Juan Ameen
Pro-divorce billboards launched
A woman with a black eye looking into the distance, a sad young girl and a grumpy toddler feature in the pro-divorce movement’s billboard campaign launched a month before the referendum.
The images, accompanied by questions like “If this is your daughter, would you give her another chance?” make reference to the movement’s argument that divorce would give domestic violence victims a second chance.
Both the pro and anti-divorce movements unveiled their billboards as the May 28 referendum draws closer.
Two of the pro-divorce movement’s billboards focus specifically on children – one with a young girl and another with a toddler, both looking sorrowfully into the camera lens – and the slogan: “Forced to cohabit and our children are illegitimate – is that right?” (Poġġuti bil-fors u wliedna bgħula... hekk sew?).
The third depicts a couple – a blonde Eastern-European woman sitting on a man’s lap – holding wads of euro notes, which are also stuffed into her shirt, both laughing. The text points out that divorce is a right only for those who can afford to obtain it abroad.
The Moviment Żwieġ Bla Divorzju noted that the Iva movement’s campaign was now acknowledging the fact that children should be at the centre of the debate on no-fault divorce.
However, the movement stron-gly condemned the “insensitivity” shown by the Iva movement by referring to children as “bgħula”.
“The Yes movement is also showing great dishonesty when trying to give the impression that the laws of our country refer to illegitimate and legitimate children when it knows this is not the case,” a spokesman said.
Meanwhile, the anti-divorce movement has launched two billboards so far – one depicting a child embracing his pa-rents with the slogan “Together for our children” (Flimkien għal uliedna).
The second shows an alarm clock, only with the numbers one to four on the dial, and a question in large white block letters on a pink background saying: “A marriage with an expiry date? No thanks.”
The four numbers on the clock face refer to a clause in the proposed legislation that only allows a couple to file for divorce after being separated for four years.
Alternattiva Demokratika chairman Michael Briguglio said the billboards by the anti-divorce movement were “simplistic” and “did not reflect reality.
“These billboards are deceitful – isn’t the marriage of a couple who separate or get an annulment expired? We appeal to the anti-divorce movement to be more sensitive to people who are in broken marriages and to their children,” he said.
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33 Comments
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Mr david debattista
May 23rd 2011, 10:46
Go out their and vote yes for your Rights, Dignity, and being Human.
Alexander George Farrugia
May 2nd 2011, 12:11
Without going on the merit of pro- or against divorce, such billboards seem to be targeting simpletons, and do not respect the intelligence of voters.
If the argument goes that the introduction of a controversial legislation implies that justice be done, imagine for a moment a billboard with a child showing the signs of sexual abuse with the words: "Kieku kienet bintek, kont thallih jghix?"...ivvota Iva ghall-piena kapitali.
Or else, another billboard showing a raped teenager with the words: "Kieku kienet bintek, izzommilha tarbija li tnisslet minn stupru?"...ivvota Iva ghall-introduzzjoni tal-abort.
Surely, abuse is one of the reasons for marraige breakdown, but not the main one. Stress, unhappiness, growing apart, lack of communication, infidelity are a greater breakdown factor. So why not a billboard showing a desperate man with the words: "Li kieku ibnek jinduna li l-mara li zzewweg ma kinitx tghodd ghalih...Ittih cans iehor?" or "Li kieku ibnek jinduna li jhobb aktar lit-tfajla ta' fuq ix-xoghol milli lil martu...Ittih cans iehor?".....
but then again, these would not hit a sentimental note, would they?
Mr Christopher Grech
May 2nd 2011, 10:18
Should one ask Christ on the subject of divorce, how would He answer?
He is not in favour of divorce except in certain circumstances and in those
circumstances, unless he has committed adultery or incest, the dad should have custody of the children and house and the woman should leave.
(see page 148 on the book "The Way home or face The Fire", downloadable
here: http://thewayhomeorfacethefire.net/ )
However, a believer cannot be unequally yoked with an unbeliever and that is
also grounds for divorce, as is a wife refusing to obey her husband. In a
proper relationship it should be as quoted in the Scriptures - that they
should both be believers and doers and that the man is the head of the woman
so she obeys her husband, Christ is the head of man, so man obeys Christ and
Father is the head of Christ and Christ obeys Father.
