This is not a name well-known in the United States, yet, but the man it belongs to would feel quite at home with our current administration. Who is he?
The answer:
The European Union has been plunged into uncharted constitutional waters following a parliamentary committee's rejection of Italy's nominee for European commissioner, Rocco Buttiglione.
The Civil Liberties Committee voted against his appointment as justice, freedom and security commissioner by a majority of 27 to 26, and also opposed his being moved to a different portfolio by 28 to 25.
MEPs were angered by his support for creating transit camps in Africa for asylum-seekers, by his views on the place of women in the family, and especially by his stance on homosexuality.
It's worth stressing that Mr. Buttiglione's post is one of overseeing women's and gays' rights! This doublethink to an excellent degree; in fact, Orwell would call it doubleplusgood!
Rocco is a good friend of the current Pope. He believes that homosexuality is a sin, that the purpose of marriage is for women to have children, and that men are to be the protectors of women.
Hard to see what else remains to be done in the overseeing of women and gay and lesbian rights...