politicians apparently still find it difficult to separate their personal beliefs (or their personal interests) of their public duties. I copy here the statement that has IFAD made on the refusal of the City of Toledo at the conclusion of this act atheists: MAYOR OF TOLEDO GRAIN COUNCIL HOLDING THE ATHEIST I
"In the opinion of the reason, religion as a whole is strongly condemned. However, organized religious superstition still maintains close alliances with political and economic power, morality and culture. It enables and supports the superstition that irrationality influence exerted on our time. "
(From the Manifesto of the IFAD)
On 9 October took place in the Town Hall offices Toledo a meeting between representatives of IFAD and the Councillor for Culture, Angel Felpeto Enriquez, attended the 2 nd Deputy Mayor of the city and Councillor for Housing, Aurelio San Emeterio, the United Left coalition.
San Emeterio had negotiated the transfer of Multipurpose Community Center, public property, for the celebration, from 9 to 11 November 2007, the First Council Godless organized by our association. Three months earlier, Councilman IU had given us their commitment of support for Toledo will host the first cultural event of this nature atheistic, thus confirming the calling for tolerance and coexistence between cultures that this city boasts. At previous meetings, held at the offices of IU in late July and mid September from Aurelio San Emeterio and several members of IFAD, he had known the program, the name of the guests and planned activities. Of course, this was the issue of the impact of the council and the risks of its call, at which agreed to send a note to the Delegation of the Government requesting police protection for at least two participants, JAM Montoya and Leo Bassi, victims of attacks and threats from fundamentalists in more than one occasion.
Undoubtedly, San Emeterio knew the Mayor's Catholic affiliation Toledo socialist, Emiliano García-Page, and the distinct possibility that argued against the conclusion of the Council, so opt, he said, to bring the matter discreetly, so that when you become aware of Garcia This page may no longer react. It was clear that the atmosphere of the session and the correlation of political forces involved would lead to certain advantages to IU if it adopted this type of small challenging positions, and moreover knew that we had alienated the mayor, whose first public speech after the elections , was nothing less than to receive formally the relics of a saint.
hope, therefore, in negotiating virtues San Emeterio, and so we continued with the details of the organization and the strategy of propaganda. Weeks later, we noticed a growing detachment by the same reluctance to specify when a certain number of points and incipient stage fright. It is obvious that Mr. García-Page, with the "deepening" that characterized him, had been informed of the project and maintained a friendly monologue with Don Aurelio. In a telephone conversation, San Emeterio told us the situation, saying that "it looked pretty bad", since the mayor was not willing to allow in their city or the photo exhibition JAM Montoya nor the performance of the "clown" Leo Bassi. A few days later we confirmed this, saying that he did not previously known photographs of Sanctorvm, and that he thought "very strong and provocative."
The meeting with the Councillor of Culture came as Secretary of IFAD, Luis María González. Also present were other members of the association and San Emeterio himself. During the meeting, which lasted over two hours, García-Page's office repeatedly called Angel Felpeto, interest in the outcome of negotiations. Councilman proposed, as a prerequisite for the transfer of the premises (no free transfer, on the other hand), not the photographs were exhibited "blasphemous." Was defined as a practicing Catholic, and assured us that neither he nor the mayor would be willing to allow such "provocation." The "provocation", in short, simply outlined in a private, accessible only to attendees of the Council, a few pictures with erotic content. But you know, respect for religious beliefs seems to be an unbeatable Molok in this secular state, especially when their political representatives are inclined so devoutly to bishops and cardinals at every opportunity. But
was not only JAM Montoya. Literally, Angel Felpeto us that "in any of the ways we allow such a celebration, while the stock of your speakers is no different." After the meeting we received a phone call from San Emeterio, which told us that "there is nothing to do", because minutes earlier had been called to the office of García-Page, and was assured he would not tolerate any atheist Council ways. The fear of the reaction of Catholic voters, remember the pressure exerted by the bishop Cañizares during the days of the pre-season, when Toledo convened an "ordeal" of reparation, mattered more to the mayor that any argument based on our constitutional rights ...
FIDA has not accepted any such tax. That is not our style of politics. The agenda of the Council could not submit to such a low level conditions, and our dignity prevents us from continuing to negotiate with such partners. We have not accepted the blackmail of a few crooked politicians and strangers to the ideals that are supposed to represent parties, PSOE and IU. Some, to prevent the right of citizens to assemble without interference. Others, the neglect of permitting no other answer than a shrug.
tara Religion is a traditional, democratic culture that allows, to some extent, free. We embarked on a comprehensive process of political struggle, cultural and institutional, which aims to curb the influence of religious ideology in public. Because, even though some people still doubt it, secularism is a cornerstone of democracy, and can not accept any type of discrimination in a truly free society.
Since we are firmly convinced of the legality and integrity of our common project, we encourage you to distribute this statement to denounce the attitude of our public representatives and to contribute to the expansion of our ideas. Also to promote, from the deepest sense of solidarity, the First Council of Toledo Atheist, TO BE HELD, if you receive the necessary support, REGARDLESS OF CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCES. We still can not secure the final place, and maybe we should give in to a change of dates. But do not give up the lens or the content provided.
be notified, in short, more detailed aspects of the new call. Entries formalized and remain valid, as well as those made from now. The First Council is not canceled, despite everything, although obviously it will move from location.
Thank FIDA received expressions of support.
Charter filed today in the Exmo check. Toledo City Council At
. Mr.
