With Barbados’ male population being depleted by gun violence, the country can ill afford losing more to same sex unions.
This is one other argument, religious leader Paul Leacock is using, against Government’s proposal to legally recognize same sex unions in Barbados.
Speaking to members of the media, on the sidelines of today’s Family-Faith-Freedom Barbados 4th March and Rally, pastor Leacock maintained that making this move would bring about psychological, economical and sociological difficulties in Barbados.
“We cannot compromise the health of our nation with what we have seen as a result of same sex civil unions in other jurisdictions. We cannot afford to lose more men. We are seeing our men murdered in the streets.
“This parish [St Philip] has the most murders in the country. We are losing young men to murder. We are losing young men to anti-social behaviour. Therefore, we can do no more to undermine the integrity, responsibility, accountability and the role of men in our society.
“And therefore, same-sex civil unions feminizes our men, masculinizing our women, and we do not think that that is sustainable and productive for this country. Therefore, from the west where we began, to St George Central, to Bridgetown where we were last week, here in St Philip in the east, we are declaring that Government needs to rescind their orders, their laws and step back from those intentions because it will not be beneficial to Barbados, it will be detrimental,” Leacock said.
Leacock also sought to remind Barbadians that while over the years other countries have been battered and significantly affected by natural disasters, including hurricanes, God has spared Barbados because of its good standing moral fabric.
“We cannot undermine that, and I believe same-sex civil unions, which is an abomination in the sight of God can only invite God err and not God’s blessing. And so we stand and we say unequivocally that’s an error.
“There are other major problems that Government needs to address. We are saying that we need 80,000 more persons in this country, so that our country can be viable. Why then will we implement same sex unions that works in opposition to that? So therefore, I am saying from the spiritual, moral, social, economic perspective, this is not sustainable, the Government should not do it,” Leacock warned.
Executive Director of Family Faith Freedom Barbados, Dr Veronica Evelyn, said that the topic for today’s march, The Language and Politics of Sexual Rights, highlights that sexual rights movements have developed a specialized language using words with negative connotations to describe persons against same sex unions.
However, Dr Evelyn said Family Faith Freedom Barbados is speaking the truth to the nation and it is up to the masses to accept that truth or to receive it.
The Executive Director noted that while Government is seeking to make same sex unions a part of the country’s social fabric, she does not believe that political activist on the ground understand the bigger picture.
“Globally, there is much more going on at the level of the United Nations, with international agencies, with embassies, etc. So what you are seeing on the ground I call them the foot soldiers and they don’t have a clue as to the real agenda and how very serious it is in terms of turning the world around from a world where God is sovereign and where people believe that God is sovereign, to a world that dethrones God and enthrones man,” Dr Evelyn said.
Meanwhile, pastor Leacock added that the gay rights agenda in Barbados can only function with political power and legislation. Leacock declared that other unions do not need Government’s legislation to function.
“Legislation in respect of marriage is only there because the Government has a vested interest in marriage, because marriage is among the most important resources of a country; that is its citizens. And marriage produces its citizens. Marriage produces family, produces community, produces nations, and produces the world.
“So therefore, that legislation is only to regulate and register marriage, but marriages do not need Government legislation for it to function, this [same sex unions] does and that is interesting. It is therefore artificial, to that which is natural,” Leacock said. (AH)
