SSM in Italy 2

Well, go to church and the Church jumps in. As a follow-up to Romano Prodi's gay-rights problem, we find that the Vatican made more pronouncements today.

This time, it was the head of the Vatican's health department, Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan speaking. Just in case someone thought it was cool for Prodi to bring up the idea of granting legal rights to unmarried couples – straight or homosexual –– when he challenges Premier Silvio Berlusconi next year, it isn't, at least in that little land inside Italy.

Note: Barragan was the same Cardinal who made the pronouncement last year that Roman Catholics should not use condoms. He said that this would minimize fornication.

Never mind what the poll La Repubblica published yesterday revealed. If you must mind, 1,542 Italians from September 13th through 15th favored giving legal rights to unmarried couples. The margin was 64% in favor and 30% opposed. Atlante Politico Demos-Eurisko also reported that 31% want to extend these rights to homosexuals and 29% approved of same-sex marriage.

None of that cut it was the Cardinal. He said that everyone deserved human rights, but "I don't see why we have to make ad hoc laws...which in the end can only create confusion."

Perhaps next interview, he can explain why it is less confusing to treat some groups of adults differently than the same. We shall wait.