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The title of the article read “Death Penalty for Gays? Uganda Debates Proposal”. My first reaction was ‘surely this can’t be for real.
KAMPALA, Uganda — Proposed legislation would impose the death penalty for some gay Ugandans, and their family and friends could face up to seven years in jail if they fail to report them to authorities. Even landlords could be imprisoned for renting to homosexuals. [Source]
Are you kidding me?!!! Sentencing gay people to death? Aaand…jail time for family and friends for failing to report homosexual behavior? Sadly enough this piece of legislation is expected to pass with, maybe, minor changes or addendums.
It both amazes and frightens me how fear and ignorance will drive an entire population to such repugnancy. Fear and ignorance cloaked in the robes of religion and cultural beliefs. Fear that their country will be taken over by “western” influences, which according to Ugandan legislators include homosexuality.
“The youths in secondary schools copy everything from the Western world and America,” said high school teacher David Kisambira. “A good number of students have been converted into gays. We hear there are groups of people given money by some gay organizations in developed countries to recruit youth into gay activities.”
OMIGOD!! Now the gays are recruiting school children? Seriously? Fear based on rumored facts. GTFOH!!!
In the heat of my self righteous indignation against the Ugandan law makers, I emailed the link to a couple of friends. I had to voice my opposition to this proposed law – arguing that killing gay men and women will not succeed in doing anything short of forcing them further into seclusion thereby creating a more subversive and perverted culture.
Well, leave it to “my” friends to make some valid, non-emotional, logical points and dismantling my aforementioned self righteous indignation.
From SisSpoon:
Making me laugh today. Don’t get mad snookums. Knee jerk thoughts on this one – The U.S. can’t handle their own issues, so I say…to each gov’t its own. The U.S. has an unwritten law that also allows for the systematic killing and imprisonment of black men and subsequent disembowelment of the black family. So…..I don’t know that I have a decent reaction right now. I think I’m a bit bitter and numb today…..Hmmmmm (selah). But, the funny thing is – they are still stuck in damn near prehistoric mentality even though they’ve tried to mirror modern political systems. Very similar to middle easterners and many others. Wonder if they’ll stone them to death or cut off their heads…..Maybe hang them in the town square so they can be seen as examples by all……Again I say, to each country its own.
From TDV:
lol, yes, this is a bit extreme, but African and Arab countries are well-known for taking extreme measures when dealing with human “perversion”…its obvious that the Ugandans don’t believe that homosexuality is a genetic condition (they are mostly Roman Catholic) so they choose to punish it as a choice…you choose, you loose. On the other hand, the proud gay lobbyists and sympathizers in this country want us to accept it (and everything unnatural that comes with it) as truth — when in fact, no one has proven it either way.
and you can count on the mainstream media to condemn the practices of another culture while conveniently ignoring the outrageous shit that happens in its own. i say let those people create enforce their own law…they have been doing it for hundreds of years longer than we (the “self-righteous”) have.
and yes, i also dare say that homosexuality may very well be a choice rather than something you are born into. having people believe that they are born that way makes it very easy to accept it. agenda accomplished. lol.
No matter where you stand on homosexuality…nature vs nurture…right or wrong….an abomination or freak of nature. Or if you take the stance to each country its own…sweep your own stoop first, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera…this is wrong. DEAD ASS WRONG!! (Pardon the pun)
So, where do you stand? How does this make you feel or not feel?
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I received an email from Helena at www.newsy.com providing me with a video that may provide the “big picture and context” for this proposed Ugandan law. It’s worth viewing…take a moment to do so. Click the link —>> VIDEO
Well, so much for the argument of Westen influences on their culture…IF indeed the legislators are being “urged” and strongly “influenced” by this group called “The Family”.
Things that make you go “Hmmmm”….
