You don't have to be in favor of gay marriage rights. You don't have to stop saying "this is gay" when you mean "this is stupid". The gay community would appreciate you do so, but something even more devastating, and something I believe is undeniably wrong, is happening in Africa. Besides its problems of malnutrition, a poor economy, and seemingly un-ending strife and struggles, coup d'etats and straight-out war, we've got another problem on the table, something that even Westboro Baptist Church members may find disturbing: a true anti-gay movement in the form of a proposed Ugandan law that would make homosexuality punishable by death or life imprisonment (depending most notably upon whether one of the partners has HIV).
WHAT?
Yes I can understand how homosexual behavior is a threat to the traditional family structure.
Yes I can understand how some people think it's "gross".
But I have trouble understanding the justification of killing off homosexuals.
One Ugandan journalist's perspective: http://www.mediacentre.go.ug/details.php?catId=1&item=718
This article is published on the government's website.
Another Ugandan journalist's perspective: http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/news/Church_leaders_back_govt_on_anti-gay_Bill_95758.shtml
This appears to be a private news group in the area.
Human Rights Watch's take on the issue: http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2009/10/15/uganda-anti-homosexuality-bill-threatens-liberties-and-human-rights-defenders
A copy of the bill: http://wthrockmorton.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/anti-homosexuality-bill-2009.pdf
which was proposed back in October.
Penalties for Offences:
Death penalty if (rape, incest, drugs are involved, etc) one of the people has HIV.
Acts of Homosexuality: Prison for life
Same-sex Marriage: Prison for life
Encouraging homosexuality: 7 years in prison
Promotion of homosexuality: 5-7 years in prison
Knowledge of a related offence without giving authorities notice within 24 hours: up to 3 years in prison
Is this justice? You decide.
stay classy, third world countries.
ReplyDeleteIts easier to create an outgroup than act responsibly and this sticks to me when I read this blog post. Firstly, while it is heinous to discrimate based on sexual orientation, let me state that family structure has nothing to do with this. The real motivations behind his has to do with the fact that the Uganda power brokers are trying to create an outgroup, gays are simply convenient for that. If people really believed in the family structure I don't think they would be scared of a tiny minority. By and large a little minority population that at best would make only 2-5% of the given population is in no position to topple the other 95% of the country. Even the Bolsheviks needed the masses of urban poor to execute the Romanov family. A minority only succeeds in changing things when the masses get persuaded by them, I highly doubt the gays of Africa are bent on socio-political revolution. So there are alot of political motivations behind this that Islam conveniently covers up through religious fiat.
ReplyDeleteLet me state that I don't personally hate homosexuals, although I have more than once abused "Its GAY!!" thing to mean its stupid. What can I say. Im not perfect and neither is Tiger Woods.
Another thing to consider by this, Uganda has been basically two countries rolled into one, christian south against muslim north. Alot of African countries below North Africa share this demographic, Sudan being another standout. Not meaning to deemphasize the injustice of it but meaning to state this into consideration as well. The government's writ basically only extends to inner urban neighborhoods in the north.
How I would take a move like this is basically the government is trying to create an outgroup to favor an ingroup. Its a classic nationalist ploy and Hitler really pioneered the art with Jews. Seriously speaking the government of Uganda can't do anything to stop pirating, militias, or rebels bent on revolution. Its an act of desperation. Vilifying a minority is probably the only thing left on the incumbent government's plate, when the militias outgun the home government you can rest assured few decisions will be made thats not out of desperation.
I personally think there are two ways of going about this in a way that might actually do something for the christians and gays that are getting butchered in Uganda, outside sending in the Army and Marines. Addressing the issue as a political issue of power is one of them. Confronting Ugandans and their government on the injustice of their treatment against gays won't work, you'll only succeed in polarizing them against you. Thus far preaching to third world countries gripped in poverty and war the errors of their morals and ways has almost universally failed. Muslim countries are still notorious for battered wives, for example. And then rightly too, when well meaning people preach the choir for injustices like this, they correctly point out American travesties as well. Divorce rates in this country are sky-high compared to third world countries (although probably bc husbands are synonymous authorian Kingship in these countries). So approaching them on moral faults is only gonna get them to point out moral faults in the US. However approaching the Ugandan government's insecurity fueling a need to create outgroups would be better, bc this reflects the actions of a government where the citizens don't really recognize as legitimate. If the Ugandan government stopped seeing the need for political strawmen to beat, the gay-discrimination would end in the process, I believe.
These are my two cents and I could be wrong.