We want to promote the concept of tolerance in the world. But we don’t want to achieve the opposite by behaving imprudently. It is smarter to advance step-by- step and sensitively. I think it is important that we live by our own standards of tolerance and that we do not adopt sometimes less tolerant standards as our own. … My motto is: do what you like if it does not hurt anyone else.
—Guido Westerwelle, Germany’s foreign minister and vice chancellor, explaining why he won’t travel with his partner Michael Mronz to some of the world’s 75 countries that persecute gays; he’s already visited Yemen and Saudi Arabia without Mronz, but took him to China. [via]
EARLIER:
Should Guido Westerwelle Make His Sexuality a Big Part of His Diplomacy?
Germany’s Gay Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle Brings His Partner to China (And Nobody Cares?)
L.
Isn’t the answer sort of in the question already?
alan brickman
Maybe he shouldn’t visit them then….just sayin….
Nick Farben
It’s logical.
Gay rights, however important and right, should not trump foreign relations if you are THE foreign minister. Maybe if it was a different minister, but he is the top diplomat from his country. Diplomacy is his job and not optional.
Cam
He Said
“I think it is important that we live by our own standards of tolerance and that we do not adopt sometimes less tolerant standards as our own.”
Howver, by not bringing his partner to those countries, he is actually adopting the less tolerant standards of those countries.
biguy
So the artard cretins in these countries are OK meeting with openly gay Guido but the presence of his boyfriend would be too much? Would some shithole country like Yemen actually risk diplomatic relations with Germany over a gay diplomat’s boyfriend? China might actually have the wherewithal to do so but they didn’t so that should say something. I’m sure the Germans could provide them both with adequate security.