Is it that Bad Being Gay?

Hey, I feel like singing 'Sometimes I feel like whining...

I would realy love an answer to this question. A straight answer.

Why? Why not? I mean, homos are hanged in Iran, and in Egypt, well, you will have to read these two posts.

I am gay, and a human being, but why is it that to some people it is so bad being gay that I am evil? What is it about being gay that is so bad? Or is it with the other person?
Here is one extract of what people realy think. Good Christian, well meaning, straight people.

A Republican member of the Oklahoma Legislature... told a political group that "the homosexual agenda is just destroying this nation" and poses a bigger threat to the U.S. than terrorism or Islam. "I'm not gay-bashing. But according to God's word that is not the right kind of lifestyle," Rep. Sally Kern of Oklahoma City said during an appearance before a group of Republicans.
"Studies show no society that has totally embraced homosexuality has lasted more than a few decades," Kern says in the recorded comments. "It is not a lifestyle that is good for this nation."

In her recorded comments, Kern expressed concern that gay candidates "are winning elections" and control city councils in Arkansas, Maryland and other states.

A former teacher, Kern also said gays are teaching young public school children that their lifestyle is acceptable.

"We're not teaching facts and knowledge anymore. We're teaching indoctrination," Kern said.

"We have the gay-straight alliance coming into our schools. Kids are getting involved in these groups, their lives are being ruined," she said. "They are going after our young children, as young as two years of age, to try to teach them that the homosexual lifestyle is an acceptable lifestyle.

"This stuff is deadly and it's spreading and it will destroy our young people, it will destroy this nation."

This is disturbing stuff. I am gay. And a Ugandan. Besides having to live my life as well as I can, I scarcely believe that people are so convinced of these things that they go out of their way to tell lies which a straight thinking person would not believe. But they do believe them.Why do they tell lies about me? I have asked that of Ssempa, and of Nsaba Buturo, and am yet to get an answer that I can understand. Why do good Christian people justify lies for their hate of me? Yes, I have to find an answer to that question, because I will be able to answer it to understand why I am so much of an object of hate that they fail to see this log in their eyes.

Here is another.

Gay star compared to mass murderer.

Former Steps star Ian "H" Watkins has been told being gay makes him as bad as a mass murderer.

Watkins, from Cwmparc, Rhondda, south Wales, canvassed opinion on gay and lesbian people on the streets of Wales for the Week In Week Out investigation being shown tonight.

He said: "I'm gay, and today I'm completely open about it. But growing up here in the Rhondda, it was a complete nightmare."

Referring to the time he was in Steps, he said: "Despite my success, I couldn't be myself.

"In a pop group like Steps, you need to be three things: single, sexy and straight. I had to lie about the last one."

During filming, he interviewed Stephen Green, director of campaign group Christian Voice, and was told his lifestyle was sinful, making him no better than American serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer.

The comparison to Dahmer came when Watkins told Mr Green he was "so happy" with being gay.

Mr Green also told Watkins he could become straight, quoted from the Bible that being gay is "vile", and promised to pray for him.

When I was doing the round up of the news, i looked for a quote from a priest to cement my ire. Couldnt ask Pastor Ssempa. He has already given me a quote on this blog. A whole letter in fact, so I searched elsewhere

The Roman Catholic Bishop of Motherwell has claimed that the "gay lobby" attends Holocaust memorials "to create for themselves the image of a group of people under persecution."

"The homosexual lobby has been extremely effective in aligning itself with minority groups.

"It is ever present at the service each year for the Holocaust memorial, as if to create for themselves the image of a group of people under persecution."

And to put his criticism into a historical context, here are the facts

Between 5,000 and 15,000 gay men were held in concentration camps by the Nazis as members of an "anti-social group."

Historians estimate that 60% of them died while incarcerated.

After the war gay men were not recognised as victims of the Holocaust and many were re-imprisoned by the authorities because of the sexuality.

They were denied the reparations and state pensions available to other groups

Good Christian people. Hate wrapped in the leaves of prayer. Piously saying, I will pray for you, while they light the firewood of torture beneath my bound feet. Why do they do it?

No, friends. I am not Christian Bashing, as I used to. But why do people who have a religion they say is rooted in love, persecute me with lies that they make up?

