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I am cutting this post for the sake of survivors of abuse who can certainly do without the triggers
( Read more... )( Read more... )If it weren’t for my deeply cynical view of humanity, I would be surprised at some of the people and groups that constantly try to claim some kind of moral authority - and right to judge us. More, I am rather depressed at how many people who are willing to accept these “moral authorities” and their judgements despite their actions.
Case in point - Hiram Monserrate just lost his run to re-enter the New York Senate. And this is certainly something to celebrate.
During the campaign, Mr. Monserrate presented himself as a “family values“ politician (yes, we know what that means, don’t we? Yup, homophobe. Honestly, I‘m getting a bad reflex reaction to the word “family.”) And he was supported by pro-family moral groups. Such as the “New York Family Research Foundation.” Including THIS little website (don’t click the link unless you feel the need to confirm my words, don’t give them hits unnecessarily) that reaches out to Christians: “Christians, we need to wake up and fight to preserve our values”.
Yes... Hiram Monserrate was expelled from the senate after he cut his girlfriend's face and dragged her through their apartment by her hair. This is family values? This is morality?
Frankly, this is doubly disturbing. It is disturbing that anything anti-gay is praised as morality even when it’s downright evil, that homophobia can be used to redeem any evil. And it is further disgusting and awful that a brutal attack on a woman is so casually cast aside. Her rights, her bodily integrity are dismissed. They are willing to not only ignore an attack on a woman - but call her attacker moral - call her attacker “pro-family.” Violence against women is NOT a family value.
Similarly, the Catholic Church is in the headlines again for yet another sex abuse scandal - more child abusing priests and more cover ups from the Catholic hierarchy - apparently extending right to the top. Coming on the heels of so many other, similar scandals, there is clearly a real and horrendous problem here. Child abusers can appear anywhere and in any organisation - but the institutional cover up of these abuses is shameful beyond compare.
Yet, even as scandal after scandal breaks, they still judge, they still hold themselves up as a moral authority. They are still treated as a moral authority, a source for discerning good from evil - and how to judge and condemn people based on that morality.
Men who attack women and people who cover up child abuse are not moral authorities, they’re not pro-family, they’re not sources for goodness. Don’t ignore the evil they do in the hurry to use their words to support homophobia. It’s not only homophobic - but it is grossly disrespectful to their victims. It dismisses their pain, it dismisses what was done to them - not just them but everyone like them. It puts the seal of morality and justification on the abuse of women and children. That is evil on evil.
Those in great big crystal palaces should not operate catapults (we’re beyond glass houses and stones here). Those up to their necks in the quicksand of evil shouldn’t claim to have the moral high ground and shouldn’t be treated as such.
Case in point - Hiram Monserrate just lost his run to re-enter the New York Senate. And this is certainly something to celebrate.
During the campaign, Mr. Monserrate presented himself as a “family values“ politician (yes, we know what that means, don’t we? Yup, homophobe. Honestly, I‘m getting a bad reflex reaction to the word “family.”) And he was supported by pro-family moral groups. Such as the “New York Family Research Foundation.” Including THIS little website (don’t click the link unless you feel the need to confirm my words, don’t give them hits unnecessarily) that reaches out to Christians: “Christians, we need to wake up and fight to preserve our values”.
Yes... Hiram Monserrate was expelled from the senate after he cut his girlfriend's face and dragged her through their apartment by her hair. This is family values? This is morality?
Frankly, this is doubly disturbing. It is disturbing that anything anti-gay is praised as morality even when it’s downright evil, that homophobia can be used to redeem any evil. And it is further disgusting and awful that a brutal attack on a woman is so casually cast aside. Her rights, her bodily integrity are dismissed. They are willing to not only ignore an attack on a woman - but call her attacker moral - call her attacker “pro-family.” Violence against women is NOT a family value.
Similarly, the Catholic Church is in the headlines again for yet another sex abuse scandal - more child abusing priests and more cover ups from the Catholic hierarchy - apparently extending right to the top. Coming on the heels of so many other, similar scandals, there is clearly a real and horrendous problem here. Child abusers can appear anywhere and in any organisation - but the institutional cover up of these abuses is shameful beyond compare.
Yet, even as scandal after scandal breaks, they still judge, they still hold themselves up as a moral authority. They are still treated as a moral authority, a source for discerning good from evil - and how to judge and condemn people based on that morality.
Men who attack women and people who cover up child abuse are not moral authorities, they’re not pro-family, they’re not sources for goodness. Don’t ignore the evil they do in the hurry to use their words to support homophobia. It’s not only homophobic - but it is grossly disrespectful to their victims. It dismisses their pain, it dismisses what was done to them - not just them but everyone like them. It puts the seal of morality and justification on the abuse of women and children. That is evil on evil.
Those in great big crystal palaces should not operate catapults (we’re beyond glass houses and stones here). Those up to their necks in the quicksand of evil shouldn’t claim to have the moral high ground and shouldn’t be treated as such.
More Hate and violence
Mar. 12th, 2010 04:18 pmBecause I revel in being depressing. But it is vital when the new hate comes along to show and expose it – especially since so many of the usual suspects will constantly try to down play the harm they do. They play the victim – because we’re offended by their hate, while it’s our bodies that are beaten and abused. They scream about their rights being violated – while they push us into the closet and fight every right we’ve ever had. This is about exposing the cost of their hatred – this is about denying their lies, this is about showing the pain they cause.
In Turkey 2 trans women are the victims of brutal murders, following a recent history of numerous brutal trans murders – sadly the government of Turkey is hardly leaping to protect them from persecution.
In Northern Ireland, it has been confirmed that the murder of Sean Fitzpatrick was a homophobic hate crime. Andrius Dunauskas and Raminas Balseris have been found guilty of his murder. While the conviction won’t reverse this horrendously brutal murder, at least there will be some justice
A Saudia Arabian man has been arrested for homosexuality on the strength of… a Youtube video. He has been found guilty and sentenced to… 1,000 lashes, a year in gaol and a hefty fine Dear gods, this is beyond barbarism.
In Malawi, authorities are launching an all out witch-hunt for “gay personalities” especially taregtting professionals. This is where being closeted is not enough – they’re HUNTING gays.
In Brooklyn 5 men beat up a 22 year old man leaving a gay & Lesbian event – screaming anti-gay slurs. It’s depressing how unsafe we are – and notice how it’s always 2-3-5-13 brave brave straight folks pouncing on us?
In California 3 men admit to shooting a gay man with a BB gun in San Francisco they confessed they’d gone to San Francisco to target gays – even in places we think we’re safe, we can still be targetted
In Ljubljana, Slovenia 3 men attacked a gay rights activist Mitja Blazic have been found guilty and sentenced – to 18 months in prison
In Jamaica (WARNING: I’m less than impressed with this source’s deciding to transcribe witness comments by phonetically writing the Jamaican accent) police have to hide 4 gay men from an angry mob.
In Seattle 2 men have been charged with an alleged homophobic attack – they beat their victim screaming homophobic slurs. 2 on one again – and the victim lives in fear in his own faith.
