A Consistent Message

The message is consistent. And, I agree.

We need to keep pressure up.

Hey, because we can falter. And stop. Just because the 'death penalty' is removed from the bill. [Current text here] This is because the Cabinet sat, and says, remove the death penalty, to make the bill palatable to our International Community. Just go through this NTV video.

So, what happens if the death penalty for me having sex with my partner as a 'serial offender' is removed and replaced with life imprisonment? That is what is proposed in the Bahati Bill. And, life imprisonment in Uganda's Prison IS A DEATH PENALTY. Especially for a self confessed homosexual like I.

Box Turtle Bulletin has some of the heinious things which would remain in the bill, after removal of the death penalty. Yeah, and you need to read this. I will paraphrase.

• When I come land at Entebbe airport, and, seeing my love after a brief or long stay, I take him into my hands and give him a bone crushing hug- that would still land us in prison for life. As the new definition of homosexuality includes 'touch with the intent to have sex.' Yes it does. Even a touch, exquisitely described as with the naked skin, through clothing, whether on privates or not.... as long as the intent to have sex is proven. Now, I will never deny that when I touch my love, I always intend to have sex with him. I am a serial offender in that way. Always.
  
  
• Do you know that for any time that I make love with my lover, I would be automatically sentenced to life imprisonment? Talk about a FINAL SOLUTION. Like dear Hitler was thinking, in relation to the Jews.
  
  
• Now, the deities help me if I am HIV positive. Because, just being HIV positive mandates that I have a higher punishment for having gay sex. It was the death penalty. Now, will it turn to life imprisonment?
  
  
• If my lover is disabled in anyway, physical or mental, I will be liable to death? Or life imprisonment.

I DEMAND OF YOU, FELLOW HUMAN BEING, OF ANY OF THE CASES ABOVE, WHY SHOULD I BE PUT IN PRISON?

Why should I be punished for making love with a lover who is an adult, my lover, my partner, a consenting adult? All this is in the bill as it is now. No. Dont listen to the lies that Ssempa and co still espouse. I like their bold faced hypocrisy. They lie, and then say we lie.

• Attempted homosexuality is another cartegory of crime that remains. Punishment, 7 years in prison. And, from the new expanded definition of homosexuality, if I hug any other man or boy, that can be attempted homosexuality. Because, a touch is very, very clearly homosexual in content. I am not lying. Maybe I should bring the relative definitions back here.
  

  “touching” includes touching—

  (a) with any part of the body;

  (b) with anything else;

  (c) through anything;

  and in particular includes touching amounting to penetration of any sexual organ. anus or mouth.

God help homosexuals in Uganda when any part of this bill becomes law.

Actually, the other provisions depress me. How anyone who rents to me is commiting an offence, how my friends and family have 24 hours to report me when I come out to them or risk prison. All of these things are in the bill. Spelled out. See, the media has jumped upon the death penalty, but, this bill, this Bahati Bill here is the most dastardly bit of legislation that has ever been thought out. Bahati himself is very confortable with it. He says it is a 'nice bit of legisaltion.'

I urge anyone out there, read the bill. The text is there. Read it and decide, share with me which part of that legislation should in any fairness become a law to punish a person for being different from other human beings. Simply for being gay.

In more uplifting news, my brothers and sisters in America, my gay brothers and sisters in America, and friends, people who actually know what it is to be gay, and persecuted, are keeping up the pressure on their government. And, they are pushing, and pushing. And pushing.

Please, keep up the pressure. Forget the cowards like 27th Comrade, who are waiting for me to give them a call from the grave while they with hold their assistance, in the name of their 'right to sentence me to death.' Yes, I will give them a call for help. When I am dead. Before that, I will fight tooth and nail, with all the weapons available to me, to make sure that this bill does not become law.

Friends in the US did go ahead and had a congressional hearing. And, they were adamant. This bill should be stopped. One of us, Julius Kaggwa was there. Did I tell you that the bill has made us some unlikely allies? It actually has. But, it is still in parliament.

Forgive me, but it is a very beautiful Sunday morning. I am feeling particularly saddened, reading these things, researching. Let me go out, let me find out what a beautiful day it is.

And, Uganda is indeed beautiful.

gug