Human Rights » Being the Change I Wish to See

2010 Jan 30

Ugandan kill-the-gays bill part 8: Rick Warren forced to oppose Ugandan bill

written by Sherri Joubert

This article is part 8 in a multi-part series about the Ugandan anti-homosexuality bill of 2009, better known as the Ugandan kill-the-gays bill. The first 7 articles can be accessed at the following links:

Pastor Rick Warren finally spoke out against the kill-the-gays bill on December 10, 2009 (8 min.):

Senators James Inhofe and Chuck Grassley also spoke out against the bill.

If I recall correctly, not bearing false witness is one of the Ten Commandments in Judeo-Christian faiths. If one bears false witness one has committed a sin. Pastor Warren can try to deny his involvement with this Ugandan bill and his strong support of California’s Proposition 8 in 2008, but there are tons of video tapes and news articles that show he is lying.

Chuck Grassley is lying when he denies involvement with The Family. He is associated with the group and has been since the mid 1980′s, and he has been to Uganda as well.

It is really important to listen closely to what leaders of any stripe say, and to check the truth and consistency of their statements. Whether a leader is a religious figure, a politician, etc. listen well and seek facts and dispassionate opinions from other sources. It’s important to know just how far our leaders are willing to go to lie to us.

With such horrible human rights atrocities being weighed in the balance, American religious and political leaders denying their involvement in the creation of this bill and distancing themselves from it by any means necessary is disgusting and shows just how cowardly they are. They tell Ugandans homosexuality is unnatural and must be removed from their society. Whatever is necessary to do that is therefore not a human rights violation, and then they tell Americans who find out what they are telling the Ugandans that they didn’t intend for such harsh measures to be used.

I’m not buying it. I think they didn’t expect to get caught supporting such extremist views and policies in such a far away place as Uganda.

Part 9 is available here.

Technorati Tags: Chuck Grassley, Human Rights, James Inhofe, kill-the-gays bill, Rachel Maddow, Rick Warren, The Family, Uganda

\\ tags: Chuck Grassley, Human Rights, James Inhofe, kill-the-gays bill, Rachel Maddow, Rick Warren, The Family, Uganda

2010 Jan 15

Ugandan kill-the-gays bill part 7: Evangelicals were for it before they were against it

Human Rights, LGBT Rights 4 Comments »

written by Sherri Joubert

This article is part 7 in a multi-part series about the Ugandan anti-homosexuality bill of 2009, better known as the Ugandan kill-the-gays bill. The first 6 articles can be accessed at the following links:

Uganda is severely homophobic. They see homosexuality and the “International Gay Agenda” as a major cause of disrupting traditional family values and life in their country. Americans of authority have been visiting Uganda for over 2 decades, some of them fundamentalist Christians, and have subtly or not-so-subtly fed into Ugandan homophobia.

In the past decade, anti-gay Evangelicals Rick Warren (author of The Purpose Driven Life) and Scott Lively have been going to Uganda often telling them how evil, horrible, and sick gays are (listen to some of Scott Lively’s quotes in the next video).

Cure-the-gays quacks like Richard Cohen and Don Schmierer, who are presenting themselves as scientific authorities on curing gay people, have spoken about their “cures” to Ugandan Parliament members and citizens. (The quote from Richard Cohen’s book in the following video is completely untrue. Homosexuals are far less likely to molest anyone than heterosexuals).

American anti-gay Evangelical activists and cure-the-gays quacks have given homophobic Ugandan Parliament member David Bahati and Ethics Minister James Buturo, both members of the Ugandan branch of The Family, all the ammunition they need to justify a Draconian anti-homosexuality bill.

Anglican Priest Rev. Kaoma attended the March 2009 Kampala conference where Scott Lively spoke of zero tolerance for homosexuality and recorded Mr. Lively saying so. Steven Langa, Caleb Brundidge and Don Schmierer also gave lectures about gay “cures” at that conference, where multiple copies of Richard Cohen’s book were distributed. This conference and these speakers are directly connected to the anti-homosexuality bill.

These Americans claim after they misled Ugandans that they didn’t intend for gays to be killed or imprisoned for life and are against the bill. What the hell did they think was going to happen?

Americans are neck-deep in this human rights violation disaster (videos 8 min. each):

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Jeff Sharlet interview:

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American Family members were solidly against this bill when David Bahati proposed it as early as October 2008, then again at the Kampala conference in March 2009.

All claim to be against this bill and are speaking out in America about it, but aren’t telling Ugandans. The Family in America, people like Bob Hunter, are using their leverage behind the scenes to stop the bill. Influential Evangelicals, Senators and Congressmen need to use their influence to make sure this bill is stopped, but all they have done is distance themselves from the legislation.

The American branch of The Family has the power to stop this bill but hasn’t publicly put their foot down. They have great influence and access in the Ugandan government. They need to use it for accountability as well. The Family’s American Prayer Breakfast, coming up in February, should not include David Bahati or James Buturo. Both were planning to attend, but they may be uninvited because of this bill.

Part 8 is located at this link.

Technorati Tags: Caleb Brundidge, David Bahati, Don Schmierer, Human Rights, James Buturo, Jeff Sharlet, kill-the-gays bill, Rachel Maddow, Rick Warren, Scott Lively, The Family, Uganda