In Cornwall an attack on three men is being treated as a hate crime, since one of the victims is trans and he believes the attack was motivated by transphobia
This is the hatred we face and in response we have….
In a staggering act of hate, the Oklahoma senate has passed a bill (introduced by Oklahoma Senator Steve Russel who has compared homosexuality and necrophilia in the past) that would prevent the new federal hate crimes law from being enforced in the state. This law will result in evidence being destroyed so it cannot be passed on to federal authorities trying to enforce the Matthew Shepherd Act that prosecutes hate crimes against GBLT people.
In Virginia, following the removal of anti-discrimination protections for GBLT state employees and forcing universities to remove their anti-discrimination protections – a bill to try and make such protections laws has failed. Hatred remains protected and promoted and the state is taking big steps backwards. I worry for all those who came out feeling they were protected, or had some protection and now have it stripped from them
In Iowa, State representative Chris Hagenow looked at the evils of domestic abuse and decided – gays shouldn’t be protected or helped to escape it. He has introduced and amendment to exclude GBL people from consideration in the domestic violence provisions. Honestly, how petty and hateful can these people get? You’d think this would be an issue all people could agree on.
There is no shortage of anti-gay violence and hatred out there – but people seem to wilfully ignore it – and fight tooth and nail against the protection that are so sorely needed. We have a right to be safe, we have a right to feel safe – and the people and law makers who fight this most certainly have blood on their hands.
Leave our Kids Alone
Mar. 9th, 2010 04:22 pmWe should all know by now that the haters don’t really have any limits – there’s no extreme they won’t stoop to in their demonisation and attacks on gay people. As such, it really shouldn’t surprise me when they go after our kids.
But it still shocks me – because this shit is evil. Pure, solid EVIL. They take our kids when they are at their most vulnerable, their most scared, their most fragile – and they do everything they can to try and break them.
In Virginia, the Attorney General Cuccinelli has ordered universities to remove their anti-discrimination policies. He is demanding that their current anti-discrimination policies be scrapped – for a reversal of the protections workers and students at these universities already enjoyed.
It’s a terrifying message about how victories can be very fleeting, and it follows Virginia removing the same anti-discrimination policy for all state employees. Can you imagine thinking you’re safe, coming out in the work place, then having this yanked form under you?
It’s not the only university where the message of hate is being spared – at the University of cAlifornia Davis, the LGBT resources centre has been hit by malicious anti-gay graffiti. I think the centre intends to keep it there – as a reminder of how much hate there is still out there. Frankly that particular campus sounds like it needs no reminders of hate – given the anti-semitic and racist incidents that have happened recently
The American Family Association – always to be relied on for some bigotry – is outraged, OUTRAGED – that gay students may be protected from homophobic bullying. They’re furious about a bill proposed in the US by Rep Jared Polis to protect gay kids from bullying. How low will they stoop?
Well, not as low as Linda Harvey from Mission America she believes that this law is ‘fascist’. Because you can’t protect kids from being attacks – that’s what Hitler would do! Don’t try to apply logic to it, your brain will break.
It seems there are no shortage of people who are salivating over the chance to see gay kids beaten up (and killed) as often as possible. Parents in Alameda, California are suing a school to stop it including anti-bullying lessons. Yup, asking people not to hurt gay kids is so unreasonable, it needs a law suit to stop it.
In fact, it seems protecting and promoting anti-gay bullying is the vogue among the hate groups. In response to the Day Of Silence a day dedicated to bringing attention to anti-LGBT violence and hate in schools, Exodus has launched it’s “Day of Truth” because it’s WRONG to teach people that it’s bad to beat up and harass gay kids! What’s the matter, Exodus, worried that more kids won’t grow up as twisted and self-hating as you?
In South Africa, it seems an entire girl’s dormitory had to be closed when it was faced with the possibility of a *gasp* Lesbian relationship between 2 of the residents! The 2 girls who were caught kissing have been expelled – despite South Africa’s anti-discrimination law. It shows how little even legal protections can be worth in the face of hatred. I can’t even begin to imagine disrupting the lives and education of all these girls because of this vindictive hate against 2 lesbians.
In Lithuania a new section 28 has been made. A law to protect children from hearing about any but “traditional families” it had to be edited because it was so blatantly and outrageously homophobic in the first draft that the EU Parliament was outraged. It has been rewritten – but it is little better. How many children will grow up under this law, believing that their lives and their loves have no value?
And a Catholic school in Colorado has expelled one of their students because their parents are lesbians. This is cruelty and bigotry beyond doubt – I pity that child, their school has tried to shame their parents and punished them because of the school’s religious bigotry.
When I started this post, I didn’t think it would be this long. I didn’t realise how many attacks against our kids there were in my big bag o’ links.It breaks my heart to see that i had so much source material. Our kids don’t deserve this and we shouldn’t tolerate it.
Of all the slurs the haters throw at GBLT people in general and me, as a gay man, in particular perhaps the vilest of all is the idea that we are a threat to children. It's hard to think of a more repellent insult - or a lie that is more likely to encourage anti-GBLT violence
It's a pervasive lie. I'm surprised how often it has been brought up. We expect it from the usual sources - we expect it from the haters. We expect it from the Catholic church trying to cover up their own paedophile scandal with gross homophobia. We expect it from the bigots in the Ugandan church and government using it as an excuse to persecute us. We even expect it from grossly evil political campaigns created by the usual suspects. And, y'know, that's pretty awful - that we expect this. That we KNOW these hateful organisations - even mainstream organisations - are going to resort to this vileness. It's awful that the media will repeat their lies and accept adverts like this. I can't imagine a media outlet willingly showing an advert that depicts racial or religious minorities as paedophiles (actually I can, because my faith in humanity is pretty damn low right now) but when it comes to discussing us it's part of the mainstream conversation!
It's pervasive. Not only is it a major motivator to the violence that brings down so many of us (I think, of all my gay friends, only 2 have not suffered a violent attack. 2 out of dozens) but it the assumption is so prevalent it even creeps into our lives. I've had people not leave their children alone with me. I had someone express concerns about me looking after my goddaughter. This man's OWN DAUGHTER won't let him be alone with his grandchildren because of the assumption that gay = paedophile.
This needs to end. This demonisation is literally killing us and ruining lives - and it's based purely and simply on hateful lies
Which, in my mind, makes this video from Waking up Now essential viewing
Because the bigots spreading lies about us are not only killing us - they're helping the child abusers
It's a pervasive lie. I'm surprised how often it has been brought up. We expect it from the usual sources - we expect it from the haters. We expect it from the Catholic church trying to cover up their own paedophile scandal with gross homophobia. We expect it from the bigots in the Ugandan church and government using it as an excuse to persecute us. We even expect it from grossly evil political campaigns created by the usual suspects. And, y'know, that's pretty awful - that we expect this. That we KNOW these hateful organisations - even mainstream organisations - are going to resort to this vileness. It's awful that the media will repeat their lies and accept adverts like this. I can't imagine a media outlet willingly showing an advert that depicts racial or religious minorities as paedophiles (actually I can, because my faith in humanity is pretty damn low right now) but when it comes to discussing us it's part of the mainstream conversation!
