A friend and I were having conversation last night about the situation in Uganda. A new law proposed in Uganda wants to put gay and lesbian people to death, simply for having sex. The proposed anti-homosexuality bill could even send friends and relatives to jail if they fail to turn in people they know to be gay. And even landlords could be imprisoned for renting to gays.
The bill is horrifying and most news media report that they think it will pass. You can get involved by emailing the Ugandan Ambassadors to the US and UN and the US Ambassador.
I was saying to the friend that I am often fearful that legislation like that could be passed in the United States. Especially if it were up to the public to vote. She said she didn't think Americans would pass such a law. Whereas, I don't think Americans would pass a law to put gays to death, I do think that some people would vote to criminalize homosexuality.
Case in point, yesterday when reading an article about Uganda on NPR's website, I found this comment:
We don't need the death sentence here in the U.S. for gay sex, but we do need new laws that will make all sexual sins a crime. The gay lifestyle is not only sinful, but a risky lifestyle that only hurts a Nation that prides itself as a Christian Nation, that has biblical values. A moral Country is a healthy Country.
Four people gave the comment a thumbs-up. And this is on NPR, not a conservative site, like Fox News! We've seen the kind of ignorance and misinformation that is spread about the LGBT community during the battles for gay marriage.
What do you think? Could it happen here?
Kathy,
Do I think that we would pass the type of extremism seen in Uganda? No, I don’t believe that people in my country no matter what their beliefs would put gays to death. There are always people on the fringe of a mainstream belief system, so that person’s post and the four people that gave it thumbs up to it are not surprising. However, I do believe this serves as a cautionary tale insofar as the majority voting on the rights of a minority. I believe that if that trend continues as it has for same-sex marriage, that there will be a break down of rights in this country.
Hi Kathy,
I don’t think a law like that would pass in the US. It’s hard to believe such a law exist, anywhere in this world.
It’s inhuman.
It amazes me to think that so many folks forget why the pilgrims fled from europe: to escape the crown and practice their religion freely. This is a country that prides itself on the separation of church and state and I wish the folks that rely on religious rhetoric to pass judgment on queer folks would remember that.
Has anyone forgotten the holocaust? It does not take much to get groups of people to hate. We should use caution with our voting rights and our interactions others. Tolerance is key to peace.
Do I believe it could happen? I’ll set it as a probability variable. If it were somehow legal in our country to change the law in such a manner, you can bet that various christian leaders will in fact order their flock to vote for such laws and succeed in doing so. Not necessary succeeding in passing the law, but succeeding in spreading lies and hate as truth and love.
Isn’t that what they always do?
“We don’t need the death sentence here in the U.S. for gay sex, but we do need new laws that will make all sexual sins a crime. The gay lifestyle is not only sinful, but a risky lifestyle that only hurts a Nation that prides itself as a Christian Nation, that has biblical values. A moral Country is a healthy Country.”
I think I heard this exact paragraph, word for word from a congressman on C-Span……………
Hi all, of course it could happen here but it won’t because as much as they want to believe this is a Christian nation they are forgetting that this country is a mix of religions and Judaism for one, especially the reform movement would be outraged and fight against such insanity. Heterosexism will exist as long as religion is patriarchal. But that is slowly changing. I don’t think the gay community such as it is should live in fear here in the U.S. But it is important to be aware of what’s happening in other countries and to speak out against homophobia.
Kathy,
Nope. I don’t think it could happen, because we’d all gang up on whoever even suggested the bill. We’d be like, “You wanna pass WHAT now?!”
The death penalty ’sentence’ is only for those having homosexual sex with anyone 14 or younger….. as extreme as that is….(death) no one should be having ANY kind of sex with anyone 14 or younger!
Still for homosexuality….life in prision?? Besides being completly obsurd, How can they think that is cost beneficial for their country?
A law could be passed here to make lesbian and gay relationships illegal. Why? Because the conservative folks are in greater number than is apparent at least to those of us who live on the west coast or have liberal values. And whose to say that the this country won’t go back to they way it was in the 80’s and 90’s with with politcal leader similar to Bush and Reagan in power?
Watch Rachel Maddow for links to American citizens and politicians to this Ugandan bill.
I don’t think anything that extreme will be passed here. Now lesser things: i think it’s possible.
But weather or not something is passed here, I cant say I feel up to only worrying about ‘here’. If that gets passed in Uganda…there is just a lot very wrong with that…
I certenly hope that never happens but with religions such as the cathlic religion that Pope Benidict is not wanting to accept it, that it could be a passability that they could make it against the law thats a frighting thought.
