Question. Some of our readers are upset about your decision to speak for gay and lesbian rights. Our people  are awaiting the “Baltic Pride” parade  with anxiety because to them it seems to be a challenge. The society is not used to such events and thus, reacts  very sensitively to any schooling from outside. Besides for 50 years we had a “big brother”who dictated how we should behave. Why you, an experienced diplomat, decided to talk about this? Maybe the better thing to stress would have been family values, or church teachings?

Answer. This is a very important question. I will begin with myself: I am a mother of four children; happily married; I’ve lived with my husband for 25 years; I consider myself a very religious person; my great grandfather was a Lutheran pastor; I was raised in a religious family, and I raised my children with a spirit of Christianity.

In speaking for the “Baltic Pride” parade, I speak about it from the perspective of human rights and democracy. I mentioned in my speech that US President, Barack Obama, speaks strongly for equal rights of all people. Modern democratic countries should respect and tolerate the rights of their citizens to choose their own path, and to live without harassment, discrimination, or violence. This is the foundation of human rights.

Prepared by LGL according to information on www.balsas.lt.