Call for HR Response

The Council for Global Equality applauds this year’s State Department human rights report to Congress for underscoring the clear and growing crisis in human rights abuse directed against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people worldwide, and urges the use of diplomacy to counter this trend.

More at: NCLR’s Blog!

Ssempa Hosts Ugandan Gay Porn Screening

According to various reports, Martin Ssempa, the Ugandan evangelical preacher, has been using gay porn to help gather support for his campaign in favor of the country’s proposed anti-homosexual laws

Ssempa had a special “screening” attended by 300 people at his church in Kampala, the capital. The screening was held after a scheduled march in Kampala in support of the anti-gay laws was not allowed to happen, which according to Ssempa was due to “security concerns”.

One source states images he showed included one person “eating another man’s penis.” He was also reported as criticizing President Obama, for describing the proposed legislation as “odious.”

The Real Burden of Reactionary Homophobia

the expansion of gay rights has been the dominant trend in the past decade. In September 2000, same-sex Dutch couples won the right to civil marriage. Since then, six other countries have followed the example, and a number of others, including the United States, Mexico and Argentina, have had local and subnational governments recognize the right in the absence of a national consensus.

It’s also worth remembering that it was only in 2003 that the United States Supreme Court overruled 14 states’ anti-sodomy laws, replacing legislated sexual morality with the belief that consenting adults should be able to choose the private behaviors in which they wish to engage.

But when we consider what progress should be made regarding gay rights in the coming decade, it is important to remember that gaining legal recognition for same-sex marriage in the United States is hardly the most pressing issue confronting gays around the world.

Backlashes against gays’ improved status in select Western countries have frequently made the news in Africa. After three Evangelical Christians preached of “curing” homosexuality in Uganda last year, legislators were inspired to propose that the death penalty be instituted against those committing homosexual acts. And in the final days of 2009, a man and his transgendered partner were arrested in Malawi for performing indecent acts after they celebrated their engagement.

In the industrialized world, we cannot shy away from the fact that the movements that have empowered us have had a hand in provoking these draconian, inhumane penalties.

The GLBT rights movement in the United States must develop a greater international consciousness. Insofar as we claim that marriage is a human right that transcends national laws, we must recognize that the application of the death penalty for committing same-sex acts is a far more egregious abuse of human rights than prohibitions on same-sex marriage.

More at: Indiana Daily Student!

Don’t Upset Iraq By Repealing DADT

This is classic right wing lunacy if I’ve ever heard it!

According to a post on Wonk Room:

On Tuesday, the Missouri State Senate debated President Obama’s call to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT) with dueling “non-binding resolutions alternately calling for the repeal and preservation of the military policy.” Both sides regurgitated familiar arguments but State Senator Gary Nodler, who is running in the Republican primary for Rep. Roy Blunt’s (R-MI) seat, carved out a new reason for maintaining the current policy.

Nodler said that “being openly gay in the military ‘in and of itself‘ could be grounds for a sexual harassment complaint by another serviceman, and characterized Don’t Ask Don’t Tell as a way to accommodate gays’ service ‘in a way that doesn’t create a hostile workplace.’” Then, Nodler suggested that allowing openly gay soldiers in the military “could represent a ‘cultural affront‘” to terrorists intent on killing American troops.

To which Nodler responded:

I never said that this would be a cultural affront to terrorists. I don’t care what they think. I said it would be a cultuaral affront to the Muslims in who’s country we are operating. We can not win the hearts and minds of the people by insulting them and ignoring the standards of their culture. This is about the people who live there and the armies we are serving with. Your comment makes the common mistake that all Muslims are terrorists.

So, a Republican admitting that not all Muslims are terrorist…I do believe that’s a first. But this is common right wing lunacy…”win the hearts and minds of the people by insulting them.” Wow, since when has a Republican been concerned about winning the hearts and minds of any one outside of their party…especially Muslims? What about the hearts and minds of the tax-paying American citizens you want to keep locked in a closet. Shouldn’t you be worried about what’s going on in your house before you worry about your neighbors?

Nodler, thank you for providing me with a hearty laugh, you’re definitely the “right wing tool of the week” in my book!

Uganda President Wary of Anti-Gay Bill

It looks as though the President of Uganda continues to heed warnings of economic sanctions should the proposed anti-gay legislation make it’s way to being law in the African nation.

According to a post on BBC:

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has distanced himself from a bill proposing execution for some gay people.

He stressed that the MP who proposed the bill, who is a member of the ruling party, did so as an individual and was not following government policy.

Mr Museveni, who admitted coming under international pressure, said the bill was now a “foreign policy issue” and would be discussed by the cabinet.

The proposals have caused a storm of criticism across the world.

Sweden has threatened to cut aid and other countries have contacted Mr Museveni directly to put their objections.

It’s all about the money perhaps, and it’s good to know that economic sanctions still play a huge part in controlling what otherwise might be catastrophic outcomes in the human rights arenas…one again, simply going to show that getting one’s attention can be as easy as taking hold of their wallet.

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