I Am Chocl8t 
Oh my dayum! I am still in shock from the title. 😦
Rachel Maddow had the man who wrote the “coming out straight” book on her show. A must see interview by going to her website to see it. This man’s book is full of false and scare tactics. He is not a licensed psychologist, just getting wealthy off peoples fears. You do not “turn” someone gay. I grew up with a gay brother – he has always been that way from the beginning. Tried to be married as was expected, but that was not who he was. Jesus showed compassion in his teachings…if we follow Jesus, should we not show compassion to our fellow man/womean? Aren’t we here to serve, not Judge? This law, if it makes it as expected, is unbelievable in the 21st Century. It’s like a different take on the Salem Witch Hunts of old.
I can’t watch that video of Rachel’s interview…this pissed me off enough!
@ jsnana:
So you’re saying that your brother was having relations with other boys when he was younger? Or was he just effeminate? How do you know he was gay by standard definition?
(Hi Choc… I actually started to post this the other day too!)
This is wrong, no doubt about it IMHO. I too grew up with a brother who recognized that he was attracted to boys (instead of girls) when he was only 10. He was actually very upset about it at the time. Unlike today, there was no sounding board back then, just me (when I stumbled upon him being so confused but convicted about his feelings). So based on that, I do think it is possible to be born that way. I don’t agree with it, but I also don’t think that it is a ‘lifestyle’ choice either especially when you recognize something is “off” at such a young age. But that experimental thing that some are doing nowadays, well that, on the other hand IS a lifestyle choice.
I think that putting a person death because of a their sexual orientation has hell written all over it. And if I’m not mistaken, hasn’t homosexuality been around as long as mankind? Wasn’t “the age of” Caesar a little “freaky sneaky” too? LOL.
This is not a new thing at all and to veil this under religion is appalling. We have 10 Commandments, yes? Everyone can be forgiven when we repent, yes? The only unforgivable sin that I’m aware of suicide…
Oh… I do have assert one thing here… not all Middle Easterners or Arab countries view it that way… in Kuwait and Iraq (for example), that really is a part of their culture and beliefs. There is an expression that I was introduced to; “Women are for procreation, men are for pleasure”. Oddly though, in Kuwait, they WILL stone a WOMAN to death if she chose to love someone that the family hasn’t chosen for her. I saw the reminiscences of a stoning in April 2005– a devoted Muslim does hold on to the ways of their ancetry in that it brings shame to the family. Saudi may be a little different though… shoot, you can still get beheaded for certain things there. I also have friends from and in Iran who are gay… so go figure…
Finally, jailing family and friends or even landlords is… well… I can’t even find the word to describe what’s going through my head with that lunacy!
LOL @ “freaky sneaky”!
I had an interesting debate about nature vs nurture with a friend…we’ve agreed to disagree…but I believe most gays and lesbians are born that way while many others make the choice to live the lifestyle.
I know this is a big issue but not the focus I wanted this post to take. What this proposed law is…is INHUMANE…pure and simple. The idea of killing someone because of their sexual preference is barbaric.
I ain’t gay…I ain’t goin to Uganda anytime soon… I got my own worries…Doesn’t make it less fuckered up..but I can’t see me getting too outraged about it.
I am not shocked nor surprised. I am outraged. I say that though we have troubles here as well, we still have a duty to put down oppression wherever it rears its ugly head. We needed to step in in Rwanda, The Sudan, and etc, etc, etc. and we did nothing til it was too late.
I let each person live their lives as they will. I see homosexuality as a choice as opposed to an “natural happening”, but, not my business.
We usually wait for the bandwagon to be built before we jump on instead of creating the bandwagon ourselves. I am all for starting something to alert the world to these atrocities (as I have done in the past). I don’t know where to start except to “re-tweet” this in a post of my own (or a link at the very least). Thanks for the alert, as I have been out of the loop as goes news lately.
LIVE & LET LIVE!!!
Unbe-freakin-leivable. How can what you do in private with a consenting adult cause you to be put to death when you’re causing no harm to anyone else? Outrageous. Simply outrageous.
WTF!????????
Cool post, I did not thought this would be so great when I read the url!!
As was mentioned from one of the early comments, Rachel Maddow has been keeping up with this particular topic and she mentioned that it’s tied in with some of these right-wing who has the ear of leaders of the Ugandan Government. I’m not that conspiracy minded, but I’m inclined to believe this.
Kudos for covering this, Choc!