Inhumane Conditions - in the Vatican?
The Holy See sees evil elsewhere and condemns it unequivocally. It challenges all those who see fit to spurn human rights entitlements in their zeal to punish others. Torture and inhumane incarceration is one of many human rights complaints that the Vatican chides various administrations for.The conditions under which, for example, Guantanamo-incarcerated jihadists were kept were considered to be highly abusive, constituting an human rights outrage.
And along comes Pope Benedict's former butler, currently on trial within the Vatican for absconding with papal documents. In appearing before a Vatican court Paolo Gabriele, whose heart is figuratively and almost literally broken because his actions have caused great perturbation in the heart of one whom he holds in sacred fatherlike devotion, has charged human rights violations.
What?! Of the Vatican? Surely not?!
Despite his grief at having been the cause of great distress to Pope Benedict XVI, he hangs his head in shame at considering himself "guilty of betraying the trust of the Holy Father, who I loved like a son". No, the Holy Father was not loved like a son, not at all, Paolo Gabriele means to convey his son's love of the father; obviously appearing before a Vatican court can be quite discombobulating.
He did indeed, he owns, steal copies of documents. He passed them on, immorally, unethically, constituting a crime against the Holy Father and by extension the Holy See. But he had no intention of harming the Pope, his Holy Father. His intention was to reveal the extent to which corruption is rampant at the Vatican.
Conveying letters meant for the Pope's eyes only, from a senior functionary who expressed his concern at the level of ethical impropriety in the business dealings of the Holy See. It was a wide-spread malaise in the Vatican that inspired him to act. He had the best interests of the Vatican and the Holy Father at heart.
And so, it seems quite, quite unjust that he was incarcerated in a tiny cell, so narrow he was unable to stretch out his arms. A cell in which the lights were kept on 24 hours a day for up to 20 days. A development that caused the poor man's vision to be damaged. And to mightily depress the poor man.
For their part, Vatican gendarmerie insist the lights were kept on "for security" purposes. What human rights abuses?
Labels: Communication, Crime, Heritage, Human Relations, Religion
posted by Pieface @ Thursday, October 04, 2012
<< Home