In one of the first interviews given in 2008 by Joseph Muscat, newly elected Leader of the then Malta Labour Party, he was asked which politician he admired most and who his role model was. His immediate reply was Zapatero, the then Prime Minister of Spain. Maltese observers of the political scene in Spain were taken aback and wondered at the time if Joseph Muscat really intended to emulate Zapatero and introduce such deep cultural changes in Malta.

From 2004 to 2011, Spain was governed by the extreme socialist Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, a radical gender ideologue who knew what he wanted - "Today Spain is on the cutting edge of a radical international project that will deeply affect the family... a far reaching project to change the cultural values that will determine Spain's social and historical identity for a long time." This radical international project marched behind a concept of freedom that had been 'emancipated' from reality. In his words: "It is freedom that makes us true. Not the truth that makes us free." (Ref: Demographic Deficit. Family rights and human capital in Europe. Experiments on families - Member States experiences and consequences: SPAIN," ECR Group, Brussels, November 17, 2010).

As Zapatero said," We stand before a global project of social transformation with the goal of destroying the old order and building a new order. We have never passed so many laws in such a short time that change the lives of the individual."

During his time in office, Zapatero used "legislation as the decisive key to cultural change". The following laws were passed under his regime: a law against gender violence; a quickie divorce law (the number  of divorces soared from 51,000 in 2004 to almost 122,000 in 2008); free distribution of the morning after pill without prescription; legalisation of artificial methods of reproduction; free choice of gender identity; legalisation of same sex "marriage"; equal treatment and anti-discrimination laws; reform of the law on religious freedom; legalisation of abortion-on-demand; legalisation of therapeutic cloning and the introduction of obligatory sex education in favour of "diversity" and against "homophobia"(children have been taken out of their homes and put into social care in instances where parents refused compulsory education), and the introduction of obligatory education in gender biology.

The Zapatero regime came to an abrupt end. The destruction of the culture as well as extreme financial mismanagement led to the government's ousting in 2011. Zapatero's dream was over, but the legally mandated Cultural Revolution during his seven-year regime left behind a deeply torn society that is still grappling with this situation today. The cost in terms of the fight for life, respect for the family, and for the inviolable dignity of the person is incomprehensible and will take years to undo. Unfortunately, the European Union is pursuing very similar anti-life goals for the 500 million residents of its member states and in the process usurping parental rights, pushing abortion as part of comprehensive sexual health and imposing gender mainstreaming.

Is this where Malta is going? What is next? Are the Honourable Members of both sides of the House aware of all this? The authentic freedom of all EU citizens is at stake. This ideological dictatorship will collapse one day as did the reign of Zapatero and many others before him who experimented on the unsuspecting citizens. However, the damage in the aftermath will affect us all. Maltese society as we know it now will have disappeared.

Why would we barter what we have? Why sell our life and family values? At present, life in Malta is protected from its conception by the Embryo Protection Act, but if one follows the media circus, it is evident that this is specifically being targeted. The slow introduction of gender mainstreaming threatens the heart of family life and values as we know them. Eradication of gender stereotypes is an attack on the scientifically proven complementarity of man and woman, mother and father, brother and sister. These are not words but also role models that every child needs and craves for in his or her holistic development. Maternal bonding starts in utero - this is also scientifically proven, but we only use science when it is convenient.

Religious freedom is also a human right. Gender mainstreaming will try to limit religion to the private sphere. The major religions will never accept the marriage other than that between a biological man and a biological woman open to life. That is part of the transmission of faith. Will anyone who dares to believe this and teach it to his children be criminalised? Will parents who refuse to teach only biological sex in the school curriculum as only that between man and woman be criminalised? Will parents be given the right to opt out? Will parents be able to decide what books their children will read? The upcoming Istanbul Convention implementation into our laws (Bill 14) includes undermining parental authority and religious freedom. Are the citizens aware of this or are we being intentionally misled? When will the leaders of our communities wake up? Will Joseph Muscat and our government continue in the steps of the shoemaker?

 

Dr Sciberras is the Chairman of the Life Network Foundation Malta