. But can this be blamed on socialism when communism fell over 20 years ago? "It's a world phenomenon," he says, but adds it is "inevitably linked to a moving away from Christianity" and the embracing of a popular culture which stresses self-fulfilment and no personal self-sacrifice.

Komov, who is also trying to raise awareness of these issues through the "Family and Demography Foundation," a body led by two Russian Orthodox priests well-known in Russia, Dmitry Smirnov and Maxim Obukhov, says he is also working closely with the Catholic Church.

"We should be closer together," he says, "given that we're facing the same secular attacks on things we hold dear to our hearts."

* * *

The Dignitatis Humanae Institute's conference on "The Role of Christians in the Public Square" drew a wide range of speakers including the Italian politician and patron of the Institute, Professor Rocco Buttiglione, and the Slovakian MEP, Anna Záborská.

Záborská highlighted the importance of the Vatican's 2002 ten-page doctrinal note "On Some Questions Regarding the Participation of Catholics in Political Life" as a document that contains "all what a Christian politician or policy maker should know."

She then noted upcoming challenges to human dignity in Europe legislatures. These included "The Horizon 2020 program," which threatens to authorize millions of dollars in spending on human embryonic stem cell research, and a proposed EU Commission regulation establishing the Rights and Citizenship program from 2014 to 2020.

"I am very concerned about this program because it contains the potential attacks against the natural family founded on the marriage between a men and a woman," Záborská said, adding that the initiative focuses on the fight against all forms of discrimination. "Discrimination based on sex, gender and sexual orientation is misused by powerful lobbyists to force EU Member States into legalizing same-sex partnerships," she warned.

Záborská also drew attention to continued pressure to enforce sexual and reproductive health and rights. "We all know that this is a code for abortion," she said, adding that the current Danish presidency of the EU accepted EU financing for abortion in developing countries as part of sexual and reproductive health.

But the Slovakian MEP also highlighted some encouraging developments: firstly, the final declaration of the UN Rio+20 International Conference on Sustainable Development failed to include sexual and reproductive health and rights, representing "a major pro-life victory for the pro-life coalition at the UN"; preparations toward the International Year of the Family in 2014 appear likely to contain "a coherent vision of marriage and the family respecting the dignity of the human person"; and the European Parliament's plenary session next week will address forced abortions in China. Záborská said the issue "now figures on the European Parliament agenda for breaches of human rights."

* * *

Rocco Buttiglione spoke at the conference on the importance of truth and authentic tolerance in politics.

The Italian politician stressed that as a loving father will occasionally say no to his child, so a politician "who loves his people must tell the truth, and must sometimes say 'no' to his people, but explain why what the people want is wrong." He must "run risk of being ousted and lose an election," Buttiglione said, "but better to lose the election than to win by selling people false merchandise."

"I respect very much politicians who've shown considerable courage to lose elections in order to tell the truth," he said.

Recalling the famous quote on free speech by Voltaire, the Italian philosopher professor stressed the importance of people being free to voice their opinions, and for others to freely and openly disagree with them. "I may not respect the error someone is saying, but I respect them as a person," Buttiglione said.

But he noted that the meaning of tolerance has subtly changed over the years, so subtly, in fact, that it has escaped people' s notice. "'Don't be judgemental,' people say, but you can translate that as 'Don't think' because to think means to pass judgement," he said.

He said that to think means to create hierarchies, to put things in order, to make distinctions between good and bad, truth and falsehood. "If you do this, you are considered intolerant," he said, "That's bad, because it destroys real participation."

[jeff744]

$1:

Russian pro-life campaigner Alexey Komov

$1:

"I am very concerned about this program because it contains the potential attacks against the natural family founded on the marriage between a men and a woman," Záborská said

Basically the equivalents of a Christian Republican.

Try again Bart, this time use unbiased sources.

[BartSimpson]

jeff744 jeff744:

$1:

Russian pro-life campaigner Alexey Komov

$1:

"I am very concerned about this program because it contains the potential attacks against the natural family founded on the marriage between a men and a woman," Záborská said

Basically the equivalents of a Christian Republican.

Try again Bart, this time use unbiased sources.

He's also expressing the views of his government as he is a government appointee.

[DanSC]

My mom had a friend in college who escaped from East Germany underneath a pile of hay. She wonders why some people want socialism as well.