I think that America is questionable. I think it could happen. People say its unlikely to but there is still a chance. I have seen the websites against gays and it fritens me to know there is so much hate. Any kind of hate could turn into something big. They have already banned marriage in most states, so that leaves me to question what is next? They have inslaved the African Americans, Hate Crimes all over the place, Even straight people die everyday! I for one think the “great, free” america could pass something like this. it may not be for that long but it could be long enough to kill off most gays. In my opinion that is what alot of people want.
Do I want to believe that the US could pass such a law? Absolutely not. Am I concerned that something like this could happen? Absolutely. The US seems to be more divided than it has been in a very long time, and the rhetoric espoused by the extreme religious right can sound very convincing to people who are ignorant of the struggles of a minority. I think the LGBT community across the country, and even the world, needs to stand up and become even more vocal that we will not tolerate this kind of treatment by the majority.
It could happen anywhere, and is all the more likely while we continue to claim that our orientation is totally biologically determined.
For, while conservatives currently claim that they feel more ’sympathy’ for us if they can convince themselves that it’s all in our genes and that we “can’t help being what we are,” it won’t take much stimulation of their so-called minds to make them turn and howl “well, if gays can’t be changed – by genetic manipulation, aversion therapy, religious brainwashing etc – we may as well eliminate them for the good of society/civilization/the race/whatever or because our invisible friend commands us to do so.”
And your faith in ‘America’ is touching – don’t hold your breath, though!
I don’t understand why these people are so afraid of us??
I’m not LGBT. Two years ago in revenge my ex husband signed me up for your site. I’ve been reading ever since. I have many lesbian friends. I am conservative and I like Fox. I also dearly love my friends. I pick my friends based on character not their sexual orientation.
Any law such as the one in Uganda should scare the h*ll out of everyone. It’s a starting point for all types of discrimination. One more point..I was raised Christian and now I’m Buddhist but I will tell you that what I learned about Jesus is that he would NEVER have tolerated this. People who make those comments hiding behind Christianity are no different than the so called radical Muslims blowing up nightclubs.
Please don’t hate those of us who like Fox and are fiscally conservative. Believe me we are on your side.
lb
For the 4 people who gave it a “Thumbs Up” and stated “The gay lifestyle is not only sinful, but a risky lifestyle that only hurts a Nation that prides itself as a Christian Nation, that has biblical values. A moral Country is a healthy Country”, They need to open their eyes. They’ve taken prayer and the pledge of allegiance out of our schools and now they want to remove the word “God” on our money. To the 4 people who gave it a thumbs up…..quit being hypocrites about Christianity! Good Christians don’t judge others. Read it….it’s in the bible.
I am optimistic and believe that love prevails. However, a reminder like this of the level of ignorance and hate that is alive and well in this world scares me to death.
Watch Rachel Maddow interview Richard Cohen on Dec 8. It’s great. Cohen is a former homosexual who claims to be a therapist who can help those who don’t want to be gay. He can lead them back to the heterosexual lifestyle. She really gets him when she quotes him on his own book. His books are being used by Uganda to promote the “death of the gays” legislation.
What makes America supposedly different than many other countries is that adults have the right to do what they want with their own bodies. No matter one’s religious or political leanings, as long as the adult does not harm someone else, s/he should be left alone. I also am a Christian, but am totally against such laws to criminalize private behavior. I am sure that many so-called Christian leaders may want to do it, but others will not. I attend a very well-known church & can say that the leadership does not condone such laws. I am also a big fan of the Marin Foundation, which seeks to bridge the gap between ‘the church’ & LGBTs. There are many of us out there that care about LGBTs. Please don’t paint us with the same brush.
BTW, there are at least 2 facebook groups about the Uganda situation, one started by Andrew Marin & a friend, whose group I mentioned.
I don’t want to offend Muslims, but to me, Islam is the most conservative religion in relation to controlling private behavior. Most Muslims live their lives privately, but the radical ones are soooo much more radical than any other religion could ever dream to be in relation to harming others.
I live in fear everyday even without the legislation. I am a nurse with 15 years experience. I have been recognized by my peers and have recieved numerous awards for excellence in my field. I keep my sexual orientation secret knowing very well that I would lose my job if anyone knew. It saddens me to go through my life feeling so alone. I hope things change.
