Talking about the same-sex marriage bill signed into law by France’s President Francois Hollande on May 18 and its possible “recurrence” in Armenia, political scientist Sergey Shakaryants said during a conversation with www.aravot.am: “Judging from what Ashot Manucharyan said at his press conference, that law has already been adopted in our country. I share his opinion. It seems to me that he wouldn’t spread false information; I don’t know whether our homosexuals have taken that step for the sake of the European Union or what, perhaps in return for a bribe.” The political scientist stated that he was not against homosexuality, as a phenomenon, but against the fact that the issue was put on the agenda, and that we were forced to adopt “God knows what European standard.” According to Shakaryants, “There have been protests against that in France, and if people there are against that phenomenon, then, why do you parasite take that step? What law is this? What European standard is this? How is this in line with our traditional system of values? So if tomorrow the European Union demands that our churches bless such marriages, why, we will have to accept that too? If I believe what Ashot Manucharyan says, intellectuals and clergymen have already filed complaints, but the government prevents such information from spreading. Why is it so? Are there homophiles among our leadership? We don’t interfere; you may take anyone to your bedroom, but do your job! Don’t leave society free and unprotected, so that some fools demand gay-lesbian parades tomorrow, as, for example, in Russia, where they go to war veteran memorials, drop condoms there and hold demonstrations! So homosexuals will go to Yerablur, where our heroes rest, tomorrow to demonstrate, is that what they want?” Shakaryants stated that he was absolutely against such statutes. “I just cannot understand how their rights are restricted that they want to be freed by the law. They have a right to vote. Homosexuality is not a crime now, as it was in the Soviet period. Why, they are just not allowed to propagate among youths and schoolchildren, right?
“Well then let us legalize human sacrifices, why not? If homosexuality is allowed, then this is permissible too.” In Shakaryants’s words, why should we repeat whatever Francois Hollande does? “Well then let all Armenia renounce Christianity. If we are Christians, then we should respect, to put it bluntly, those documents. And if not, let the parliament, President Serzh Sargsyan state that we renounce Christianity, and let us see what responses there will be.”
Eva HAKOBYAN
