Which One Is Santa Claus - The Christian Right Or Born-Again Ugandans?
"Speaker,
we cannot sit back while such (a) destructive phenomenon is taking place in our
nation," the
activists said in a petition. "We
therefore, as responsible citizens, feel duty-bound to bring this matter to
your attention as the leader of Parliament ... so that lawmakers can do
something to quickly address the deteriorating situation in our nation."
The "destructive phenomenon" is, of course, homosexuality. At least
according to the Ugandan Parliament. And it hopes to eradicate it before
Christmas as a "Christmas present" to Christian Ugandans. After all,
the Christian anti-gay clerics asked for one. Speaker Rebecca Kadaga told The
Associated Press that Ugandans "are demanding it."
"Everyone" wants the "Kill the gays" bill to pass.
But who, exactly, is "everyone"?
"Everyone"
The imprint of American Christian Evangelicals on Uganda is so bold that all
you have to do is look to the surface of the country - embodied in Madame
Museveni. Her husband may be the titular born-again Christian head as
President, but Janet Museveni is the country's spiritual and societal soul. She
is also a born-again Christian, but more importantly, she is the conduit
through which the American Christian Right passed its homophobia on to an
uneducated country. She was certainly instrumental in having Pastor Rick Warren
declare Uganda to be a "Purpose Driven Country" (whatever that is).
It is doubtful that people like Scott Lively would have ever gotten to first
base with the country's leaders without her influence.
wikipedia:
"From 5 to 8 March 2009, a
workshop took place in Kampala, the capital of Uganda,
that featured three American evangelical Christians: Scott Lively, an author
who has written several books opposing homosexuality; Caleb Lee Brundidge, a
self-professed former gay man who conducts sessions to heal
homosexuality; and Don Schmierer, a board member of Exodus International,
an organisation devoted to promoting "freedom from homosexuality through
the power of Jesus Christ". [14] The theme of the conference, according
to The New York Times, was the "gay agenda":
"how to make gay people straight, how gay men often sodomized teenage boys
and how 'the gay movement is an evil institution' whose goal is 'to defeat the
marriage-based society and replace it with a culture of sexual promiscuity'
".
The hand of the Family Research Council's
chief "researcher" Paul Cameron was clearly
seen in the rhetoric:
"Homosexuals
are at least 12 times more likely to molest children than heterosexuals;
homosexual teachers are at least 7 times more likely to molest a pupil;
homosexual teachers are estimated to have committed at least 25 percent of
pupil molestation; 40 percent of molestation assaults were made by those who
engage in homosexuality."
It is alleged that American
"prophet" Lou Engle also encouraged the criminalization of
homosexuality and the death penalty (although he has denied the latter, he has
never denied that he would prefer homosexuals to be placed in prison.)
Provisions of the bill:
Death penalty:
- to repeat offenders of homosexuals acts
- to people who engage in homosexual acts with a minor
- to people who are suspected of "aggravated homosexuality" and have
HIV
Prison sentence:
- to those suspected of homosexual activity
- to those who do not report homosexual activity within 24 hours
- to those suspected of "promoting" homosexuality
- to anyone who aids and/or abets a homosexual (e.g. renting to a homosexual)
In addition:
- all people suspected of homosexual activity and arrested must undergo HIV
testing.
- former residents suspected of homosexuality may be extradited and sentenced.
It perhaps the provision of "promoting" and "reporting"
that have caused an era of savage chaos in Uganda even before the legislation takes
hold: people "report" their enemies and anyone suspected of being a
social liberal could be judged a "promoter". Neighbors have been going door-to-door to weed out
"abominations". Activist David Kato was bludgeoned to death.
Anglican Bishop Senyonjo was punished for accepting gays.*
A Great Christmas Gift That Keeps On Giving!
In the almost surreal world of African Christianity, replete with armies and witch-hunters, it should be no surprise that Uganda has held steadfast against international pressure to shelve the bill. Museveni himself said that he would withdraw from treaties and the United Nation's Declaration of Human Rights if necessary. So it seems that the "gift" of the "Kill the gays" bill might give the nation of Uganda something else: admonition and isolation from the international community.
It will certainly give a gift to people like Tony Perkins: something to crow about.
*Expelled from Uganda and stripped of his pension by the Church.
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