Emiliano García-Page Sánchez, Mayor.
Felpeto Angel Enriquez, Councillor of Culture.
Aurelio Fernández San Emeterio, Councillor for Housing. 09/10/1907
Dear Sirs. ours:
regard to the request on 11/07/1909 in municipal check concerning the request to use the Multipurpose Community Center located at c / Rio Bullaque, 24, of Toledo (Polygon Benquerencia) , and after discussions with date today among members of our organization and the councilman of Culture, d. Felpeto Angel Enriquez, in the presence of other representatives of the consistory, in particular d. Aurelio Fernández San Emeterio, Second Deputy Mayor and Councillor for Housing, we state the following:
The program content of the First Council of Toledo Atheist can not be subject to negotiations and therefore, none of its elements can be removed under a fanciful interpretation of constitutional rights which respect for religious beliefs over artistic creation and freedom of conscience.
We can not accept, therefore, the condition is not exposed in Council local printmaking Jose Antonio Moreno Montoya included in the photographic series Sanctorvm as Vds. we proposed in that conversation, and in which
gave us to understand that the mayor, Don Emiliano García-Page Sánchez, no willing to allow such "provocation." Since this is an activity included in the agenda of a conference being organized by a private association, and given also the place where they will be exposed is not accessible to the public outside the act, not just to understand where is this "provocation."
therefore requested the permit for municipal officials use by the Association IFAD public space called "Multipurpose Community Centre", space that we were given verbal commitment, assuming that there will be no interference or any requirement from political office in charge of local management as the modification of the program of lectures, exhibitions and activities.
If you prefer to go ahead with the veto to any of the planned activities or the personalities involved, do please let us know as soon as possible, in order to find other alternatives.
Sincerely,
International Federation of Atheists (IFAD)
Board
Page warns that Toledo will delve more into their religious traditions
06/24/2007, ABC (ES). Emiliano García-Page delivered yesterday his first official speech as mayor of Toledo in the Courtyard of the door hinge. And fate decreed that it was also, for the reception of the relics of San Ildefonso, before the Cardinal Cañizares and three former mayors of Toledo, Juan Ignacio de Mesa, Joaquín Sánchez and Agustín Garrido Conde, representatives of the Army Guard Civil and surrounded by sororities and fraternities in the city of Toledo. From the beginning, the new government team city \u200b\u200bhas turned to the preparation of this eminently religious act and offered to the Archbishop of Toledo all facilities for their implementation. García-Page wanted to throw more hours nod to the Church and in his speech noted that "the city of Toledo is not going to give up their religious traditions." On the contrary, said that "will deepen further in them."
Toledo. Thousands of people in the via crucis of relief held in the diocese
24/03/2007, ABC (ES). Were thousands of people in different parishes of the diocese of Toledo participated in the ordeal yesterday summoned by the cardinal archbishop of Toledo, Antonio Cañizares, as a sacrifice of "Atonement" and "repair" by the "deteriorating situation" of Spain. In Toledo, with an attendance of over five hundred people, the ceremony was officiated by the Archbishop with the Auxiliary Bishop of Toledo, Angel Rubio, who urged the faithful not to display posters "because we are here to pray," said seeing one carried by an assistant with the slogan "I am not ashamed of being Christian." Several mayors of municipal government team were also among the attendees, as Deputy Mayor, Lamberto García Pineda, the Town Planning, Maria Paz Ruiz, the council Works and Services, Javier Alonso, the Participation Citizen, Fernando Sanz, and Culture, Fernando Surgeon. The archbishop called the Via Crucis taking place today in all parishes of the diocese as "compensation to a secularism that has no future and to other painful events." He referred in particular, among other "painful events", the recent movie about Santa Teresa and the publication in 2003 of a catalog of photos "blasphemous" sponsored by the Junta de Extremadura.
horrific photographs that humiliate us
03/25/2007, ABC (ES). The Cardinal Archbishop of Toledo and primate of Spain, Antonio Cañizares, said yesterday that "photographs horrendous "JAM Montoya, which is displayed figures of Christianity in attitudes pornographic," abuse "of the Virgin, and added that" when this happens, degrades man, it breaks the coexistence and humiliate us. " Archbishop Cañizares was speaking amid a widespread applause at the opening Mass of the Jubilee Year Guadalupean, which gathered in the Plaza Mayor, with the Moorish Gothic monastery, a World Heritage Site, about 15,000 pilgrims. The celebration, as announced by the Bishop, vice president of the English Episcopal Conference, was specifically intended to "redress" to the Virgin.
Among those present were also the Board Chairman, Juan Carlos Rodríguez Ibarra, and the Minister of Culture, which subsidized the controversial photographer to pay the catalog containing the above pictures. Cañizares insisted that the photographs of Montoya attack "the most beloved, most precious to us" and, therefore, urged "the Extremadura and English 'to tell the Virgin that" we want all our soul, which is our mother "and" no one touch us. " Nevertheless, Archbishop Cañizares also wanted to make a gesture to President of the Board of Extremadura, to close off the altar and expressly him to give you peace. This was the second time during the Eucharist in which the faithful broke into applause. With the opening of the Jubilee Year begins a series of religious and cultural events until March 2008, with the government of Extremadura Extremadura Guadalupe wants to promote in the world. To this end, the Board has scheduled this year in its budget an item of EUR 1.5 million and has established a partnership with the Ministries of Economy and Finance and Culture, with the Franciscan Community of Guadalupe to carry out a comprehensive program of cultural performances.
