Two parts to the War

I recognize two distinct parts to this war on the Anti-Homosexuality bill.

In Uganda, I am fighting for the bill not to be made law. To me, it is simply a bad piece of legislation that poses threat to my freedom and life. In the US, in America, they are deeply examining the role of their countrymen. The three musketeers. Scott Lively, Scott and Caleb lee Brundibge.

There is, of course also the wider examination of what is true Christianity. It is being covertly fought, that battle. I am no Christian. So, I will not comment on that, which is distinctly not my battle. Of course, here and there, I will impatiently call upon Christians to come out and reclaim the essence of Christianity. That works for me. But, it is not my war, that. Though I would pray, please, dont be complacent.

But, I am being asked to comment about the role of the three American missionaries. Maybe some people would expect me to be outraged at this act of cultural ‘empirialism’, ‘neocolonialism’ and all the other isms that cloud the issue and stop logical thinking.

The part of the battle that I know best is the Ugandan one. I know what I want. I want, with immediacy, for the  bill, (text here) to be withdrawn. It is an immediate threat to my life and liberty. I know the likes of Ssempa and Buturo do know who I am. They are just waiting for the justification of the bill becoming law to begin the official crackdown on me and mine. That is what I believe.

I don’t want it modified. I don’t want it ‘watered down’. I know, and have read the bill. It serves nothing except persecution of what I am, what I can do.

For the American part, the ‘cultural war’ thing that I am being asked to comment about… I am no communist like 27^th Comrade, foaming and ranting about neocolonialism. Maybe I am more mature than him and have realized that the world is never, ever fair. And, we have to live reality as it is. And, he is not gay in Uganda, though he is a Ugandan living in Uganda. My lessons in reality have been much more harsh than his have been.

So, what should I comment about the three Americans? Why should I? They came, they did what they did. And, my countrymen carried it from there. So, I will acknowledge that my countrymen were naïve, stupid and impressionable. And, that they continue to be. It is not enough to choose and embrace the usual excuses. I know that. They should know that.

Should I forgive Don Schmierer of Exodus International who says he was duped?

I have no sin of him to forgive. I will let his countrymen and women do the judging. I will accuse my countrymen of being children not to examine what Schmierer was saying. I will also warn him not to take the ideals of the US to another country so simplistically. He may have meant well. But, we hurt.

Here is an interview of him. , from FOX40.

Don Schmierer wants to set the record straight that he's not in support of killing gays.

"I'm being accused of the absolute opposite of what I believe and teach. That's a slap in the face."

His problem started after speaking at a conference in Uganda back in March.

He says he thought he was preaching about open communication in parenting.

But now that his inbox is being flooded with hate-mail he says it's all a misunderstanding.

"I'm trying to help people understand the differences and how to communicate and how to listen to each other."

Schmierer says he got lumped with other speakers from the conference who may support the executing of gays.

"I was in the wrong place at the wrong time and I got sucked into something that was not my intent."

……

He says...."They should never do that. It's funny that they don't do something with heteorsexuals too. Why are they picking on gay people?

Actually, he doesnt lack defenders. Like this one, though the guy himself acknowledges that something did go wrong in the visit to Uganda

 Scott Lively, it is harder to say that I dont mind him. The guy is an unrepentant bigot. And worse. He is like Ssempa. With a deep seated need to hurt gay people. He continues to want to do exactly that. What he came to do in Uganda he has been doing the same in his own country. Again, it is his people to judge him.

Here is an article about what he has been doing.

And the Bee picked up on the fact that Scott Lively (pictured right) lived in Citrus Heights for a while five years ago. But the real local connection for Lively is his connection to the most aggressively anti-gay wing of Sacramento-area Slavic evangelicals, who have often run into head-on conflict with local GLBTQ people.