Corinthians:
11:3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and
the head of the woman [is] the man; and the head of Christ [is] God.
It cannot work any other way. And, of course the children obey their dad. If
the wife does not obey her husband his children never will.
A good link to the subject of marriage and spiritual guidance may be found
here: http://jahtruth.net/marguide.htm
Pierre Sacco
May 1st 2011, 21:30
People are saying that when a divorced man wants to remarry, the next wife has to do a find out if it was because of violence that his first marraige failed. Why shouldn't have the battered one do the homework herself beforhand, so that such tragedy could have been avoided? After all, that's why there should be preparation before the big step. And I firmly beleive that no one gets violent out of the blues, half way through marraige. A person shows he/she's violent well before. I can never remove from before my eyes the scene of a guy hardly slapping his girfriend in front of an audience actually, and I came to know that this was not a one off shenanigan, and when she was told why she's still with him, she replied that it's because she loved him. Ok, she can love him as much as she wants, but she had her chance to rethink before marraige, and she didn't. I need to say no more.
Ms G Schembri
May 1st 2011, 23:56
With that same arguments the Church should not grant any annulments because a couple should do their homework before getting married. If they do that they will have no grounds for annulments. Two weights two measures?
Victor Pulis
May 2nd 2011, 08:50
There are cases when violence appears after marriage. The fact that a man finds himself 'shackeled' for life to the same woman can trigger off violent behaviour which was inexistant during the engagement.
Mr patrick mifsud
May 1st 2011, 19:45
tajjeb hafna. mela ma ntihiex cans iehor. anke lil min ikun qed issawwatha ukoll intih cans iehor isawwat lil haddiehor. by the way il boards ta kontra id-divorzju gew ivvandalizzati. morro it-triq tal barrani u taraw.
Mr Clayton Mangion
May 1st 2011, 18:59
Couldnt agree more maybe we should put a billboard containg innocent children and then the church will eventually shut there mouth !
Pierre Sacco
May 1st 2011, 21:17
Don't try to be a wise guy Mr Mangion. As if, only clerics abused innocent children! Children are more abused at home, by relatives, and by irresponsible behaviour of certain parents, than by priests. Don't mix things up. If you believe in Christ then you'd certainly know that it's He who says divorce if wrong, and not the Church. And if you don't believe, you either come up with a relevant argument, without confusing things, or else shut up yourself.
Mr M Farrugia
May 1st 2011, 18:39
Li zwieg ma jirnexxix hija haga hażin, mhux se noghqod nidħol fil-mertu ghaliex tkisser u tort ta min. Id-Divorzju l-Kelma ta Alla ( Il-Bibbja) tghidilna diversi drabi li huwa hażin. Il-Bibbja mhux il-ligi kanonika li tista tindil imma ma tinbidel qatt. Mela ghandna zewġ affarijiet hziena. Bil-logika zewg affarijiet hziena ma jistax jaghmlu wahda tajba. Ghalhekk id-divorzju mhux soluzzjoni ghal zwieg li ma jirnexiex.
Victor Pulis
May 1st 2011, 20:56
Qatt ghaddilek minn mohhok li mhux kulhadd jimxi ma dak li tghid il bibbja?
Mrs Elizabeth Sammut
May 1st 2011, 18:15
Can someone please tell me whether the Church in Malta has broken away from Rome and set up its own sect with its own set of rules? I have always been and still am a practicing Catholic. Fourteen years ago I separated from my husband after a marriage of 30 years. When I approached my parish priest to discuss annulment I was advised that I should file for divorce as soon as possible because the Church will not issue an annulment if there was no legal divorce. My priest also told me that if I was divorced I will still be welcomed in the Church and that I will still be able to participate in The Holy Eucharist. Speaking from experience, more irreparable damage is done to children raised in dysfunctional and abusive two parent families than to children of divorce. Furthermore there are many devout and divorced Catholics worldwide. The Catholic Church, here in Canada, ministers to separated and divorced Catholics with compassion and love not
condemnation. I did get divorced and eventually did get an annulment. I am not and have never been evil and the only evil in my life was when I was in a marriage that had no hope of repair. The God that I always believed in did not want that life for me.