It's pervasive. Not only is it a major motivator to the violence that brings down so many of us (I think, of all my gay friends, only 2 have not suffered a violent attack. 2 out of dozens) but it the assumption is so prevalent it even creeps into our lives. I've had people not leave their children alone with me. I had someone express concerns about me looking after my goddaughter. This man's OWN DAUGHTER won't let him be alone with his grandchildren because of the assumption that gay = paedophile.
This needs to end. This demonisation is literally killing us and ruining lives - and it's based purely and simply on hateful lies
Which, in my mind, makes this video from Waking up Now essential viewing
Because the bigots spreading lies about us are not only killing us - they're helping the child abusers
This is pure, vile, evil
Jan. 13th, 2010 10:04 pmPat Robertson saw the horrendous earthquake in Haiti
And decided they asked for it for making a pact with the devil which also explains why they live in dire poverty.
To characterise any people's fight to free themselves from slavery and colonialism as a deal with the devil is beyond vile to begin with - but to do so in this context? While the dead aren't even bloody cold?
I don't know why I'm surprised by it. They did it during the Tsunami. They did it during Katrina. They did it for 9/11. These moral 'christian' leaders see a disaster and are already using the dead to push their agenda before the dust is settled and the dead are found - let alone buried.
Remember:
The British Red Cross is running an Appeal
Other appeals where we can help:
Médecins sans frontières
Oxfam
International Red Cross/Crescent
Pat Robertson, you are a disgusting excuse for a human being. Stop spitting on these poor people's graves before they're even dug and stop twisting the knife of grief even deeper into the hearts of the suffering. I don't care what your dogma says or what your beliefs say - you need to learn some bloody common human decency
And decided they asked for it for making a pact with the devil which also explains why they live in dire poverty.
To characterise any people's fight to free themselves from slavery and colonialism as a deal with the devil is beyond vile to begin with - but to do so in this context? While the dead aren't even bloody cold?
I don't know why I'm surprised by it. They did it during the Tsunami. They did it during Katrina. They did it for 9/11. These moral 'christian' leaders see a disaster and are already using the dead to push their agenda before the dust is settled and the dead are found - let alone buried.
Remember:
The British Red Cross is running an Appeal
Other appeals where we can help:
Médecins sans frontières
Oxfam
International Red Cross/Crescent
Pat Robertson, you are a disgusting excuse for a human being. Stop spitting on these poor people's graves before they're even dug and stop twisting the knife of grief even deeper into the hearts of the suffering. I don't care what your dogma says or what your beliefs say - you need to learn some bloody common human decency
Some very unpleasant watching
Jan. 8th, 2010 01:33 amBut very necessary I think to see just how extreme the hate is, especially in this case where we can see just how much damage the hate does and how it can be used.
Box Turtle Bulletin Has done a superb job of following and reporting on the Ugandan kill gays law. he has now put together some videos of Scot Livery one of the American hate mongers who went over to Uganda to encourage and lay the foundation for this law.
The videos are very powerful. And quite painful to watch and listen to.
Never let someone tell you “it's just words.” Words matter. Words mean things. Words are the foundation on which hatred, violence and persecution rest.
Scot Livery has been behind some of the most hateful rhetoric you have ever heard against gay people - and his words found an audience. In Uganda. The man who claims to know more about gay people than anyone else in the world (hah, any straight person claiming that should be slapped for that alone) spread his hate along with other American hate mongers - and others built upon that hate and implemented it.
Now we have, in his words “a nuclear bomb against the gay agenda” in Uganda. This is the power of words. This is the power of hate. And this is why we must speak up and speak out against people spouting this kind of vileness.
Horrendous to watch - but necessary to learn. Because we can’t forget who these people are and how extreme they are. We can’t let them back out and claim innocence. We can’t let them separate themselves from their actions
Box Turtle Bulletin Has done a superb job of following and reporting on the Ugandan kill gays law. he has now put together some videos of Scot Livery one of the American hate mongers who went over to Uganda to encourage and lay the foundation for this law.
The videos are very powerful. And quite painful to watch and listen to.
Never let someone tell you “it's just words.” Words matter. Words mean things. Words are the foundation on which hatred, violence and persecution rest.
Scot Livery has been behind some of the most hateful rhetoric you have ever heard against gay people - and his words found an audience. In Uganda. The man who claims to know more about gay people than anyone else in the world (hah, any straight person claiming that should be slapped for that alone) spread his hate along with other American hate mongers - and others built upon that hate and implemented it.
Now we have, in his words “a nuclear bomb against the gay agenda” in Uganda. This is the power of words. This is the power of hate. And this is why we must speak up and speak out against people spouting this kind of vileness.
Horrendous to watch - but necessary to learn. Because we can’t forget who these people are and how extreme they are. We can’t let them back out and claim innocence. We can’t let them separate themselves from their actions
Your bullshit is stinking up the place
Jan. 4th, 2010 01:21 pmThe New York Times has finally blinked and realised that Uganda has this little kill-gays bill being planned. It even blinked twice and realised *gasp* American religious conservatives are some of the primary instigators of this genocidal bill while those of us tracking Christian love towards homosexuals are less than surprised.
Of course those religious bigots are shocked - SHOCKED - that their innocent words be used to justify the massacre of homosexuals. They are stunned that it could ever come to this! WHO COULD POSSIBLY HAVE KNOWN?!
Who could have known that accusing gays of recruiting children could lead to this?
Who could have known that accusing gays of preying on teenagers could lead to this?
Who could have known that calling the gay rights movement an evil institution could lead to this?
As Box turtle bulletin very clearly states (and his reporting on the Ugandan bill has been by far and away the best I've found anywhere) this is beyond bullshit. They knew, they were warned and there was no way in hell that anyone with half a brain could not have seen the damage they were doing.
These men have blood on their hands and are morally guilty of the deaths that will come of this law. They are due nothing but disgust and revulsion - and if there were truly sorry or horrified by the pain and deaths they are causing they would travel to Uganda now and try to fix the evil they have caused.
But they have not - and until then the lies these evil men spout are worth nothing
Of course those religious bigots are shocked - SHOCKED - that their innocent words be used to justify the massacre of homosexuals. They are stunned that it could ever come to this! WHO COULD POSSIBLY HAVE KNOWN?!
Who could have known that accusing gays of recruiting children could lead to this?
Who could have known that accusing gays of preying on teenagers could lead to this?
Who could have known that calling the gay rights movement an evil institution could lead to this?
As Box turtle bulletin very clearly states (and his reporting on the Ugandan bill has been by far and away the best I've found anywhere) this is beyond bullshit. They knew, they were warned and there was no way in hell that anyone with half a brain could not have seen the damage they were doing.
These men have blood on their hands and are morally guilty of the deaths that will come of this law. They are due nothing but disgust and revulsion - and if there were truly sorry or horrified by the pain and deaths they are causing they would travel to Uganda now and try to fix the evil they have caused.
