Uganda Is Off My Vacation List

[The Pecman]

Uganda President Yoweri Museveni is about to pass the most restrictive, unbelievable anti-gay legislation on the planet, promising life in prison for anybody caught having sex with a same-sex partner. They even want to extradite and prosecute any Ugandan citizen whom they discover has gay sex outside the country!

As this story on The New Civil Rights Movement says:

The Anti-Homosecuality bill today provides for life in prison for “aggravated homosexuality,” a broad and legally insufficiently defined term. It also provides for mandatory jail terms for those who engage in sexual activities with a member of the same gender. The AHB also demands that any person who knows of someone who is gay must report them to law enforcement or face jail themselves, and provides for stiff penalties for any person, company, corporation, media outlet or other entity that knows or supports LGBT people or LGBT civil rights.

The article goes on to say that the reason why Uganda developed these homophobic, ultra-fundamentalist religious values in their country is because of the efforts of American missionaries in the last 50 years. One of them, Scott Lively, is now on trial in the U.S. for crimes against humanity, which I get the impression is much worse than a parking ticket.

If this isn't the most outrageous news story so far this year, I don't know what is. I'd like to lobby all American businesses who have branches in Uganda to pull out, and I'd like to see all American money yanked from the country as soon as possible. This violates every known concept of decency I can think of, just horrible, violent, reprehensible behavior.

[Nigel Gordon]

The article goes on to say that the reason why Uganda developed these homophobic, ultra-fundamentalist religious values in their country is because of the efforts of American missionaries in the last 50 years. One of them, Scott Lively, is now on trial in the U.S. for crimes against humanity, which I get the impression is much worse than a parking ticket.

A lot of the problems which can now be seen in parts of Africa can be laid at the door of American Missionaries, one of the outcomes of their activities is Boco Haram, one of the most militant of Islamic organizations.

[Chris James]

Actions like this will only take Uganda off the list of civilized nations. Countries around the world should be encouraged to accept gay Ugandans as political refugees and offer them asylum. We need to start treating Uganda like we do Iran or North Korea. Box them in, shut off the flow of money and business. So far the Brits are far ahead of everyone else in recognizing that repressive government and doing something about it. Good for them.

[DesDownunder]

Others are very concerned, too.

Whilst we may not be a political group, there are certain threats that do invite, even demand , our awareness.

Almost since the days of Stonewall and the decriminalisation of homosexuality between consenting adults, I have been amongst those who have warned that historically, countries which accepted or tolerated same sex relationships have with rare exception eventually introduced or reintroduced anti-gay laws. This is one of the main reasons why recognition of same sex marriage is so important. If the state recognises the right of those couples to consent to marrying each other, they attract all the social recognition and benefits of marriage, and it becomes extremely difficult to deny their equality in the secular state.

However, there is a real threat from those forces who disapprove of human rights equality, because of their beliefs, religious or otherwise.

That threat is not solely aimed at the LGBTQ community, it has much larger number of targets and a wider agenda. The very core of the foundation of the U.S. Constitution is under attack, and it seems that the attackers relate very favourably to those who have encouraged Uganda and Nigeria, to mention just two nations, in their anti-gay legislation.

The real concern, additional to the anti-gay intolerance, is a call to amend the Constitution; even to rewrite it, amounting to little more than a theocracy under which any religion could claim supremacy.

Think for a moment of the lurch to Right-wing extremist conservatism, observable in so many nations, including Australia, and Russia, as well as the Bible Belt in the U.S. Reports of calls for a rewrite of the Constitution are very worrying, and if you think they could not succeed then you probably thought that the Tea Party-Republicans wouldn't obstruct the Democrats or the President as they have done since President Obama took office.

Whatever its flaws, whatever its failures to realise legislation that reflects its ideals, the U.S. Constitution is the world's safeguard for individual freedom from religious persecution, whilst maintaining the right to individual opinion. Removing the freedom of, and from, religion is very dangerous, but so too, is the assumption that such freedom favours one religion over others.

For the sake of whatever belief or non-belief has taken your fancy, we need to encourage a massive turnout at the forthcoming midterm elections to quell the ability of those who would rewrite one the few documents that stops the world from plunging into another horrifying dark age of ignorance and primitive stupidity.

Please see this link

[Merkin]

Do enforced time-outs for repressive nations ever really accomplish a change in attitude? Taking away a population's ability to interact with and be exposed to the views of people in other nations seems usually to result in heightened paranoia and mobs burning effigies of Uncle Sam or John Bull in the streets.

[DesDownunder]

Do enforced time-outs for repressive nations ever really accomplish a change in attitude? Taking away a population's ability to interact with and be exposed to the views of people in other nations seems usually to result in heightened paranoia and mobs burning effigies of Uncle Sam or John Bull in the streets.

Before the communicating power of the Internet I might have agreed with you, but the global nature of the Net has surely opened up discourse on the human condition beyond the parochial.

As for burnings of effigies, I think force for political or economic reasons is likely to precipitate such displays, where the force seems to be for exploitation of the countries resources. Sometimes the displays are a reaction to a misunderstanding on either side.

Optimistically, we must hope the prospect for a new Dark Ages is defeated by a continuing Age of Enlightenment.

[Merkin]

It may not be wise to rely on the humanizing power (?!) of the internet in the darker corners and the village cultures of Uganda (as well as in North Korea and Iran and other repressive cultures.) And I certainly don't perceive any lively global discourse on the human condition that escapes the boundry markers of one's own back yard. Most people understand the human condition to be what they see in their own mirrors.

[DesDownunder]

It may not be wise to rely on the humanizing power (?!) of the internet in the darker corners and the village cultures of Uganda (as well as in North Korea and Iran and other repressive cultures.) And I certainly don't perceive any lively global discourse on the human condition that escapes the boundry markers of one's own back yard. Most people understand the human condition to be what they see in their own mirrors.

