The Socialists’ newspaper “Duma” incites to homophobia and hate
29/12/2005
By
Desislava Petrova - BGO Gemini
To the editors of “Duma” newspaper, Mr Evgeniy Stanchev, Chief editor; Mrs Lilya Tomva, Head of department
Copy to: Commission of human rights and freedom of religion, Mr Trifon Mitev
Copy to: Bulgarian media
Subject: Response to the publication “Gay – “culture”, heading “Soft wrists” in “Duma” newspaper from 27.12.2005
Dear Mr Stanchev, Mrs Tomova,
In “Duma” newspaper’s issue from 27.12.2005 on the page, titled “I take the floor” was published an article, titled “Gay – “culture”. The publication is signed by Yordan Chochov from Dupnitsa; however the editors proved not to be neutral by publishing the article with heading “Soft wrists”. Moreover the lack of neutrality is demonstrated in the photography and the text below the photography. The article’s frame and concept gives clear indication on the editors’ position and the message the newspaper is sending to its readers.
The article “Gay – “culture” takes the front positions of the most homophobic and inciting hatred “readings”, published on the pages on the Bulgarian press recently. The farrago of known facts and baseless implications and unproved allegations apparently aims to incite to homophobia and to some extend it reaches to direct incitation to discrimination.
We consider needless a rebuttal of the ridiculous “affirmations”, that the homosexuality was results of “harmful influence of adverse living environment”, which were proven by the science “without any doubt or alternative”. However, we cannot stay in silence towards the qualifications of “psychopathic condition” of the homosexual persons or “psychopathic sexual orientation, which is in fact perversity”, nor to the statement, that “many of them are also infected contaminators and can cause catastrophic pandemics, if they are not restrained.”
Breathless of hate and malicious insulting qualifications, the author invokes for “penal prosecution” of homosexual people, to hinder them who “by public appearances of any kind disseminate the taint of their psychopathic sexual perversity”.
The tendentious and groundless comparison between homosexuality and pedophilia exhales from the whole text, thus reasoning the author to conclude that “the gays are suitable for almost any type of work”, but as long as they are kept away from “the children and the youngsters”.
The ultimate mixture of terms due to the emotions leads the author to the culmination of his disgust: “as is forbidden and prosecuted any form of racism, so any form of homosexuality in the public space, by anyone, should be morally and legally treated as act of crime and should be punished.” It is not clear what is the relation to the racism here…
Practically the author pleads for absolute social isolation of the homosexuals, as at certain paragraphs the author goes far beyond the good manners of a civilized discussion and the article direct incites to discrimination and persuades to crime motivated by hate. љ
Nevertheless the article is signed by a reader of the newspaper and not a journalists from the editorial staff, BGO Gemini considers the publishing of such materials unedited on the pages of “Duma” newspaper as abuse to the principles of the freedom of speech and direct breach of the Bulgarian Law Against Discrimination. Thus BGO Gemini intends to react appropriately – by seizing the Commission Against Discrimination, as we draw your attention on our serious intend to raise a Court case.
BGO Gemini fully supports any attempt of public discussion about the acceptance of the homosexuality in the Bulgarian society; however we are convinced that such discussion may only take place following the principles of the good manners, adequacy and the politeness.
The time has come for a political discussion to take place, tough, unfortunately, this is still subject to gossiping and biased publications motivated primarily by the will of rapid warranty assurance of the conservative section of the society’s votes and ruled is still by the principles of populism.
BGO Gemini realizes that the adequacy of such political discussion must be preceded by inter-party’s debates on the issue. The organization is aware of the delicate position of the Bulgarian Socialists Party in its efforts to keep the balance between its European partners’ requirement to respect to human rights of gays, lesbians, bisexual and transgender people at one hand, and the tendency in its conservative electorate on other hand. Yet, as civilized residents of democratic country in 21 century, we strongly believe that the justice is result of a polite and objective and grounded with arguments debate and dies, when left on the attacks of hate and elementary populism.