But they have not - and until then the lies these evil men spout are worth nothing
The title to their vile question has been changed. After the net exploded and even the political parties contacted the director general to see if he was out of his tiny mind, the title was change to ""Should Uganda debate gay execution?""
Uh. That's better but it's not much better.
Again, there is no debate here. There should be no debate here. If we rejected the topic "should Muslims face execution?" and instead went with "Should France debate Muslim execution?" then we'd still be outraged.
Because this is NOT a question. This not something to be considered. It's gross bigotry and you CANNOT give even the slightest indication that it is acceptable to kill gays - ANYWHERE.
Gods, how hard is this to understand?
IMPLYING THAT KILLING GAYS IS A REASONABLE POSITION FOR DEBATE OR CONSIDERATION IS GROSSLY HOMOPHOBIC, DAMAGING AND THREATENING.
Changing it to a single country rather than in general DOES NOT CHANGE THAT
Uh. That's better but it's not much better.
Again, there is no debate here. There should be no debate here. If we rejected the topic "should Muslims face execution?" and instead went with "Should France debate Muslim execution?" then we'd still be outraged.
Because this is NOT a question. This not something to be considered. It's gross bigotry and you CANNOT give even the slightest indication that it is acceptable to kill gays - ANYWHERE.
Gods, how hard is this to understand?
IMPLYING THAT KILLING GAYS IS A REASONABLE POSITION FOR DEBATE OR CONSIDERATION IS GROSSLY HOMOPHOBIC, DAMAGING AND THREATENING.
Changing it to a single country rather than in general DOES NOT CHANGE THAT
BBC... what is this shit?
Dec. 16th, 2009 03:09 pmThe BBC has a nice Have Your Say section where they can pose a question for reasoned and considered debate. Currently they have several running - the BA strike, airbrushing in adverts, when self-defence goes to far, should homosexuals face execution.
Wait.
What?
"Should homosexuals face execution?"
Why is this even a matter for debate? Why is it even considered an acceptable question to ask? Regardless of world politics, is this EVER a question that should be presented as something to be considered, reasoned, balanced? Is this ever a question where, by golly, we want to hear your opinion - kill the homos or not?
No matter what was happening in the world, there is no bloody way the BBC would have the question "Should black people face execution?"
No matter what laws were proposed in any country, the BBC wouldn't even consider asking "Should Jews face execution?"
Even at its most bigoted, the BBC would never ask readers to send in their opinions on whether we should kill muslims. They'd never ask us to send opinions on persecuting to death Asian people.
This is beyond outrageous. This is giving a level of legitimacy to the most toxic form of hate. This is presenting arguing whether we have the right to exist as a reasoned question - as a question for debate!
I have a right to LIVE damn it! I have a right NOT to be killed. We do not deserve being imprisoned and executed for daring to love, for existing! This is NOT a legitimate position. This is NOT a position for reasoned argument. This is WRONG and can you PLEASE stop sending the bloody message that our lives are worth shit, already!?
The complain form is here https://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/forms/ please use it. Because this is beyond unacceptable
Wait.
What?
"Should homosexuals face execution?"
Why is this even a matter for debate? Why is it even considered an acceptable question to ask? Regardless of world politics, is this EVER a question that should be presented as something to be considered, reasoned, balanced? Is this ever a question where, by golly, we want to hear your opinion - kill the homos or not?
No matter what was happening in the world, there is no bloody way the BBC would have the question "Should black people face execution?"
No matter what laws were proposed in any country, the BBC wouldn't even consider asking "Should Jews face execution?"
Even at its most bigoted, the BBC would never ask readers to send in their opinions on whether we should kill muslims. They'd never ask us to send opinions on persecuting to death Asian people.
This is beyond outrageous. This is giving a level of legitimacy to the most toxic form of hate. This is presenting arguing whether we have the right to exist as a reasoned question - as a question for debate!
I have a right to LIVE damn it! I have a right NOT to be killed. We do not deserve being imprisoned and executed for daring to love, for existing! This is NOT a legitimate position. This is NOT a position for reasoned argument. This is WRONG and can you PLEASE stop sending the bloody message that our lives are worth shit, already!?
The complain form is here https://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/forms/ please use it. Because this is beyond unacceptable
A grim reminder that the hatred
Dec. 15th, 2009 10:33 pmAn Anglican Vicar, in the UK, sees the point in Uganda's law. You see, the fact that Ms Ladele wants to impose her religious views on people accessing government services means that Ugandans should look at the terrible state we have reached (preventing civil servants applying their bigotry to their jobs! How shocking!) and of course that would prompt not only keeping homosexuality illegal - but also punishing gays with life imprisonment and execution
I say again, the victories to secure our existance are relatively recent. There are still truly hateful bigots like this man left in the country pushing against our rights to exist and survive, championing the desire to hate, fighting for bigotry in law and through the nation. That is deeply frightening and reminds us that we can't stop working to protect ourselves
To add to further grief Rwandar is likely to vote on criminalising homosexuality. Yet more religious ties with the west. We have a long way to go for freedom and equality - or even the right to exist.
I say again, the victories to secure our existance are relatively recent. There are still truly hateful bigots like this man left in the country pushing against our rights to exist and survive, championing the desire to hate, fighting for bigotry in law and through the nation. That is deeply frightening and reminds us that we can't stop working to protect ourselves
To add to further grief Rwandar is likely to vote on criminalising homosexuality. Yet more religious ties with the west. We have a long way to go for freedom and equality - or even the right to exist.
To remind us why we fight and why we have to fight. To remind us that we are not safe. It’s important to remember that for so many our very lives and physical safety are worth nothing. It’s important to remember that when we’re pushing for gay rights we’re pushing for our very right to exist and exist as people.
Gay rights activist in Honduras assassinated in drive by shooting. A very brave man - he had been assaulted and persecuted before and now he is dead - at the age of 25. Sadly such violence in Honduras is horrendously common - there are places where our lives are worth less than nothing, where our deaths are celebrated and our pain considered laudable.
Speaking of which, 12 gay men face execution for homosexuality in Iran. 8 of them are teenagers. Kids. They’re killing kids for being gay. Gods preserve us from bigots who care so little for life. Such is how little our lives are valued. Uganda isn’t the only nation seeking to wipe us off the face of the world - not by a long shot.
And talking of Uganda. Many people breathed a sigh of relief that Uganda was dropping the death penalty clause for their horrendous homophobia bill. Don’t take your eyes away yet. That is in no way certain and the proposer of the bill and his supporters want to kill gays still. Don’t let one vague report counter the actuality of what is being pushed - they just want us to look away while they hide the bodies.
Sadly this is a problem that is spreading, Homophobia in government is increasing in Rwandar and there is talk of introducing a law criminalising homosexuality. In Nigeria, where homosexuality is already criminalised and faces brutally harsh punishment in the northern provinces, there is talk of expanding the persecution.
In South Africa (and elsewhere, so very sadly) Lesbians are being raped to ‘correct’ them so low are their bodies valued and so much are they hated that these repellent views are held.
