When Exporting Homophobia Backfires
(14 hours ago) Ugandan mobs call for passing "Kill Gays" billLed by religious leaders, Ugandan protesters marched to demand that the proposed Anti-Homosexuality Bill be passed.
Several
hundred people demonstrated in the Ugandan capital Kampala on Tuesday
against gays and lesbians, and expressed support for the country's
impending tough anti-homosexual law.
The protesters, led by
born-again clerics, cultural leaders, and university undergraduates,
marched to the parliament where they presented a petition.
Several hundred people demonstrated in the Ugandan capital Kampala on Tuesday against gays and lesbians, and expressed support for the country's impending tough anti-homosexual law.
The protesters, led by born-again clerics, cultural leaders, and university undergraduates, marched to the parliament where they presented a petition.
"Ya know, it's like you can help some guys a lot, but when YOU need something, it's like talk to the hand, ya know?"
That's my inner Chicagoland self-assessing the Rick Warren/Uganda
situation. While in my inner self, I can look at everything as either
black or white, but this new situation with Rick Warren and the
upcoming vote for a law that puts harsher punishments on gays in Uganda
is so complicated I've had to wade through it as if I were slogging
through a swamp.
In terms we mere mortals can understand:
- Rick Warren gains popularity in Uganda by assisting in obtaining AIDS medical supplies and other necessities.
- Warren curries favor with Ugandan President Museveni and his wife. He also meets Martin Ssempe whose sole mission in life seems to be the obliteration of evil by killing as many homosexuals as possible. They strike up a friendship and for the next several years, Ssempe is invited to squeak at Warren's Saddleback Church.
- Ssempe, of course, is overwhelmed by the whole package: a multimillion best-seller (second to his own beloved Bible), a megachurch that doesn't look like a church (unless African churches have skateboard parks), respect, prestige and money $.
- Something happens between the two mega-personalities and Ssempe drops out of Warren's radar range.
- The Kampala anti-gay conference begins in March.
- Exodus, International attends the conference then later withdraws from ideologies encompassing the genocide of gays.
- By Sept. 15, an anti-gay bill is circulating the nation. Consequently, news of the draft is leaked out of the country, at which time Rick Warren would have known about it (if not before)
- By Nov. 15, definite sides have formed: Uganda clerics calling for quick passage of the bill, while statesmen are denouncing it. The bill's links to American evangelical groups and politicians prove that those groups are exporting homophobia.
- Nov. 30 - Rick Warren refuses to denounce the bill.
- Dec. 15 -Rick Warren, under pressure, finally delivers "encyclical video" denouncing he bill.Under pressure.
Martin Ssempe responds to Rick Warren's denunciation
And in a letter from 20 prominent Uganda pastors:
The text of the "Kill Gays" bill is HERE.
Now the Uganda Christofascists want an apology from Warren:
"Your letter has caused great distress and the pastors are demanding that you issue a formal apology for insulting the people of Africa by your very inapropriate (sic) bully use of your church and purpose driven pulpits to coerse us into the 'evil' of Sodomy and Gaymorrah (sic)," the pastors, which include Martin Ssempa, state in a letter emailed to Warren.
From RH Reality Check
Martin Ssempe's letter to Rick Warren:
Africa101: Homosexuality is illegal, unnatural, ungodly and un-African: In Uganda as most of the global South, homosexuality is an "evil and repugnant sexual act" ...We are harrassed by a massive invasion of rich Europeans and Americans groups who are scorning our traditional African view of marriage and family, bullying and threatening to cut off "aid" if we dont legalise the sins of Sodom and Gommorrah! We are troubled by some members western media which is obsessed with homosexuality.
When you came to Uganda on Thursday, 27 March 2008, and expressed support to the Church of Uganda's boycott of the pro-homosexual church of England, you stated; "The Church of England is wrong, and I support the Church of Uganda".
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