The shame is that it is happening in this country, everytime you read a newspaper or article on gay bashing or someone being murdered because their sexuality. History continues to repeat itself the same reason Our Forefather left England is the same thing that is happening now. Religious right groups are now taking control of this Country. Most of them are guiding our leaders.
hello
this topic was covered in our local newspapers in India too, i think this is the most absurd inhuman decisions made by the country’s legal system. i think they are all still barbarians like Edi amin.
liza
India
I absolutely believe this could happen here. Look at California, how the law was overturned. Gays are the last group that *all* people can agree to hate. No one thought anything like the Holocaust could actually happen either…
Actually, I DON’T think this could happen here. We couldn’t afford it.
The president would never sign a bill to such a law, and it would be unconsitutional to jail people for private matters. It used to be illegal in some states, but was over turned because it was to difficult to enforce. The US cannot afford to house 10% of the population.
I could see it happening in the states, but only if the republicans get back in, which honestly will probably happen. I live in Canada, where our main fear is the right for gays to marry eachother will be overturned. I wouldn’t be shocked if either of those things happened. A lot people think Canada is completely left-wing progressive but the truth is no one would be that shocked if it got over turned.
December 10, 2009 at 5:48 pm(16) Salabra wrote:
Salabra… your comments are right on. You should write a book.
imho, followers and leaders of any invisible big daddy may cause the most evil. Blind faith, denial of reason, haters of science, and all looking like a veiled compassion of love and peace, saving us from some sin; but scratch that surface and find hate and war is more their passion.
I read that a group of US congressmen, something about a church on C Street in Washington, DC, are leading the way in Uganda.
if a law passed in the us where i would be persecuted for being gay because its a sin, i would turn it on them. there are many sins in the bible that straight people do everyday. if this were to pass it gives gays and gay supporters that i have talked to more fuel to believe what i say in the fact that this is becoming a military state and the the christians will try and rule and weed out all those they oppose and dislike for any reason. they will persecute us and sentence us to death. now is the time before it is too late to rise against these beliefs and make our voices heard. they fear us because were gay and they think we damage and influence kids, but we fear them because they out number us and they have a blind hatred against us. we should fear them, they could wipe us out just because of who we love. the whole GLBT communtiy and their supporters need to come togther to prevent this from occuring.
Uganda has gotten a lot of attention lately because a number of high profile Americans spoke out against it. But what most people don’t realize is that there are already 76 countries that criminalize homosexuality (there used to be a lot more)–most have them issue very long jail sentences and at least 5 of them already had the death penalty before Uganda proposed it. In fact, capital execution for vaguely defined sex crimes like “sodomy” was common throughout the British commonwealth only a century ago, and it’s only been a couple decades since North Americans stopped arresting gays.
Could it happen here? Absolutely. I live and work for a gay and transgender health organization in Canada, where we have same-sex marriage and legal protection against homophobic discrimination and hate crime. But even here, there are large and well-funded organizations working hard to re-criminalize us. During our last federal election, a political candidate in the (politically liberal-progressive) province of Ontario told a group of 200 high school students that homosexuality should be punished with the death penalty because that’s what it says in the Bible. He then reiterated this on live radio. Fortunately he didn’t get elected, but only a few years earlier an elected national official from my city lost his job because he claimed gay rights was a paedophile conspiracy from the 1960s. He was replaced by a man who was caught on tape saying that his political opponents were “homosexual faggots with dirt under their fingernails who transmit diseases.” After the tape was released the second man ran again in the next election and won by a landslide. He is currently one of the primary advisors to the Canadian Prime Minister, who is no friend of gays, either.
Canadians have gotten lazy about their rights because we’ve got so many laws to protect us. Soon they may be taken away from us and we may end up even worse off than we were before. For those of you in the USA who are frustrated with your governments, remember that right now, you have a huge and growing movement, and this is your chance to prevent the kind of apathy that has set in here up North. Always remain vigilant because the hate groups are out there, and dozens of gay/transgender North Americans get murdered or tortured to death every year.
For those of you who feel this can happen, I don’t think it will cause there are so many gay,lesbian,bisexual and transgendred individuals in the US or some family members that love us so very much that would be there to support us. for those of you out there that feel like we are going againt your relgious beliefs. You are wrong we don’t choose to be gay we are born this way I guess those of you that feel this way don’t have a loved on that is GAY!!! and if you do you are heartless people. LOVE HAS NO GENDER!!!!!!!!!