Steve
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Really getting into it |
Location: London, England
Registered: November 2006
Messages: 465
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Part 1 is my translation of most of an article published in the "Pride" section of my local weekend 'supplement'. The author of the article is Ms. Michal Eden, who is an elected member of the Tel-Aviv municipality where she represents the same political party that Professor Uzi Even will represent in the Knesset (as from Monday, I think). Part 2 will be my own thread arising from this article. Here is the article:
PRIDE POLITICS by Michal Eden
This week, when it was decided that Professor Uzi Even would take his seat in the Knesset as the first ever member who was an openly gay person, another meaningful step had been taken for the [GLBT] community in Israel. This is an unprecedented achievement for both our community and for democracy in the State of Israel...
The fact that Uzi Even is entering the Knesset proves more than anything else how far our community is able to influence and initiate change. After years of public struggle, demonstrations and appeals to the Supreme Court of Justice our community is now represented, authentically, in our house of representatives. After a storm of slanders and vilification from political leaders and public figures we now have our own representative, someone who can face the world eyeball-to-eyeball. Even's entry into the Knesset also proves that it is possible to get into political institutions and public power centers in Israel. True you need patience and the wind of a long-distance runner, but it can be done. Our community has proven this over the years as it won many public struggles...
Our community has power and it is considerable. If the ultra-orthodox [religious sector] accounts for 9% of the Israeli public [and has enormous political clout] there is no reason why we should not also amass political power which could have meaningful weight in our public life. It is important that we take part in political life, it is important that we use our political power and struggle to get our fair share of the political cake - an equal share in budgetary allocations and an equal share in deciding social policy. That is why we must promote our own representatives - gay, lesbian, trans and bi - who will be obliged to promote our pride agenda and promote our rights, politicians who will do pride politics, pink politics. If we use our electoral power and reach the power centers of our society we can make a real change. Imagine a gay chairperson of the PTA, a trans mayor, a bi chairperson of the Knesset Education Committee and a lesbian justice of the Supreme Court. Ten years ago this would have been sheer fantasy, but today it can become reality and that is why we must make the effort to make it so. Therefore we must be involved, penetrate the political establishment, demand our representation and promote our agenda.
It cannot be denied that Israel is one of the most progressive states in the world as far as legislation is concerned and the decisions of the judiciary regarding the rights of our community. Nevertheless, alongside the prohibition of discrimination in the workplace and the prohibition of preventing a soldier's promotion because of sexual orientation, there is no subsection in the Basic Law of Human Dignity and Freedom that ensures us equality.
Israel is a country full of contradictions. It is a country where there is a large gap between progressive legislation and social conservatism. It is a country where it is prohibited to slander someone on the basis of sexual orientation but where also a public figure can call us "animals". It is a country where the Pride flag can fly over the Knesset but where a kiss in a public park can get an aggressive reaction from the police.
We should be proud of the many achievements of our community, particularly in the last decade, ever since our political action activists started working towards the abolition of the criminal prohibition against homosexual relations until the festive day when Uzi Even will take his seat in the Knesset...
As long as the law and society discriminate against us as lesbians and gays Israel is not a truly democratic country. A state which does not defend the rights of minorities is not democratic. Democracy is not just a state where free elections are held every four years. Democracy is a government which protects the other, the weak; and an important touchstone of a progressive democracy is the status of the gay community. In that context the entry of Uzi Even into the Knesset is a certificate of honor for Israeli democracy.
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