I also recognize what most self-styled socialists actually want is social democracy with a capitalist economy. I guess calling yourself a socialist makes you sound edgy.

[SprCForr]

Hippy/Commies from the 60's got out of the closet and are in charge. Just wait, the yuppies will then take over...

[sandorski]

Clearly Americans are not the only ones confused by the subject.

[Zipperfish]

We have a socialized medical system in Canada. So do most European countries to some degree or another. Works quite well.

Even the uber-capitalist US has had socialized education for quite some time now.

[Gunnair]

Muslims are bad.

[SprCForr]

SprCForr SprCForr:

Hippy/Commies from the 60's got out of the closet and are in charge. Just wait, the yuppies will then take over...

Holy fuck. I blew my shot at predicting the future on this?

Should have picked the monster lottery.

FML.

[BartSimpson]

SprCForr SprCForr:

SprCForr SprCForr:

Hippy/Commies from the 60's got out of the closet and are in charge. Just wait, the yuppies will then take over...

Holy fuck. I blew my shot at predicting the future on this?

Should have picked the monster lottery.

FML.

Hey buddy, nice to see you!

[Tricks]

wow. Welcome back

[Public_Domain]

[Matlow]

Zipperfish Zipperfish:

We have a socialized medical system in Canada. So do most European countries to some degree or another. Works quite well.

Even the uber-capitalist US has had socialized education for quite some time now.

What is this "socialized" medical system in Canada? I live in BC and am REQUIRED to pay $1800 a year for mandatory "health insurance" for my Mrs and I. Not sure what it insures. The program is called the Medical Services Plan (MSP) and it does not pay for prescriptions or anything like orthotics etc. No dental coverage either. It covers most of the costs of normal doctor visits and a roof over your head if you need to head off to the hospital. Many Doctors don't think they get enough per visit so they add a premium fee to what MSP charges and holy smoke if you need a Doctor's note for work one gets to pay extra for a scribbled note on a prescription pad.

From what I can tell all the so called universal "insurance" does is ensure that one stays in line like the rest of the "socialized" people. Good luck finding a family Doctor in BC. That's why walk in clinics are so common. It is also a good reason why many hospital emergency departments are full of people who should be seeing a family doctor and not waiting at an ER for hours.

If one has an issue like say cataracts, that will affect one's ability to earn an income; one makes an appointment with a regular Optometrist and gets referred to a s specialist about 3 months down the road. Once at the specialist the "socialized" system says, relax sit on the beach and we will get to you and fix your eyes in about 15 months or so. Sorry, the "socialized" system is not so sure how you will live during that period. I am pretty sure that the "socialized" banks, utilities and grocery stores I deal with will will be understanding and let me blow off my mortgage payments, power, phone grocery bills for that 15 months.

Interestingly the same Doctor says "If you have $8,000 we can do the first eye in a week".

So my choice is sit on the beach enjoying my status in the "socialized" medical system which will still cost me $150 per month in premiums even though I cannot work; or, whip out my wallet and jump to the very front of the line and pay for the surgeries out of pocket and get back to my life.

Well out came the Visa and I got travel rewards plus a tax write off for $8K. 2 operations in 3 weeks and I have new lenses and dont need glasses after wearing them for 50 years. Sorry about that, (not really) now the folks in the "socialized" medical system will wait just a bit longer because of me. I can get back to earning an income and paying taxes and let's not forget those MSP premiums in our so called "universal" health care system..

Now the wiser minds we all elected want to limit the number of Doctors in our "socialized" medical system as well?

If you don't think we have two medical systems in Canada you had better check your work while you are waiting in line at the walk in clinic... Our "socialized" medical system costs too much and is way too slow. It does not even remotely come close to the European medical system which, by the way, generally includes prescription drugs and dental, in MHO far better care for seniors and the disabled, in many cases for less than we pay directly for health care in Canada.

[BeaverFever]

Public_Domain Public_Domain:

SprC and Tman Old names coming home to roost!

Trumps milkshake brings all the boys to the yard

[commanderkai]

BeaverFever BeaverFever:

Public_Domain Public_Domain:

SprC and Tman Old names coming home to roost!

Trumps milkshake brings all the boys to the yard

I'm so saving that gif. It's hilarious! Plus I know a few places where any attempt at Trump not being made to be the second coming of Hitler is frowned upon, so it'll probably get some juicy outrage.