Gosh, why am I whining?

Princess and all, yeah, the world is a beautiful place, so I do like it. Sometimes I do find it hard to smile, and things like this do put me down. But of course I have to smile. Shit does happen, and even if it happens because I am gay, it still does happen.

What would not be ok would be for me to forget that it does happen. So, I will talk about it. And still grin and say, have a great evening, because life goes on!

Good evening!

GayUganda

Battle lines Drawn

Ok,

First week of the campaign gone. An interesting week. Personally, and on the public front. For the public, fickle as ever, the need for 'new' news is taking over. What happened last week is something already in the past.

We cannot claim all the victory. The publicity has been fueled by those who hate us. Those who have much to gain from the homophobia. Pastor Sempa, I can figure out. A populist, pandering to the American right. He is obsessed with opposition to the 'gay agenda'.
The Church of Uganda, in its schismatic form is very much at logger heads with us. Wish I could get Desmond Tutu's letter to the primates and publish it in the local papers here! We are constrained by the very fact that the general public simply does not know what is happening in the rest of the world. That tends to mean that they get the govt or official view, without the debate.
Nsaba Buturo. This guy has more than a personal agenda. He is hate, dignified. He is convinced that there should be no debate. It irks him that there is a debate. And he does want a Nigeria style law. This interview is quite revealing Rights for the pentecostal churches. Taking more away from the homosexuals.
And of course the government, and the big man himself. Its a lie that he would even think of opening to us!

The fact that 95% of our countrymen are against us is a worrying thing. We have been assured that the police will most likely not act on us. We are not sure about the 'other security forces', which tend to work outside the law. But the fact is that there is something we have to consider. So called 'mob justice'. We can be lynched, if the public is stirred up sufficiently. And that is why the hate filled church sermons, the outing on radio and TV and the publishing of the names and places of work and residence is particularly a problem.
The record for mob justice is not encouraging. And a homosexual is a very nice person to draw the ire of a public that does not trust the police. They have been asking why we are not arrested!!

But that is the negative side.

On the positive, we have a debate. A very serious debate. We can hit back with the truth to undermine the many lies that are being aired. And they are many, and challengeable. And they are something which the likes of Sempa and Nsaba Buturo believe we cannot challenge. We need to work on this part of the strategy. Because that is the way to go. And we have a huge gun that has not realy featured. HIV.

Personally, I have noticed that my workmates are talking. And the people in my neighbourhood are talking about it. But no one approaches me. And now I know that they know, I am just a figure on the streets to them who is a known homosexual. Was talking to a brother of mine. He was telling me about the day that Dad came to warn me about police looking for me. Apparently the old man was not happy about the publicity. But then, blood proved thicker than the anger. And he did come to warn me.

Empowering it is. Living with my lover as an openly gay couple. In Uganda. An open secret. Everyone that I seem to care about knows! Yes, some suggested I run and hide, and I told them, including the brother that I was talking to yesterday that that was not on my mind. Rather, I was thinking of talking on TV about it. Now, that did throw him.

Interesting. A few years back I would have run and hid. Today, I will not. Rather, I talk about it. Empowered by my 'unofficial' outing. The fear is usually more than the actual bad things happening. But I am in a pretty privileged form. I am very independent, financially, mentally, and in my thinking. Not so many others.

This weeks should prove something interesting. We seem to have retreated. At least I think our detractors so believe. But have we?

Some of us are scared. So scared that they are actively working against the campaign! Well, we are human beings. Never expected to have the same kind of desire or dedication. But to fight to stay in that closet! Some we shall have to drag out screaming and kicking. Time we got out. And yes, we are asking for something that is normal, because we are normal human beings. To be left in peace. To have the same right to information like all other Ugandans. To have the same access to HIV prevention as the rest of Ugandans.

Time is for us to be not more, not less, but just human. To assert our humanity. Thats it. Thats all.

GayUganda

Why Police are not arresting Kuchus

You have too much to read;

If you will but read this-

So fare you well, friend, for now;

Catch this wave, surf it and read!

Gug 11/08/07

Why Police are not arresting (homos) kuchus.

Gay Testimonies; We are persecuted.