Star crossed lovers and Apologies

Poor Steven and Aunt Tiwo…! From PinkNews UK

Yesterday, it was reported they had split up. The pair gave differing accounts of their relationship, while a gay rights campaigner claimed they had been forced apart by homophobia.

Although a local newspaper quoted Mr Monjeza as saying he had been coerced into the marriage ceremony they were arrested for, he told the Guardian he was "no longer in love" with Mr Chimbalanga and was planning a future with a 24-year-old woman called Dorothy.

He said he no longer wanted anything to do with homosexuality.

Mr Chimbalanga said he was "not disappointed" and would find another man to marry.

"There are lots of good men around. I will remain a gay," he said.

Mr Chimbalanga added: "What you should know is that nobody forced him when we did our symbolic wedding in December."

He also claimed Mr Monjeza had been pressured by his relatives to find a woman to marry.

Mr Monjeza's uncle, Khuliwa Dennis Monjeza, said he would ensure a reunion did not take place and claimed Mr Chimbalanga had been warned to stay away.

And, one should give a hearty laugh to the assertions of Steven’s uncle. Poor man…! On the positive side, coming out has good effects, for us as gay people, and to the ‘gay agenda’, that deep, dark, insidious, people killing, and to-be-feared of all things…. When people do know that gay people are real human beings, it is harder for some to convince them that they ‘eat da poo poo’!

Apologies all around?

That is what it seems like to me. First, there was Exodus International. (Or, was there another that I wasn’t aware of?). Then I saw that Canyon Ridge Christian Church was putting out a statement carefully explaining its relationship with Martin ‘eat the poo poo’ Ssempa.  Then, The Call, of Lou Engle also comes up with an apology, which frankly, is no apology to me.

Why all this furore? And at this time?

Maybe the delayed effects of the ‘Missionaries of Hate’ Documentary from Current TV. Matter of fact, I haven’t watched the final. But I did have the luck to participate, and I know a thorough job was done. It is interesting that the problems that are highlighted are those that we have kind of voiced for a long time. Hate wrapped in hypocritical, ‘religious love’ and then sanitized and preached with little real love there. What the documentary does (or, I think it does), is to put in pictures what words have failed to convey. In addition to removing the bias of me being the teller….! The groups in the US which had blindly given support to Ssempa and his friends have had some eye opening to do. At least that is what I think is happening with the running away. Uganda’s Christian Talibans. That is what we kuchus call Martin and friends. But who would have believed us? However it has occurred, it is something good for us. In a kind of way, some breathing space. The homophobia is still going strong in Uganda. And, Martin and his ‘National Anti-Homosexuality Taskforce’ is still alive and kicking. Saw a video on Youtube recently. Not very sure whether it is the taskforce which put it up. He is with his Moslem friends, and Christian friends to back him up, and he, of course is the main spokesperson. The battle is still on.

Martin Ssempa is a truly charismatic leader, and his bee in the bonnet is homosexuality.

That is why it is important that other things do continue.

It is important to continue emphasizing that the homophobic flames, which are fuelled in part by faith, and the politics of having a whipping dog, continue being shown for what they are. Ssenyonjo is continuing that crusade in the US. He is an effective emissary on our part, not least of all because he has actually been vilified, and continues to do so in Uganda because of his stand. You would think that ‘Christians’ would support a Christian for being Christian…. Not in the matter of love for homosexuals, apparently. We are deep into American ‘Cultural Wars’, and we have, perforce to understand them. And use whatever advantages that we can have. Proxy wars can kill, however abstract they are.

Have a good day.

gug