And that's why it is so important to protect the constitutional freedoms that exist. If the right wing extremists have their way, we won't have a backyard or an Internet, at all. Our freedoms are being eroded and there is need to ensure we preserve what we have, and expand our view from the village to the global..

Moreover, those people who understand the nature and limits of parochial attitudes need to use the Net, whilst they can, to enlarge the world view of a global community. We're not there yet and if the conservatives, whether they be of one nation/religion or another, have their way, we never will.

[Nigel Gordon]

News just appearing on the BBC Red Button service, The Red Pepper an Ugandan tabloid newspaper has published a list of Uganda's top 200 homosexuals, the day after the president signed the bill against homosexuals into law. There is no a major fear that those named may be subject of a witch hunt. It is highly possible, if not probably, that many of those named will have to flee their country for their own safety, if this does happen I hope the European and US governments will be prepared to offer them asylum.

Here's a link to an article from the Guardian about the issue within it is a link to a Video about the role played by US Evangelical Missionaries.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/25/ugandan-tabloid-prints-list-top-200-homosexuals

[The Pecman]

While Arizona is not quite as bad as Uganda, they're also debating several laws that may limit the freedom of gay people, including giving store owners the right not to serve gay people if they don't want to. Arizona may soon be off my vacation list as well.

[colinian]

The governor of Arizona vetoed the bill today (Wednesday).

Colin

[The Pecman]

I read her statement: she basically said she vetoed the law because it was too broad and could be misinterpreted. This fight ain't necessarily over.

[colinian]

She also said that current Arizona law provided anyone from refusing service to anyone else, and thus there was know need for this new law. Anderson Cooper said almost exactly the same words on February 24 in this interview with an Arizona senator who voted for this anti-gay law. See it on YouTube here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvYYU7ECM_k.

Colin

[Nigel Gordon]

It seems that Uganda's anti-gay laws are having some unexpected impacts. This is from SciDev, a online magazine about science in the developing world, it is an interesting read:

http://www.scidev.net/global/hiv-aids/feature/uganda-s-anti-gay-law-may-threaten-its-research.html

[Chris James]

Well if you don't plan on visiting Uganda while on holiday you can always go to Guinea and bring home some Ebola virus. Now why couldn't something nice like that happen to Uganda?

These African nations are such caring and sharing kind of people. A nice plague ought to visit them, something of Biblical proportions that the Christians would recognize. Maybe that would be enough for them to realize that their god is not pleased....but no, if it happens they will just blame it on the gays.

[Graeme]

Well if you don't plan on visiting Uganda while on holiday you can always go to Guinea and bring home some Ebola virus. Now why couldn't something nice like that happen to Uganda?

There are a lot of innocent people in Uganda. While it might be a conservative country, the people who are responsible for the legislation are not the general population, but the political and religious leaders. Even so, I certainly wouldn't want to wish Ebola onto anyone....

[colinian]

A quote from the end of the article, "Uganda’s controversial legislation might increase the scientific brain drain, with long-lasting negative consequences for the country..." means those who don't leave will be the same intelligence level as religious bigots and members of the government who crafted and of the parliament who voted in this law. And we have to remember that most of the general population appears to be in favor of this law.

What comes around, comes around. Poor Uganda.

Colin

[DesDownunder]

There seems to be more not so innocent minds in Uganda, brainwashed though they may be.

See photos and this report at Buzzfeed.

As for plagues, I expect that mental deprivation is one of the worst.

[Nigel Gordon]

That looks very much like a typical African rent a crowd.

[Camy]

“The citizens of Uganda are with you, Mr. President. The religious and cultural leaders are with you, Mr. President. The members of parliament and the nation is behind you.”

Unless, of course, they happen to be gay.

[Nick Deverill]

That looks very much like a typical African rent a crowd.

Who have duly collected their placards from the same place - probably the one that paid them... Not even a pretence at being personally made, Three colours of paper and the same font.

[DesDownunder]

It's a mistake to consider that only a minority of Ugandans are in favour of the new anti-gay laws.

This Pew Research poll shows that homosexuality is not acceptable to 96% of their populace.

Other polls show similar figures.

The Pew Poll also shows results for 39 countries.

[Nigel Gordon]

It's a mistake to consider that only a minority of Ugandans are in favour of the new anti-gay laws.

This Pew Research poll shows that homosexuality is not acceptable to 96% of their populace.

Other polls show similar figures.

The Pew Poll also shows results for 39 countries.

Even here there is some positive news, it shows a one percent change in favor of acceptance since 2007. It is not much but it is something. No doubt that one percent change is what got the Christian Right so worked up.

[DesDownunder]

Nigel, I would expect 1% to be within the polls margin of error. As for the Christian right getting worked up, they seem to always be getting worked up over nothing...goes with their faith, in my opinion.

[Nigel Gordon]

Nigel, I would expect 1% to be within the polls margin of error. As for the Christian right getting worked up, they seem to always be getting worked up over nothing...goes with their faith, in my opinion.

It has to go with their faith, they believe the end of the world with the second coming is imminent, it appears to have been for the last two thousand years. Being that wrong is bound to make them a bit paranoid.

Though I suppose there is always the possibility that Jesus got back to heaven and turned round to his father and said, "You what, you want me to go back there again? Do you know what they did to me? Look Dad I don't mind doing these errands for you but there is no way I'm going back to that place, surely you've got a nice civilized creation around somewhere I could go to?"

So Daddy being nice and understanding has sent him off elsewhere, so no second coming, so no end of the world, so big problems for those who expected it in AD100, AD1000, AD2000 and all the other dates the lunatics have come up with.