Lively’s book, The Pink Swastika, which blames gay people for the Holocaust (an incredibly malignant lie) has been translated into a Russian-language edition and widely disseminated locally. That means that a number of Eastern European immigrants, some of whom still carry trauma from Nazi atrocities in Eastern Europe, have been led to believe that gay people are responsible for it.

Further, Lively has become heavily involved with a group based in Latvia called "Watchmen on the Walls.” Two local men, Wade Kusak (also known as Vlad Kusakin, at the far left in this photo of the group’s founders at their Seattle conference) and George Nemerov, are local leaders in that group.

Among other things, Lively told a Watchmen on the Walls conference in Novosibirsk, Russia, that Satendar Singh wasn’t hit and killed; he got drunk and fell down–and that Russian Christians were being wrongly accused of his death (video here).

If you don’t have the patience to listen to his entire speech, this is what Lively said about Sacramento and Satendar Singh:

—-

    Now, I’ve been working with the Russian community in Sacramento. And I want to tell you this is an example of how bad things are in the United States. Because we’ve come to a place in the United States where the homosexuals have achieved very high power. And they’ve begun to punish… They’ve begun to cause the political powers to punish anyone who says that homosexuality is wrong.

    There was a situation in Sacramento a few weeks ago in a public park. There was a group of homosexuals and they were very drunk and one of the homosexual men was taking off his pants. And there were children in the park. And a Russian man went over to these homosexuals and he was rebuking them and there started a fight. And the Russian man punched the homosexual. [The audience starts to shout and applaud.] No, no, no, don’t… The man was very drunk… the homosexual was very drunk. He was very drunk and he fell down and he hit his head and he died. [Some in the audience start to applaud and laugh] No…. no…

    Now the Russian man has been accused of murder and the FBI is seeking him. And all of the powers in Sacramento have been accusing all of the Russian community of being murderers. And the goal is to silence everyone who speaks against homosexuality. And this is a very dangerous situation because we don’t want homosexuals to be killed. We want them to be saved. Amen?

 It is simply matter of fact that to Scott Lively, the gay person is a non-human being. Simple as that. But, for me to, err, judge him? His people, those will judge him.
Caleb lee Brundidge has not been making any statements. His boss, Richard Cohen has been capitalising on his fame to sell a sales pitch. To make money.
In Uganda, his most crucial acoylyte, Stephen Langa continues to promote his books and sell them, and of course, he is advocating for 'healing' instead of death. He is a quack. And, I hoped to say that when we talked, on BBC.
But, he is an interesting quack. He should be retiring and hiding, but comes out brazenly to self promote, even in this. Very interesting people, some Americans.

gug

The Kindness of Total Strangers...

The New York Times...

Now, I do know that the guys came here. Actually, they contacted me. No, I was more anonymous than I am now, but, we brushed shoulders, so to say...!
The strength of some media. It has a huge circulation, or so I am given to understand. So, with the NYT in play, the story is really in the mainstream media.

And, the little people like me continue to get the story, and amaze me with their connection with me. Here is what one blogger says. It is at the Goodgoodend blog.

And because this is a sensitive subject, let me make myself clearer: I don't know how I feel about the politics of homosexuality - civil unions v. marriage, health benefits, end-of-life decisions and other rights. I know exactly how I feel about homosexuals: I love you. Period. I love you whether it's nature or nurture, whether you're still in the closet or out in the open, whether you are happy or wish every day it could be different.

And because I love you, and because you are human, I believe you deserve basic respect and rights and opportunities. I believe you are entitled to life and safety and the freedom to make your choices just like anybody else.

….

I think I've certainly gotten in over my head again in terms of subject matter. In short, I don't know if it's God's perfect will for anybody to be gay. I do know, however, that condemning people and threatening death is never going to be a way to show them God's love.

I think all we can do is pray, friends. For the legislators in Uganda and across Africa who see these laws as a way to regulate disease or morality or both. For the people in those countries who are affected by these laws. And for the Christ-followers who come into contact with them every day with the opportunity to show them love and respect and compassion.