Here we have our lives ended with little state intervention or actually by the state. Here we have a clear message of how little our lives are worth - and it is exacerbated by the world’s general indifference. There are no moves for sanctions or penalties for a nation that does or tries to massacre or torture us wholesale. Aid and trade does not stop just because it happens over the bloodied corpses of homosexuals. Relationships do not sour because of our spilled blood - our lives have no value to far too many.
And in no way is that limited to developing nations, though they may have the most repellent laws and consent to persecution on their books.
First - remember that homosexuality has only been decriminalised in the western world relatively recently. In the UK, we were criminalised in 1967. In parts of the US it was criminalised in some states as late as 2003. 2003 - think about that. And there are still people like this out there, among us I’ve just spent 2 weeks arguing with homophobes DEFENDING the Ugandan kill-gays bill. Don’t say it can’t happen here. Don’t say there aren’t people here that want this
In Utah a gay man was brutally and horrifically beaten to the point where he needed reconstructive surgery on his face by a gang of men. A gang of men attacked him because he was gay. The sentence? A year. This tells you how much gay lives are worth to that court.
In New York a gay man was beaten by bouncers for daring to dance with his partner. Apparently we’re forbidden to dance with our partners unless we’re in a gay bar.
Would you beat ANYONE over who they were dancing with? It takes so little for the homophobes to violently attack us.
In Texas an 18 year old gay men is kidnapped and sexually assaulted. The perpetrators are arrested (though oddly slowly) but the bail is set at a ridiculously low level.
In London, David Kilcullen has been found guilty of murdering one member of a gay couple and brutally assaulting the other. I will watch for his sentencing - but again we saw the damned gay panic defence raised in a court room. Again we had the idea that this could be a justification for violence against us and it wasn’t just laughed down, even if little credence was given to it.
To these people our lives are worth nothing. The sad thing is - I’m not entirely sure the powers that be disagree with them
Gay rights activist in Honduras assassinated in drive by shooting. A very brave man - he had been assaulted and persecuted before and now he is dead - at the age of 25. Sadly such violence in Honduras is horrendously common - there are places where our lives are worth less than nothing, where our deaths are celebrated and our pain considered laudable.
Speaking of which, 12 gay men face execution for homosexuality in Iran. 8 of them are teenagers. Kids. They’re killing kids for being gay. Gods preserve us from bigots who care so little for life. Such is how little our lives are valued. Uganda isn’t the only nation seeking to wipe us off the face of the world - not by a long shot.
And talking of Uganda. Many people breathed a sigh of relief that Uganda was dropping the death penalty clause for their horrendous homophobia bill. Don’t take your eyes away yet. That is in no way certain and the proposer of the bill and his supporters want to kill gays still. Don’t let one vague report counter the actuality of what is being pushed - they just want us to look away while they hide the bodies.
Sadly this is a problem that is spreading, Homophobia in government is increasing in Rwandar and there is talk of introducing a law criminalising homosexuality. In Nigeria, where homosexuality is already criminalised and faces brutally harsh punishment in the northern provinces, there is talk of expanding the persecution.
In South Africa (and elsewhere, so very sadly) Lesbians are being raped to ‘correct’ them so low are their bodies valued and so much are they hated that these repellent views are held.
Here we have our lives ended with little state intervention or actually by the state. Here we have a clear message of how little our lives are worth - and it is exacerbated by the world’s general indifference. There are no moves for sanctions or penalties for a nation that does or tries to massacre or torture us wholesale. Aid and trade does not stop just because it happens over the bloodied corpses of homosexuals. Relationships do not sour because of our spilled blood - our lives have no value to far too many.
And in no way is that limited to developing nations, though they may have the most repellent laws and consent to persecution on their books.
First - remember that homosexuality has only been decriminalised in the western world relatively recently. In the UK, we were criminalised in 1967. In parts of the US it was criminalised in some states as late as 2003. 2003 - think about that. And there are still people like this out there, among us I’ve just spent 2 weeks arguing with homophobes DEFENDING the Ugandan kill-gays bill. Don’t say it can’t happen here. Don’t say there aren’t people here that want this
In Utah a gay man was brutally and horrifically beaten to the point where he needed reconstructive surgery on his face by a gang of men. A gang of men attacked him because he was gay. The sentence? A year. This tells you how much gay lives are worth to that court.
In New York a gay man was beaten by bouncers for daring to dance with his partner. Apparently we’re forbidden to dance with our partners unless we’re in a gay bar.
Would you beat ANYONE over who they were dancing with? It takes so little for the homophobes to violently attack us.
In Texas an 18 year old gay men is kidnapped and sexually assaulted. The perpetrators are arrested (though oddly slowly) but the bail is set at a ridiculously low level.
In London, David Kilcullen has been found guilty of murdering one member of a gay couple and brutally assaulting the other. I will watch for his sentencing - but again we saw the damned gay panic defence raised in a court room. Again we had the idea that this could be a justification for violence against us and it wasn’t just laughed down, even if little credence was given to it.
To these people our lives are worth nothing. The sad thing is - I’m not entirely sure the powers that be disagree with them
Richard Cohen, a proponent of the truly evil ex-gay movement and a bigoted hater of the first order objects most strongly to the idea that he is one of those who inspired, pushed and worked on the Ugandan genocidal kill-gays bill.
He is having some problems because, well, he may have issues with her saying it - but it’s true. And Rachael Maddow is pinning it very nicely
Oh when he republishes the book he’ll remove the... evil lies from it from junk science. Yeah, that’s going to help. Really. How about throwing the whole book away? The whole thing is junk science and hate speech - it's ALL predatory and defamation against us.
We do need to organise some Rachael Maddow cheerleaders though. Yes, yes we do.
As ever Box Turtle Bulletin has a truly supreme round up and history of the horrendous Ugandan law also has a great post that further exposes the lies of the hate monger, Richard Cohen including showing that the lies and attacks he uses in his hate book were used by the proponents of the Ugandan kill-gays bill. He copuld use some cheerleaders as well
He is having some problems because, well, he may have issues with her saying it - but it’s true. And Rachael Maddow is pinning it very nicely
Oh when he republishes the book he’ll remove the... evil lies from it from junk science. Yeah, that’s going to help. Really. How about throwing the whole book away? The whole thing is junk science and hate speech - it's ALL predatory and defamation against us.
We do need to organise some Rachael Maddow cheerleaders though. Yes, yes we do.
As ever Box Turtle Bulletin has a truly supreme round up and history of the horrendous Ugandan law also has a great post that further exposes the lies of the hate monger, Richard Cohen including showing that the lies and attacks he uses in his hate book were used by the proponents of the Ugandan kill-gays bill. He copuld use some cheerleaders as well
Beenie Man is a musician who sings about killing gay men in fairly graphic detail. Pepsi is sponsoring one of his concerts - in Uganda. A country that is, of course, planning the genocide of gay people. Yeah, this is my not amused face. I know what I’m not going to be drinking.
Buju Bantum is another musician. He likes to sing about “faggots” running, having to die, being shot or just being burned. He just got a Grammy nomination Don’t let a pesky thing like inciting murder get in the way guys, will you?
