On February 7, the Bologna newspaper "Il Resto del Carlino" published a homophobic letter on page 7 of its Emilia-Romagna section, "Letters & Comments," calling the European Parliament's resolution in favor of same-sex couples degrading.
That same day, Arcigay's National Communications Manager, Luigi Valeri, responded clearly to the newspaper's reader. "Il Resto del Carlino" only published Arcigay's response today, almost a month later and following a direct reminder.
Here is the reader's letter followed by the request for publication and, subsequently, Luigi Valeri's response.
Couples / ' degradation
07.02.03
The European Parliament's recent resolution calling on EU governments to grant same-sex couples "the same rights as marriage" is a significant sign of the degradation of a society that aims to increasingly downgrade the family and its function to make room for alternative cohabitations, which are also detrimental to the education of young people. Granting equal rights to same-sex couples penalizes married couples, who, if assimilated to other forms of cohabitation, have much more difficulty obtaining priority in rankings such as those for
home: in the face of the natural task of preserving the species that falls to the union between man and woman.
Renzo Rossi
Conselice (Ravenna)
19.02.03
To the kind attention of Giuseppe Tassi
deputy director of Il Resto del Carlino
Dear Giuseppe Tassi,
On Friday, February 7, Il Carlino published, on its "Letters & Comments" page, a letter signed by Mr. Renzo Rossi, titled "Couples/' Degradation," with racist and offensive overtones. I promptly sent a brief reply on behalf of Arcigay to both the editorial staff and Carlo Cappellini, but it has not yet been reflected in your newspaper. I've copied the text of both letters below. I believe that when discussing issues that directly affect us, such as the recognition and legal protection of our emotional relationships, it's right that we too be given a voice. On behalf of Arcigay, I ask you to also publish our letter. Thank you very much for your attention and best wishes,
Luigi Valeri
National Communications Manager for Arcigay
RESPONSE from Arcigay published on March 4, 2003
Gays: equal rights and dignity
Those who argue that granting the same marriage rights to gay couples who request them, as recently reiterated by the European Parliament, would represent a downgrading of the traditional family, do so because they consider the feelings and relationships experienced by homosexuals to be less worthy than those between heterosexuals, and would feel tarnished by the comparison. Similarly, arguing that extending housing rights, survivor's pensions, taxation, and so on to gay couples would deprive married couples of resources is like saying that granting blacks the right to healthcare would drain resources for whites, or that women's right to vote diminishes men's rights because it reduces their specific importance. Our Constitution, however, maintains that all citizens have equal social dignity and are equal before the law (Article 3), with all due respect to racists of all stripes.
Luigi Valeri, Bologna
ARCIGAY NATIONAL
