The COMELEC Second Division however I believe became more Catholic than the Pope.  By denying Ang Ladlad’s petition for accreditation it used the “protection of morality argument”. The question is should the COMELEC be in the business of protecting people’s morals or should they be more in the protection of ballots? Also the decision even to a non-lawyer is violative of the non-Establishment of Religion clause in our Bill of Rights.  The decision clearly favours Christianity and Islam and is protective of the belief system of the two faiths. Even if these two faiths consist the majority of the electorate’s religious affiliation, the State by virtue of the Constitution is required to be neutral with respect to religion.

If gays want to destroy the constitutional system of government, then COMELEC should not accredit it. If gays have in their platform a plan for liquidating straights in order to rule the planet, then COMELEC should not accredit it. But if gays want to participate in the electoral system and promote children’s rights, women’s rights and the right to an education (which is Ladlad’s platform) then they should not be a threat to anyone in our society at all. I recall Danton Remoto’s quip on  gay marriage. Danton said “No, magagalit si Jesus!” Our gay rights advocates seem to know their limits.

But if just being gay is a threat to society and the morals of the youth, then this is indeed disturbing. Because it implies that gays if only shut in their beauty parlor ghettos will be harmless to the rest of society.

Now back to the real morality argument. The Roman Church believes that homosexual orientation doesn’t violate any of the Ten Commandments. But it does believe that cheating in elections is a violation of 8th Commandment “Thou shalt not bear false witness on thy neighbour”

Since all the political parties in the Philippines trade allegations of cheating every election time and the COMELEC knows its morals, then it should not accredit all POLITICAL PARTIES.

I like Hillary Clinton’s description of corruption as ‘corrosive”. The United States electorate does take seriously allegations of poll cheating because it undermines the basis of their democracy which is based on a Judaeo-Christian  understanding of morality. However they to a large extent uphold a Secular understanding of this morality. An interpretation based on a religious viewpoint in the courts and government authorities is bound to generate a lot of freedom of religion suits.

The ruling elite in our society must be so oxidized by now!

So which is more corrosive to the youth? Being gay or cheating? I believe it is the latter. As for the former and since I teach in college, I know many of the youth are gay anyway. So why the need to protect them from gays? Let them be gay as long they don’t hurt anyone, or violate the law.