Eminem, not wanting to miss out on the gay bashing, decided to call ‘ Lance, Mr. Lambert and Aiken’ faggots. Oh, no, sorry, he really called them “fake-its.” No, really. And isn’t it funny how they’re all gay and it sounds so much like faggot when sung. Very clever, I’d applaud but if I move my hands they’re going to want to go round someone’s throat.
On the business side:
A McDonalds in Florida told a trans applicant that they ‘don’t hire faggots’. But, of course, the US govt doesn’t think employment discrimination for GBLT people is important.
That word is haunting me today. I’m getting sorely tired of reading it and hearing it. I must be due another round of straight people telling me that it’s not offensive.
On the religious side of the aisle - let us remember that Rowan Williams, spiritual leader of the global Anglican church decides to express his concern over the severe implications of... having a Lesbian Bishop. Genocide in Uganda? Still doesn’t give a damn. Nor does the Pope. Frankly it would be pointless for either of them to speak now - their silence for this long tells you how much they are worth and how much “love” their churches have,
I look at all these and, really, is it any wonder why homophobic violence is on the rise? I’ve said a thousand times before that the message we send about homophobia - how we consent to it, how we tolerate it, how we let it be part of acceptable discourse, how we react to homophobic comments - let’s it flourish and encourages it to grow. It is this encouragement and acceptance of homophobia, of the idea that gay people are less, that leads to homophobic violence. It doesn’t happen in a vaccuum.
But when I say that? I generally meant people saying things like “that’s gay” in a negative sense. Or making tasteless gay jokes. I didn’t mean it to apply to overtly calling for the deaths of homosexuals. I wasn’t referring to clear and unambiguous hate speech.
Because I didn’t think I’d need to. I thought that we KNEW that “faggot” was unacceptable. I thought we KNEW that killing gay people was wrong. I thought we KNEW that violence and persecution of homosexuals was wrong. I thought it didn’t need to be bloody said!
But then I look at this and wonder if we have even come that far. When musicians are hailed and AWARDED for lyrics that openly for us to be tortured and murdered. When they can slide in the word “faggot” without a raised eyebrow, let alone censure. When employers can refuse people and openly say “we don’t hire faggots.” When a country can plan OUTRIGHT GENOCIDE and nations and churches don’t deem it worthy of their attention, let alone condemnation?
Then we haven’t learned that lesson. And that worries me - because I’m desperately fighting against the message that I am less than a person. But so many people are still sending the message that I don’t deserve to live. And THAT message is still deemed acceptable.
I knew we had a long way to go. I didn’t realise it was this far.
Buju Bantum is another musician. He likes to sing about “faggots” running, having to die, being shot or just being burned. He just got a Grammy nomination Don’t let a pesky thing like inciting murder get in the way guys, will you?
Eminem, not wanting to miss out on the gay bashing, decided to call ‘ Lance, Mr. Lambert and Aiken’ faggots. Oh, no, sorry, he really called them “fake-its.” No, really. And isn’t it funny how they’re all gay and it sounds so much like faggot when sung. Very clever, I’d applaud but if I move my hands they’re going to want to go round someone’s throat.
On the business side:
A McDonalds in Florida told a trans applicant that they ‘don’t hire faggots’. But, of course, the US govt doesn’t think employment discrimination for GBLT people is important.
That word is haunting me today. I’m getting sorely tired of reading it and hearing it. I must be due another round of straight people telling me that it’s not offensive.
On the religious side of the aisle - let us remember that Rowan Williams, spiritual leader of the global Anglican church decides to express his concern over the severe implications of... having a Lesbian Bishop. Genocide in Uganda? Still doesn’t give a damn. Nor does the Pope. Frankly it would be pointless for either of them to speak now - their silence for this long tells you how much they are worth and how much “love” their churches have,
I look at all these and, really, is it any wonder why homophobic violence is on the rise? I’ve said a thousand times before that the message we send about homophobia - how we consent to it, how we tolerate it, how we let it be part of acceptable discourse, how we react to homophobic comments - let’s it flourish and encourages it to grow. It is this encouragement and acceptance of homophobia, of the idea that gay people are less, that leads to homophobic violence. It doesn’t happen in a vaccuum.
But when I say that? I generally meant people saying things like “that’s gay” in a negative sense. Or making tasteless gay jokes. I didn’t mean it to apply to overtly calling for the deaths of homosexuals. I wasn’t referring to clear and unambiguous hate speech.
Because I didn’t think I’d need to. I thought that we KNEW that “faggot” was unacceptable. I thought we KNEW that killing gay people was wrong. I thought we KNEW that violence and persecution of homosexuals was wrong. I thought it didn’t need to be bloody said!
But then I look at this and wonder if we have even come that far. When musicians are hailed and AWARDED for lyrics that openly for us to be tortured and murdered. When they can slide in the word “faggot” without a raised eyebrow, let alone censure. When employers can refuse people and openly say “we don’t hire faggots.” When a country can plan OUTRIGHT GENOCIDE and nations and churches don’t deem it worthy of their attention, let alone condemnation?
Then we haven’t learned that lesson. And that worries me - because I’m desperately fighting against the message that I am less than a person. But so many people are still sending the message that I don’t deserve to live. And THAT message is still deemed acceptable.
I knew we had a long way to go. I didn’t realise it was this far.
Uganda - another reason why I am worried
Dec. 6th, 2009 11:20 pmThe Uganda bill continues apace, stunning in its vileness.
Let me reiterate what this bill will do.
"Aggravated" Homosexuality (that is repeat offenders - had sex more than once, those with AIDS and other groups) will be executed. Hanged.
Homosexuality - life imprisonment.
Speaking in favour for or supporting homosexuality - 5 years.
Failing to report someone is homosexual within 24 hours - 3 years in prison.
If a Ugandan citizen has homosexual sex in another country - they can be extradited BACK to Uganda to be punished
Let's be clear. This is genocide. They are going to arrest all homosexuals and kill them. They will persecute and imprison people who protest, try to hide homosexuals or refuse to be part of it. This is nothing short of state-sponsored, legal genocide.
And it's not been treated as such.
Most of the media is ignoring it. (Though, again, a nod to Rachel Maddow Here is a great vid and another)
Some governments are condemning it (UK, Canada, much of the EU) but others are very weak on their disapproval (the US) and many more are silent. Only Sweden, that I can find, has declared there will be consequences for this genocidal law.
The Catholic church is silent about it - despite religion being the prime motivator of this evil and the main force behind it.
Rowan Williams is hedging around it. His office let it known he is privately upset about it but he's going to work covertly... really? (though he is quick to speak against a Lesbian Bishop. Seriously? Genocide makes him hem and haw - but a Lesbian Bishop is worth comment? Frankly, screw you too Anglican church. You've shown your worth here - more than. Enemy and evil, the Catholic church written small, but not really any less hateful. If this is Christian love I am ecstatic not to be a Christian.)
Let's be clear again here. State sponsored genocide is proposed and the general consensus is "tut tut how unfortunate" or less?
