Vatican View Victorious in Italian Fertility Vote("more Texas than Mass.")

[DeepModem Mom]

New York Times:
Vatican View Is Victorious in Fertility Vote by Italians
By IAN FISHER
Published: June 14, 2005


ROME, June 13 - A law that imposes strict rules on assisted fertility will remain on the books, after the failure today of a hard-fought referendum that rubbed into one of Italy's sorest spots: the relationship between church and state.

The fight leading up to two days of voting Sunday and Monday mobilized the nation's political and religious establishments like few others, as the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church - including the new pope, Benedict XVI - urged Italians to boycott the referendum.

In the end, the result was not even close: Only 26 percent of eligible Italians cast their votes, meaning that the referendum automatically failed in its attempt to repeal four crucial sections of a restrictive fertility law passed here last year. For the referendum to be valid, 50 percent of eligible voters had to participate.

The results would seem an immediate victory for the church and for the young papacy of Benedict, in a Europe where church influence has declined significantly in recent decades. Similar referendums in Italy on divorce and abortion in the 1970's and 1980's passed overwhelmingly despite church opposition - and Italians now seem likely to debate whether apathy or a reverse in secularism in the home of the Roman Catholic church defeated this referendum.

"The results of today mean that Italy is maybe more similar to Texas than to Massachusetts," said Rocco Buttiglione, Italy's culture minister and a friend to Pope Benedict. "Italians want a democracy with values - that values human life - and that is why they rejected this referendum."...


http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/14/international/europe/13cnd-italy.html?hp&ex=1118721600&en=ebf26e674ff36b2d&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[Maple]

1. Actually it was just

a nice weekend.

They already voted on divorce and abortion, so the Vatican wouldn't sway them on this. :D

[newscott]

2. No one's having babies there anyway.

[Zenlitened]

3. As an Italian-American living in Massachusetts, let me say...

... "Fuck You," Rocco Buttiglione.

[TayTay]

4. Jeez, it's not enough we get grief in this country

now even the Italians are picking on the Bay State? Jeez, I'm gonna have to buy a flack jacket just to go on a trip.

On second thought, screw him and the horse he rode in on. Bite me!

[TaleWgnDg]

10. Ah-ha! Buttiglione enjoys the death penalty? (what an ass!) . . .

.

Ah-ha! Buttiglione enjoys the death penalty? (what an ass!) . . . Hhmmmmmm, I wonder. As Italy's culture minister and friend of Pope Benedict, does this mean that Pope Benedict stands for Texas' death penalty too? And for *cowboy* international arrogant non-diplomacy? As well as for unprovoked warfare against Iraq? The list goes on and on . . . proving Italy's "cultural minister" lacks the culture for which his position stands! LOL

Stupid damn Buttiglione!




.

[DS1]

5. Better get going with the executions then

Idiot.

[DeepModem Mom]

7. VERYgood point, DS1! nt

[Straight Shooter]

6. I thought Italy was having a problem with a slow population growth.

Hey, Pope-the-Dope, assisted fertility means more babies, in Italy that means more Catholics, and more Catholics means more money coming into your already bloated Vatican coffers, as well as helping to support an aging family-oriented population.

I can't believe the idiocy.

[AX10]

8. I don't see the problem with fertility assistance.

Benedict strikes again!

:eyes:

[CatholicEdHead]

9. It is because "every embryo is precious"

Because of the high embryo loss rate, and the long term "tradition" that families should be concieved naturally, this is apparently out of bounds.