Volker explains what makes the world go round

Yesterday, Halligalli haGalil, the German source for everything you never wanted to know about Judaism, published an interview with Volker Beck, secretary and speaker for human rights matters of the parliamentary faction of the post-Communist/Green Bündnis90/Die Grünen group and long-standing national speaker for the Lesben- und Schwulenverband (Association for Lesbians and Gays -- LSVD). The interview was as surprisingly as inventively titled: "We must do everything to defend Israel's right to exist", and as sparkling as the spirits of my dogs on the tenth day of the blazing heatwave here. Not to talk about my own spirits.

Halligalli haGalil: What do you think about the current human rights situation specifically of gays and lesbians in countries like Iran, Lebanon or the Palestinian Autonomy since Hamas came to power?

Beck: As far as I know, there are no criminal proceedings in the Palestinian Autonomy, but the social stigma is dramatic. In Iran homosexuality can be even subject to capital punishment and such verdicts are, in fact, executed. In Lebanon homosexuality is a punishable crime. About how intensively it is pursued, I don't have any information.
[...]

Halligalli haGalil: What is your comparative assessment of the situation in Israel? Does the fact that Israel is the only democracy in the Near and Middle East have any effect on the situation of gays and lesbians?

Beck: In relative terms, the situation in Israel is progressive. The army doesn't discrimate against people based on their sexual orientation. And there are activities to improve the recognition of homosexual partnerships. Still, there are major problems with religious-conservative Jewish and Muslim groups, like the conflict about the Gay Pride in Jerusalem.

And so on blah blah yabber yabber yack yack -- you get the general idea. No need to unreel the entire, and entirely predictable, agenda.

"Queer logic"

First, let me remind you that this is the same Volker Beck who rallied in deeply pre-democratic Moscow for gay rights recently and was then amazed that he got his nose bloodied by some stuck-in-the-17th-century beefcake who -- are we amazed? -- didn't like gays.

Second, doesn't this great friend of Israel get (on second thoughts, don't the Jews-by-profession at Halligalli haGalil get) how ridiculous, embarrassing and revealing the ever-regurgitated "defending Israel's right to exist" lip-service is? Each and every sovereign state has the "right to exist". By raising the very issue when it comes to Israel one concedes therefore that there may be a question about Israel's "right to exist". Too complicated, Volker? What about you, Halligalli?

Third, don't the people in Muslim countries have other things to worry about than EFFING GAY- AND LESBIAN RIGHTS?

Shouldn't we rather first worry about, say, the fact that in Iran little girls are hanged and, for good measure, raped before the execution so that they won't go to heaven as virgins? And then, say, about the general state of human rights in the Palestinian Authority before we are worrying about how some people can as untroubled as possible let out their sexuality?

Or what about the fact that Israel is currently fighting for her existence and has other things to worry about than curbing the zealousness of some orthodox rabbis who are offended, and have no politically correct hangups about saying so, by the disgusting exhibitionism of a "gay pride" spectacle? Shouldn't that fight be of more interest for somebody who allegedly stands for "Israel's right to exist" than the question where to stick his cock?

Is it possible that Volker Beck, who was favouring the legalisation of peadophilia before the Greens became important and serious and partook in governmental responsibility (and had, of course, to cater for a slightly different clientele from then on) sees the world revolving round his schlong and is it possible that he doesn't give an aviating fornication for human rights as long as those rights are NOT about where to stick that centre of his universe?

Just my two Eurocent!