It worries me. The chances of me going to Uganda and falling foul of this bill are slim (but I grieve and rage for my brothers and sisters who will be caught in this slaughter). Uganda has been firmly on my list of countries I dare not visit for some time now. But it worries me to see how little we are valued. How unimportant this is to so much of the world. How much of the world is turning a blind eye or tacitly supporting us.
I knew that many hated us - but to see so many governments and powerful institutions utterly indifferent to something so grossly horrific - it scares me. It scares me how little they give a damn. It scares me that they can overlook or tacitly encourage this. It scares me that this message of ACCEPTABILITY or INDIFFERENCE is being broadcast worldwide. This is a global message of how little our lives matter on a scale that stuns me.
I knew they didn't give a damn about us. But you'd think genocide would be the limit.
Let me reiterate what this bill will do.
"Aggravated" Homosexuality (that is repeat offenders - had sex more than once, those with AIDS and other groups) will be executed. Hanged.
Homosexuality - life imprisonment.
Speaking in favour for or supporting homosexuality - 5 years.
Failing to report someone is homosexual within 24 hours - 3 years in prison.
If a Ugandan citizen has homosexual sex in another country - they can be extradited BACK to Uganda to be punished
Let's be clear. This is genocide. They are going to arrest all homosexuals and kill them. They will persecute and imprison people who protest, try to hide homosexuals or refuse to be part of it. This is nothing short of state-sponsored, legal genocide.
And it's not been treated as such.
Most of the media is ignoring it. (Though, again, a nod to Rachel Maddow Here is a great vid and another)
Some governments are condemning it (UK, Canada, much of the EU) but others are very weak on their disapproval (the US) and many more are silent. Only Sweden, that I can find, has declared there will be consequences for this genocidal law.
The Catholic church is silent about it - despite religion being the prime motivator of this evil and the main force behind it.
Rowan Williams is hedging around it. His office let it known he is privately upset about it but he's going to work covertly... really? (though he is quick to speak against a Lesbian Bishop. Seriously? Genocide makes him hem and haw - but a Lesbian Bishop is worth comment? Frankly, screw you too Anglican church. You've shown your worth here - more than. Enemy and evil, the Catholic church written small, but not really any less hateful. If this is Christian love I am ecstatic not to be a Christian.)
Let's be clear again here. State sponsored genocide is proposed and the general consensus is "tut tut how unfortunate" or less?
It worries me. The chances of me going to Uganda and falling foul of this bill are slim (but I grieve and rage for my brothers and sisters who will be caught in this slaughter). Uganda has been firmly on my list of countries I dare not visit for some time now. But it worries me to see how little we are valued. How unimportant this is to so much of the world. How much of the world is turning a blind eye or tacitly supporting us.
I knew that many hated us - but to see so many governments and powerful institutions utterly indifferent to something so grossly horrific - it scares me. It scares me how little they give a damn. It scares me that they can overlook or tacitly encourage this. It scares me that this message of ACCEPTABILITY or INDIFFERENCE is being broadcast worldwide. This is a global message of how little our lives matter on a scale that stuns me.
I knew they didn't give a damn about us. But you'd think genocide would be the limit.
I realise some people may not be aware so to remind people - Uganda is currently passing a law that grossly oppresses homosexuality. Homosexuals will be imprisoned for long terms - or executed. Anyone speaking in favour of homosexuals or “promoting” homosexuality can be imprisoned.
The sad thing is that some people may not be aware of this. I rather suspect most people aren’t.
See, I try to stay connected. I have a 101 news feeds that spam me every day from around the world - I also have double that in blogs I follow to increase my awareness. It’s a duty of everyone to be informed, I think - there really are few excuses for ignorance in this day and age.
The gay blogs have been very good at reporting this horrendous law and responses. Or lack therof - Catholic church, English Anglican church, I’m looking at you, homophobes. You can‘t even condemn a law to slaughter us?! Tweedle Phobe and Tweedle Bigot are happy for their churches to push this law and say nothing in opposition? Then people wonder why we look at the Anglican and Catholic churches as utterly evil, bigoted organisations? Oh and Obama - WHY does the US have no stance on this bloody law? Go go fierce advocate!
The blogs also cover the history behind it, including the many WESTERN churches, religious figures and pro-hate activists that have been involved (Rick Warren, that would be you, bastard). Box Turtle Bulletin in particular has done an amazing job of documenting this and keeping us updated - follow the dated links at the bottom of the page
The news feeds? *crickets* Maybe the odd throw-away line. One short article of one MPs PROPOSAL (never mind the actual law and progress) thank you BBC. Or a couple of nods (Guardian, Independent). The Daily Mail & Telegraph mention it in passing - but as how it makes things awkward for Brown (somehow).
I actually had to look for even these snippets - because they weren’t high on the feeds or in the papers. Watching the news on TV or Teletext will convince you it’s not even happening. The more I read my news feeds, the more I see it mentioned vaguely in passing - if at all. Frankly, I’ve seen better cover from American news sources - and precious little from most of them ( a nod to Rachel Maddow).
Compare that to the Swiss Minaret ban - a deeply disgusting and bigoted law, to be sure - and you have not just column inches - but column acres being written to condemn this bigotry. And rightly so - the Swiss minaret ban is nothing short of blatant religious bigotry. The fact that there isn’t even a great demand in Switzerland for new minarets shows this law for what it is - a message bigotry from the people of Switzerland against a marginalised body. it’s a symbolic gesture of hatred.
It is disgusting and worth every column inch and every expression of outrage - in fact, it could have done with a damn site more attention (though it is still in the news feeds now).
But surely a bill to IMPRISON and EXECUTE a marginalised group and anyone who speaks for them is worth as much attention? Having gay sex carries a LIFE IMPRISONMENT. Having gay sex multiple times is enough to be executed under this bill. And anyone who defends us, supports us OR DOESN’T REPORT US, can go to prison for up to 3 years. Someone from Uganda who leaves the country and has gay sex ELSEWHERE, will be sought for extradition.
Is it because it’s Africa? And Africa generally does receive previous little media attention. Is it because its homosexuals? After all there are already countries that kill us and torture us, what’s one more right?
This is a proposed genocide against homosexuals. Where’s the outrage? Where’s the fury? How can ANYONE be neutral on this? How can they have no position on this? Why isn’t the press screaming blue murder? Why aren’t more nations following in Sweden’s footsteps and cutting aid - hells, cutting ties and condemning them in no uncertain terms?
The silence is telling
The sad thing is that some people may not be aware of this. I rather suspect most people aren’t.
See, I try to stay connected. I have a 101 news feeds that spam me every day from around the world - I also have double that in blogs I follow to increase my awareness. It’s a duty of everyone to be informed, I think - there really are few excuses for ignorance in this day and age.
The gay blogs have been very good at reporting this horrendous law and responses. Or lack therof - Catholic church, English Anglican church, I’m looking at you, homophobes. You can‘t even condemn a law to slaughter us?! Tweedle Phobe and Tweedle Bigot are happy for their churches to push this law and say nothing in opposition? Then people wonder why we look at the Anglican and Catholic churches as utterly evil, bigoted organisations? Oh and Obama - WHY does the US have no stance on this bloody law? Go go fierce advocate!
