It is ironic in a way that after seemingly winning the cold war, we should be watching Europe follow Russia down the drains, and be looking at following that path ourselves. Several times now I have posted about the declining population in Europe, which is able to remain afloat only by virtue of immigration. Today, reading TheFactIs, I learn that in Russia the problem is much the same, except, if possible, even more urgent.^[1]

There are more babies dieing from abortion in Russia than are being born, 1.7 killed for each live birth. As a result, for every 10 live births, 16 Russians die. Imagine, even if 0.7 of those 1.7 babies killed were still to die, then Russia would yet have a growing population.

Certainly a climate of fear and uncertainty likely has something to do with the number of abortions, and thus the mainstream press (as reported by the TheFactIs article) is accidentally right in pointing to this as the cause of declining population. Yet still, I must protest that a return to socialism, as is apparently advocated by the mainstream press, cannot be the answer.

It certainly is not the case that socialism would solve the employment problem. While it might create job security for the few who find employment, the example of France and other countries that remain highly socialist show us that there would remain a great deal of unemployment, and thus the fear that the press blames would continue unabated. The problem here is not truly a problem of security, it is a problem of oportunity. With the security of private property, a right to the produce of their work, then only security from crime would stand between the Russian people and the solution to their problems. The small shop, the family farm, the man who happens to have a gift for this or that, these would provide the basis for the economy, these would provide the assurance that tomorrow’s needs would be met.

1. Mr. Douglas Sylva. “To Russia, With Love” TheFactIs. viewed 2006-05-16. http://www.thefactis.org/default.aspx?control=ArticleMaster&aid=1537&authid=9

Something that has been sitting on my desk for a while now, waiting for me to decide to write about it. We have got a serious problem here with regards to the idea of “same sex marriage.” Earlier this month, TheFactIs writer Ms. Samantha Singson wrote about the disturbingly real possibility that the European Union will be used as a mechanism to force Europe further into moral and social decline, by penalizing those nations that refuse to legalize these “marriages.”^[1] Normally, I would quote the entire article verbatim, as their copyright notice permits it, but I want to move on today. So I will just quote the first two paragraphs, containing the bulk of the legalese.

A new law may force nations in the European Union to accept same-sex unions from other nations. The European Free Movement Directive entered into legal force last week and it requires EU member states to grant residency to homosexuals who are not citizens if their partner is a citizen of an EU country.

The directive grants family reunification rights to same-sex partners when one of the partners resides in an EU country that gives legal recognition to same-sex unions. But EU countries without same-sex marriage or partnership laws are not let off the hook. Though not automatically required to give legal recognition to same-sex unions such nations are obligated under the new law to perform an investigation into the stability of same-sex couples seeking reunification rights. If a relationship is deemed “real and durable,” then national authorities are required to facilitate entry and residence for the gay partner who is a non-citizen.^[1]

The article continues, and she provides some quotes that illustrate but fall short of proof that this is aimed at forcing the issue of same sex “marriage” in those countries where marriage is still understood.

This is the sort of “European Union” that exists now, and this the sort of action that those in support of it favor. It is decidedly anti-Catholic in nature, supported by those who hate orthodox Catholicism.

Yes, I am wording that strongly. Today, catching up on some of the recent Planet Debian posts, I find a doozie. Mr. Christian Perrier uses language just as strong as my own, and identically targeted, for he is one who supports this union.^[2] Lest the necessity of the link be missed, he reiterated it later.^[2]

Mr. Perrier thinks that Europe will “outgrow” Catholicism (my word, but it fits his ideas). I think that if Europe does not grow up and rediscover Catholicism, it will cease to be. It will become part of Arabia.

1. Ms. Samantha Singson. “New EU Law Forces Homosexual ‘Marriage’ on All Member States” “Friday Fax,” volume 9, Number 20. 2006-05-05. http://www.thefactis.org/default.aspx?control=ArticleMaster&aid=1532&authid=11
2. Mr. Christian Perrier. “Poland turning right hardly” “Bubulle’s weblog” 2006-05-06 http://www.perrier.eu.org/weblog/2006/05/06#poland
3. Mr. Christian Perrier. “Right wing or not?” “Bubulle’s weblog” 2006-05-07 http://www.perrier.eu.org/weblog/2006/05/07#right-wing