An Unorthodox Attack
In Greece, a Priest in the Orthodox Church attacked seven Bishops during a disciplinary council. The 37 year old deacon was being investigated for fraud and had also been arrested in possession of cocaine. When the council informed him he was being “defrocked” he revealed a bottle of acid he had been concealing and threw it on those assembled. Three other bystanders were injured along with the seven Bishops. Reports indicate that the walls of the room were burned and bloodied as well as the clothes the victims had frantically discarded. All ten were hospitalized, two in critical condition, and at least one will require plastic surgery. Even the officer who caught him trying to escape was admitted for burns. A lawyer for the attacker claims his client didn’t “comprehend the consequences of his action” due to “taking strong medication.”
Included or Excluded
Western European nations are facing off with their Eastern counterparts amidst a dispute that is short on gaiety. After the outlandish displays of “pride month,” the traditionally oriented governments of nations like Poland, Hungary and Slovakia are pushing back. Polish Education Minister Czarnek referred to a march as insulting to morality, asserting it had nothing to do with equality. He also said, “You saw people dressed bizarrely, a man dressed like a woman. Are they normal people in your opinion?” Poland also has some municipalities declaring themselves LGBT free zones, asserting that parades and other public events are not welcome. The country also prohibits homosexual couples from adopting children. The Czech President, Zeman, described transition surgery as disgusting, calling it “a crime of self harm.” Hungary is under fire for a law that prohibits any promotion of queer lifestyle or gender fluidity in schools. Many big names in the EU are threatening Hungary with consequences if they don’t repeal the law, saying it should leave the bloc if it does not agree on “core values.”
Vatican’t
Though policy has been trending towards a more liberal approach to social issues under the leadership of Francis, there are apparently lines the Vatican does not want to cross. An Italian law now threatens to make many Catholic doctrines illegal in practice. Refusing to perform marriages for homosexuals or excluding them from Catholic adoption services would be criminal acts under a new anti-discrimination law. Schools would also be forced to teach curriculum that violates their dogma. Calls for redress include concern the law violates the Vatican’s sovereignty under the Lateran Pacts.
Social issues and Catholic doctrine have become a major source of conflict recently. Another example is a push by U.S. Bishops to define the qualifications for communion, a move that may lead to Joe Biden and other prominent politicians being denied the sacrament. They are currently drafting a document to this effect. Such a measure would require the unanimous assent of the Bishops for implementation. Short of this, Francis would have to uphold the document, which is thought to be extremely unlikely.
British Nanny State
A new pathetic low for self determination is set to take effect in Great Britain next year. Apparently, citizens cannot be trusted to see advertisements for fast food or other items deemed unhealthy during daytime hours. Ads will not be allowed on television or the internet so as not to lead the populous into temptation. What’s next, covering the billboards? Such regulation implies that the government considers its own constituents so feeble minded and easily manipulated that they can’t be trusted not to rush out and kill themselves with crisps. Overreach of this kind can be linked to the public health services many countries have adopted. When they are footing the bill for medical treatment it’s easier to justify Nanny-type interventions. Both advertisers and media companies are outraged by these new regulations.
Pegasus
Not the mythical flying horse, alas. Pegasus is the name of a spyware program produced and sold by NSO out of Israel. While the premier nations of the world produce spyware to monitor their own citizens, there are some who lack the resources but not the desire. Pegasus fills this need, allowing governments to access all the data available on your smartphone. Texts, calls, emails, and photos can be retrieved in addition to monitoring your camera and microphone in real time. Installation can reportedly be accomplished in a single text message, often without the user having to click a link. NSO has stressed that its products are only available to national governments and law enforcement agencies that meet certain standards for use against terrorists, violent criminals and the like.
They claim to have clients from 40 different nations, stable places not known for corruption such as Saudi Arabia, Morocco, and Mexico. These practices have been acknowledged for years. Ongoing investigations claim dozens of heads of state and hundreds of journalists’ devices have been compromised. French President Macron changed a personal phone number on account of Pegasus and it is alleged that murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi was also targeted. Privacy is a thing of the past in the digital age, a sacrifice to convenience. How long will the outrage last when most of the world has accepted their own government’s use of similar technologies with barely a murmur?
Tragically Avoidable
A Rwandan man is highlighting many of the shortcomings of European immigration policies and law enforcement. Having illegally migrated to France, he was ordered to leave in 2019. He did not, and apparently the state did not physically deport him. He was arrested again in 2020 and admitted to setting fire to a Gothic cathedral in Nantes. While not as devastating as the Notre-Dame fire, many irreplaceable and historic items were lost. Awaiting trial, he was released on bail. With nowhere to go, a French Priest took him in. Horrifyingly, the Priest has been murdered by the Rwandan man to whom he had shown compassion.
This tragedy has rocked France and the attention it receives will definitely factor into their ongoing debate about immigration. With a federal election looming, the government’s lackadaisical handling of these issues will not be an asset.
New Players, Same Game
Iran’s nuclear ambitions have been a cause of concern for many years, particularly to Israel. Both countries have recently undergone changes in leadership. In Israel, former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was ousted by a shaky coalition with little in common. It includes liberal and conservative elements as well as an Arab party and was confirmed in the Knesset by only one vote. Naftali Bennett is serving as Prime Minister for the first two years and will be followed by Yair Lapid for the last two of the scheduled four year term. Benny Gantz, formerly Netanyahu’s main rival despite ideological similarities, is continuing in the post of Defense Minister. Should Gantz and Netanyahu come to an agreement, they could force a vote of no confidence in the current government at any time, an option that Gantz has publicly avoided ruling out.
Iranian elections, such as they are, installed Ebrahim Raisi as President. Low turnout, with only half the eligible population casting a ballot and millions not selecting a candidate for President, has been blamed on virus regulations, general dissatisfaction, and many candidates being summarily disqualified by the Ayatollah. Raisi has long been sanctioned by the U.S. for crimes that include mass political execution. “The Butcher of Tehran,” as he is known, is extreme, even for Iran. He has abruptly ended the indirect negotiations with western powers in Vienna to revive the nuclear deal. Iran is already openly enriching uranium to 60% purity and could achieve the 90% necessary for nuclear weapons in a very short time. The deal, which sought to limit enrichment to 3.67%, is hardly relevant at this point.