We strongly hope the issue will be solved with good will of understanding and dialogue. We are looking forward to your timely response.
Copy to: Commission of human rights and freedom of religion, Mr Trifon Mitev
Copy to: Bulgarian media
Subject: Response to the publication “Gay – “culture”, heading “Soft wrists” in “Duma” newspaper from 27.12.2005
Dear Mr Stanchev, Mrs Tomova,
In “Duma” newspaper’s issue from 27.12.2005 on the page, titled “I take the floor” was published an article, titled “Gay – “culture”. The publication is signed by Yordan Chochov from Dupnitsa; however the editors proved not to be neutral by publishing the article with heading “Soft wrists”. Moreover the lack of neutrality is demonstrated in the photography and the text below the photography. The article’s frame and concept gives clear indication on the editors’ position and the message the newspaper is sending to its readers.
The article “Gay – “culture” takes the front positions of the most homophobic and inciting hatred “readings”, published on the pages on the Bulgarian press recently. The farrago of known facts and baseless implications and unproved allegations apparently aims to incite to homophobia and to some extend it reaches to direct incitation to discrimination.
We consider needless a rebuttal of the ridiculous “affirmations”, that the homosexuality was results of “harmful influence of adverse living environment”, which were proven by the science “without any doubt or alternative”. However, we cannot stay in silence towards the qualifications of “psychopathic condition” of the homosexual persons or “psychopathic sexual orientation, which is in fact perversity”, nor to the statement, that “many of them are also infected contaminators and can cause catastrophic pandemics, if they are not restrained.”
Breathless of hate and malicious insulting qualifications, the author invokes for “penal prosecution” of homosexual people, to hinder them who “by public appearances of any kind disseminate the taint of their psychopathic sexual perversity”.
The tendentious and groundless comparison between homosexuality and pedophilia exhales from the whole text, thus reasoning the author to conclude that “the gays are suitable for almost any type of work”, but as long as they are kept away from “the children and the youngsters”.
The ultimate mixture of terms due to the emotions leads the author to the culmination of his disgust: “as is forbidden and prosecuted any form of racism, so any form of homosexuality in the public space, by anyone, should be morally and legally treated as act of crime and should be punished.” It is not clear what is the relation to the racism here…
Practically the author pleads for absolute social isolation of the homosexuals, as at certain paragraphs the author goes far beyond the good manners of a civilized discussion and the article direct incites to discrimination and persuades to crime motivated by hate. љ
Nevertheless the article is signed by a reader of the newspaper and not a journalists from the editorial staff, BGO Gemini considers the publishing of such materials unedited on the pages of “Duma” newspaper as abuse to the principles of the freedom of speech and direct breach of the Bulgarian Law Against Discrimination. Thus BGO Gemini intends to react appropriately – by seizing the Commission Against Discrimination, as we draw your attention on our serious intend to raise a Court case.
BGO Gemini fully supports any attempt of public discussion about the acceptance of the homosexuality in the Bulgarian society; however we are convinced that such discussion may only take place following the principles of the good manners, adequacy and the politeness.
The time has come for a political discussion to take place, tough, unfortunately, this is still subject to gossiping and biased publications motivated primarily by the will of rapid warranty assurance of the conservative section of the society’s votes and ruled is still by the principles of populism.
BGO Gemini realizes that the adequacy of such political discussion must be preceded by inter-party’s debates on the issue. The organization is aware of the delicate position of the Bulgarian Socialists Party in its efforts to keep the balance between its European partners’ requirement to respect to human rights of gays, lesbians, bisexual and transgender people at one hand, and the tendency in its conservative electorate on other hand. Yet, as civilized residents of democratic country in 21 century, we strongly believe that the justice is result of a polite and objective and grounded with arguments debate and dies, when left on the attacks of hate and elementary populism.
We strongly hope the issue will be solved with good will of understanding and dialogue. We are looking forward to your timely response.
