Lithuania Legislature Overrides Veto, Bans All Information, Movies, Websites With Gay Info

The Lithuanian Parliament on July 14 overrode a presidential veto of a bill that bans from schools and public places any information that “agitate(s) for homosexual, bisexual and polygamous relations.” The vote was 87-6. The Parliament, or Seimas, previously had passed the measure 67-3, with 67 MPs not voting. Seventy-one votes were needed for an override. The new statute is called the “Law on the Protection of Minors Against the Detrimental Effect of Public Information.” An explanatory note attached to it says: “The propagation of a nontraditional sexual orientation and exposure to information containing positive coverage of homosexual relations may cause negative consequences for the physical, mental and, first and foremost, moral development of minors.” The law specifically states that it is meant to cover movies and Web sites, so domestic and foreign gay Web sites might now be banned in Lithuania, along with hundreds of films such as Milk and La Cage aux Folles. The law also bans information that promotes hypnosis, “bad eating,” paranormal phenomena, gambling, lotteries, physical passivity and other things legislators consider “detrimental” to minors’ bodies or thought processes. The measure’s sponsor said it protects Lithuanian youth from “the rotten culture that is now overwhelming them.” Full Story from SF Bay Times

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