Allan Gatt
May 1st 2011, 17:17
Kieku kienet binti kont nghidilha: "Qed tara, jien wissejtek li l-kickboxing ma jghoddx ghalik. Ejja, EJJA, issa mbilli tibki se tiehu xi haga? It-tazza tirbaha s-sena li gejja." Imbaghad kont nibghatha l-gabbana tixtrili sandwich.
Morgan Lerner
May 1st 2011, 16:26
I am a Catholic, like 98% of Maltese. I think Jesus was very clear on the topic of divorce and I agree with the Church’s position on divorce. But this vote is a civil vote it does not affect Church law and everyone knows this. This vote regards civil marriages, and in a free and democratic nation like Malta citizens should have the right to end a marriage just as they do any contract they enter. Some marriages become hell on Earth and should be ended. These adverts point this fact out and they are right to do so. The Church has started handing out annulments like candy the last few decades and to me that demonstrates that even the Church knows this to be true. Humans make mistakes and they should be allowed to correct those mistakes, not be condemned to live out their days in a loveless or abusive marriage. At the end of the day this vote is a civil matter and voters are being asked more than should civil divorces be granted in Malta, but whither there is a separation of Church and State in Malta. I love Malta and I love my Church and for this reason I support keeping the two separate.
Peter Paul Zammit
May 1st 2011, 12:42
Pro Divorce Movement is trying to win support for its argument by exploiting feelings of pity. Using such tactics to incite emotions in people does not serve as evidence for a claim. Arguments should not be based only on feelings, but also on reason.
Mr Richard Caruana
May 1st 2011, 12:23
What a sad start to the pro divorce campaign.
A second chance by all means but no guarantee that it would be certainly better. But that would also mean that her ex would have his chance to bash another woman.
Victor Pulis
May 1st 2011, 15:13
There's no gurantee that the first marriage will succeed either so do we campaign againt marriage?
Her ex doesn't need to get married to bash his next partner. If anyone is dating a divorced spouse it is their duty to find out why they were divorced. Not very hard to do in tiny Malta. Then its up to them if they want to continue with their relationship.
Even the church publishes marriage bans for this reason.
Mr Mario Paul Ellul
May 1st 2011, 12:13
"Freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought." - Beatu Papa Gwanni Pawlu II
Mr Ilan Dalli
May 1st 2011, 11:57
"if this was your daughter?....." you can give chance to other children end up like her. No! for the health of other children
Ms G Schembri
May 1st 2011, 11:43
kieku tkun binti l-ewwel nheggiegha titilqu, mbaghad nhegiegha tfitxu ghad-danni ghax hadd m'ghandu dritt issawwat lil-haddiehor. U jekk ma jkunx hawn divorzju Malta heggiegha tmur toqghod barra minn Malta biex igib Divoorzju.
Jien Iva se nivvota mhux ghalijha ghall-uliedi, u ghall-proxmu. Ghax jien nemmen fil-hniena ta' Alla.
Mr Mario Paul Ellul
May 1st 2011, 12:01
Alla juri hniena ma uliedu izda qalilna ukoll li d-divorzju jmur kontra dak li ghallem hu! ... issa jew mieghU jew le! jew fejn jaqbilli nqabbel?? ma nilghabux bil-fidi! J'Alla n-nisrani vera jifhem il-Kelma t'Alla u jwettaqgha fil-PRATTIKA!
Ms G Schembri
May 1st 2011, 16:16
Sur Ellul tista tghidli ezatt fejn Alla qalilna li d-divorzju jmur kontra dak li ghallem Hu.
Jien nemmen f'Alla izda mhux l-Alla tal-kastigi. Jien nemmen f'Alla l-Missier, li jhobbna u jahfrilna, Alla li jridilna l-gid.
Jien personalment m'ghandiex bzon divorzju, u nispera li uliedi qatt ma jigu bzonnu. Izda nemmen li jekk hemm min ghandu bzonnu u jridu, jien m'ghandiex dritt inzommu milli jiehdu.
Jekk int Kattoliku u l-knisja tghidlek li ma tistax tiehdu allura tiehdux, imma m'ghandekx dritt twaqqaf lil haddiehor milli jiehdu.