Thanks dude. You dont have to be gay, or to be into gay politics to be human. The story of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2009 in the Uganda Parliament (text here) touches everyone. Even me it overwhelms me. The crass stupidity of my countrymates. And, the overwhelming kindness of strangers.

Here, another blogger, who is not gay, also offers a the concentrated kind of sober call to action that mobilizes human beings. Yes, Uganda is in an anti-gay panic, an anti-gay fervour. And, the world, instead of looking on with shocked disbelief and disdain for this backwater, is coming up with a tough look and censure.

Now, the rest of us can’t get away with just saying: “not that there’s anything wrong with that.” We’re past that mere tolerance crap, and we have to stand up and fight alongside those who are being attacked in this 21st century witch hunt. Having best friends and members of my family who are gay, I couldn’t bear the thought of having them treated that way, ever. Our generation is the product of years of fighting for equal rights for people threatened by those who were in power, by those who were in disagreement with them, or by simply the majority. Instead of focusing on a New Year’s resolution based on what’s in our pantry, let’s do something about this bill.

 The kindness of total strangers. Because, increadibly, they identify with what I am going through.

I kind of understand the Americans. Not Lively, and the other two Musketeers. But, the American public, human beings who find themselves responsible for something some over zealous countrymen exported. Dupes were they? Maybe not. But, fellow human beings in the US are incensed. Prosecute them, they say. For incitement to murder.

And, Honourable Bahati, Honourable Nsaba-Buturo also. And, Ssempa of course.

Many are not interested in the cries of 'I was duped'. Because, they were warned. Here at Box Turtle Bulletin, and here at Throckmorton's blog

When it comes to homosexuality, Uganda already has several riot inciters so the role of the Americans was to add a perception of credibility and urgency. What would really be helpful is for the three to say directly to the Ugandan people: we were wrong in what we told you. Gays didn’t cause the holocaust, they aren’t ill people who will respond to a forced cure and they aren’t the cause of all your problems. Disagree on the moral questions if that is your conviction but for the sake of Christ, do it agreeably.

Actually, it is very true that we had our riot inciters. Nsaba Buturo, Ssempa. I was always amused about what they used to say about us, and the extent of their ignorance of us. That vacuum of knowledge was filled by myths and lies, which gained the credence of truth. Yes, the three musketeers (Lively and Co.) are culpable.

Truth Wins Out is kind of tough. Savage in their denunciation. I know where they are coming from. I identify. I feel it.
So, Lively was happy that he had delivered a ‘a nuclear bomb against the gay agenda in Uganda.’ Its hard to feel sorry for him. Not me.

From the Petrelis Files, even school children in America are coming out to demonstrate their distaste to the bill. Photo from the Petrelis files.

Contrast this with the Photo from the New York Times article, which is here.

Notice the 'police protection' for the demonstrators? Oh no, they didnt need it. Not at all. But, nice having it in the picture.
Think we would get protection if we counter demonstrated? Of course not...!

To quote Minister of Ethics and Integrity, Hon. Nsaba Buturo, 'Homosexuals can forget about human rights'. What a bold statement, from the Minister of Ethics and Integrity. Why should they? The obvious answer is 'because they are not human beings.' I wonder what Buturo would say if asked that explicitly?

Yes, he is a born again Christian. Is Minister Nsaba-Buturo.

Uganda has a rich history of being mind-fucked by Evangelical Christians, so it should come as little surprise to learn that their fervor for Christian Orthodoxy has dribbled into their legislative system. Although many U.S. citizens fail to act on their homophobic feelings (with exception) apparently Uganda has missed the memo on that bit.

That is from here.

Bad press for Uganda? Ask me whether I care. I am Ugandan. I love the country. The people are my people. But, they have crossed the line when in stupidity they try to kill me. Sorry, I am also a human being. Just like they are.


gug

PS. Am I too angry?