Mr Mario Paul Ellul
May 1st 2011, 19:55
Ms Schembr,
Fl-Evangelju nsibu stanzi fej Gesu stess tkellem fuq dan is-sugget! Meta staqsewh rigward id-divorzju, Gesu qalilhom li Mose tahom id-divorzjo 'Minhabba l-ebusija ta' raskom' ... qalilhom ukoll li'Dak li jghaqqad Alla m'ghandux jifirdu l-bniedem'.!
ma nafx jekk dan hux car bizzejjed bix nindunaw li Kristu kien kontra d-divorzu. Hemm aktar stanzi fejn jitkellem fuq hekk. 'Minn ihalli l-martu ji jinghaqad ma ohra, ikun qed jikkommetti adulterju'.
Alla hanin, imma gust ukoll. Alla Jahfer - ghalkek taghna s-Sagrament tal-Qrar, izda l-mahfra tehodha biss jekk int innifsek ikollok intenzjoni retta! ... Jekk inti tmur kontra dak li qalilna Kristu, u verament tindem u tirrimedja fuq dak li dnibt, hemm ikollok il-mahfra. jekk b'dak li dnibt ma hemm rimedju ghalih u lanqas indiema, allura int stess tkun qed titbieghed mill-hniena t'Alla u mill-mahfra li tant ikun irid itina.
Ma narawx sa imnehirna - hajja wahda ghandna u ruh wahda ghandna xi nsalvaw!
Mr M Vella***
May 1st 2011, 11:35
POGGUTI FOR EVER,you can change that,go and vote yes for divorce and let your loved ones have a family again. Don't fool yourself, It can be your kids or your grandchildren who might needed it in the future"! ,sometimes we close a door , that we might regret in the future, than the blame will be all ours
.Don't cohabit but marry so vote, YES FOR DIVORCE
A.f Ellul
May 1st 2011, 11:30
maybe she slips and hit her eye,somebody see her?
S. Zahra
May 1st 2011, 11:24
she deserve another chance but not her 'husband'......
J. Schembri
May 1st 2011, 10:42
Kieku kienet binti nghidilha titlaq lil-zewga ...u ma’ ntijiex cans iehor taqla xeba’. U l-anqas naghti cans lil-zewgha jerga jizzewweg.
I would tell my daughter to leave her husband and I wouldn’t give another chance to her husband to re-marry and beat another woman.
Mr Joseph Borg
May 1st 2011, 11:53
Kieku kienet binti altru li ntiha cans iehor (bhal ma jaghti kull pajjiz iehor civilizzat fid-dinja kollha u ma jkolliex ghalfejn tmur tmur tiddomicilja barra minn Malta biex iggib divorzju) dejjem jekk tkun tridu, jien min jien biex niddeciedi x`ghandha taghmel binti fil-hajja privata taghha, nghidila biss biex toqghod iktar attenta biex ma jigriliex l-istess u s-sib xi iehor bhal ta`qabel.L-istess nghid lil dik il-mara li tkun trid tizzeweg l-irragel li kellha binti biex tara sew qabel tfattara u tindaka sew x`kienet irraguni ghala tkisser l-ewwel zwieg tieghu u ma jiddispjacijiex wara u m`bghad tara hi x`taghmel aghmelb`hajjitha.
Wenzu Vella
May 1st 2011, 15:09
Perhaps you should join the pro lobby and show them how to go about it Gerry.....
Gerry Cowie
May 1st 2011, 10:03
So the pro lobby has finally taken a leaf out of the anti lobby's book!
Victor Pulis
May 1st 2011, 15:16
At least you have to agree with this particular leaf Gerry!
Jesmond Micallef
May 1st 2011, 09:55
With pin point precision, I quote :
“If this is your daughter, would you give her another chance?”
Most definitely yes indeed, she deserves another chance but whoever did this to her, DOES NOT, rest assured !!
May divorce prevail in Malta. Good luck.
Mr joe briffa
May 1st 2011, 08:59
Then again..here we are depicting divorce as recreation,somehow not many people are aware of the reason,especially psychologically,its not a matter of a man separating from a woman,for another lover,that is the least of it all,people need to open up,and hear the people who experienced divorce tal,not the church or a priest who does not know what a relationship is with a woman,or having children,we cannot talk theory here.this is a practical issue and Malta knows no fact about it,its always an argument between the church and politics,and who agrees or not agree,very very matue this referendum....