The blogs also cover the history behind it, including the many WESTERN churches, religious figures and pro-hate activists that have been involved (Rick Warren, that would be you, bastard). Box Turtle Bulletin in particular has done an amazing job of documenting this and keeping us updated - follow the dated links at the bottom of the page
The news feeds? *crickets* Maybe the odd throw-away line. One short article of one MPs PROPOSAL (never mind the actual law and progress) thank you BBC. Or a couple of nods (Guardian, Independent). The Daily Mail & Telegraph mention it in passing - but as how it makes things awkward for Brown (somehow).
I actually had to look for even these snippets - because they weren’t high on the feeds or in the papers. Watching the news on TV or Teletext will convince you it’s not even happening. The more I read my news feeds, the more I see it mentioned vaguely in passing - if at all. Frankly, I’ve seen better cover from American news sources - and precious little from most of them ( a nod to Rachel Maddow).
Compare that to the Swiss Minaret ban - a deeply disgusting and bigoted law, to be sure - and you have not just column inches - but column acres being written to condemn this bigotry. And rightly so - the Swiss minaret ban is nothing short of blatant religious bigotry. The fact that there isn’t even a great demand in Switzerland for new minarets shows this law for what it is - a message bigotry from the people of Switzerland against a marginalised body. it’s a symbolic gesture of hatred.
It is disgusting and worth every column inch and every expression of outrage - in fact, it could have done with a damn site more attention (though it is still in the news feeds now).
But surely a bill to IMPRISON and EXECUTE a marginalised group and anyone who speaks for them is worth as much attention? Having gay sex carries a LIFE IMPRISONMENT. Having gay sex multiple times is enough to be executed under this bill. And anyone who defends us, supports us OR DOESN’T REPORT US, can go to prison for up to 3 years. Someone from Uganda who leaves the country and has gay sex ELSEWHERE, will be sought for extradition.
Is it because it’s Africa? And Africa generally does receive previous little media attention. Is it because its homosexuals? After all there are already countries that kill us and torture us, what’s one more right?
This is a proposed genocide against homosexuals. Where’s the outrage? Where’s the fury? How can ANYONE be neutral on this? How can they have no position on this? Why isn’t the press screaming blue murder? Why aren’t more nations following in Sweden’s footsteps and cutting aid - hells, cutting ties and condemning them in no uncertain terms?
The silence is telling
My first instinct is, of course, to scream “you hypocritical, evil, vile bastards!” and continue to hope for the continued decline of this vile institution.
I’ve seen this instinct reflected in many gay blogs. And there’s good reason for that. The Catholic Church has been systematically covering up (at the highest levels) the worst kind of child abuse on a, frankly, global scale. The new report from Ireland - which is truly horrific (and shows the danger of people treating an institution with unquestioned reverence) just furthers adds to the truly horrifying story. As if these evil acts weren’t reason enough to condemn them - for them to then reach out from this lowest of moral lowgrounds and presume to judge us, condemn us, condemn our love and BLAME US for paedophilic abuse. For them, in the light of such evil, act as righteous adjudicators fit to control and punish OUR lives with their tainted “morals” is astounding.
Well, everyone has a damn good reason to be furious and we certainly have a damn good reason to express our utter disgust and outrage at this hypocrisy and a damn good reason to make sure that the evil the Catholic Church has committed is known.
But have a care.
Have a care because, while I think the church is corrupt through and through and to blame for this outrage at the highest possible levels and even institutionally tainted but this - blaming individual or collective CATHOLICS is wrong. It’s easy to lash out at the convenient target - but the members of the faith are not the same as the organisation itself. Make a distinction between the church and its members (even if you are bemused about why they associate themselves with such an organisation - faith is personal and compelling).
And have a care because there are some very real, very hurt people who were victims of the Church’s abuse. Don’t chortle or be smug about this - however much it will damage a very real enemy of ours - because people are hurting, people were hurt, people were victims. Foremost of all, the victims deserve our fullest sympathy and support - don’t use them.
Do fight the Catholic church’s evil actions - do expose what happened here, do not let them cover it up or forget it or dismiss it. Do expose their hypocrisy. Do expose the billions they have spent to harm people, do expose the efforts they have taken to hide this evil. Do fight for justice and protection. Do condemn them unreservedly. Do question how such an organisation and such people can even remotely be considered a source or arbiter of morality.
But don’t forget the victims while doing so.
I’ve seen this instinct reflected in many gay blogs. And there’s good reason for that. The Catholic Church has been systematically covering up (at the highest levels) the worst kind of child abuse on a, frankly, global scale. The new report from Ireland - which is truly horrific (and shows the danger of people treating an institution with unquestioned reverence) just furthers adds to the truly horrifying story. As if these evil acts weren’t reason enough to condemn them - for them to then reach out from this lowest of moral lowgrounds and presume to judge us, condemn us, condemn our love and BLAME US for paedophilic abuse. For them, in the light of such evil, act as righteous adjudicators fit to control and punish OUR lives with their tainted “morals” is astounding.
Well, everyone has a damn good reason to be furious and we certainly have a damn good reason to express our utter disgust and outrage at this hypocrisy and a damn good reason to make sure that the evil the Catholic Church has committed is known.
But have a care.
Have a care because, while I think the church is corrupt through and through and to blame for this outrage at the highest possible levels and even institutionally tainted but this - blaming individual or collective CATHOLICS is wrong. It’s easy to lash out at the convenient target - but the members of the faith are not the same as the organisation itself. Make a distinction between the church and its members (even if you are bemused about why they associate themselves with such an organisation - faith is personal and compelling).
And have a care because there are some very real, very hurt people who were victims of the Church’s abuse. Don’t chortle or be smug about this - however much it will damage a very real enemy of ours - because people are hurting, people were hurt, people were victims. Foremost of all, the victims deserve our fullest sympathy and support - don’t use them.
Do fight the Catholic church’s evil actions - do expose what happened here, do not let them cover it up or forget it or dismiss it. Do expose their hypocrisy. Do expose the billions they have spent to harm people, do expose the efforts they have taken to hide this evil. Do fight for justice and protection. Do condemn them unreservedly. Do question how such an organisation and such people can even remotely be considered a source or arbiter of morality.
But don’t forget the victims while doing so.
World AIDS Day - a time for rage
Dec. 1st, 2009 02:27 pmAnother world AIDS day and I am left again with an overwhelming sense of rage about the whole thing.
I am grief stricken and furious that AIDS has become the scourge it has.
The grief goes without saying - because so many dead is just heart breaking. So many dead and suffering in such numbers - there are not enough tears in the world.
But all of this is coloured by rage. Rage, because AIDS is, in my view, one of the greatest failings of humanity. The sheer size and scale of the epidemic now has been created by masses of human indifference, prejudice and ignorance to such a degree that I want to scream - and it's still continuing.
When AIDS was first becoming an issue it was ignored. It was ignored because it was a gay disease. It was ignored because it was an African disease. It was ignored because, to the powers that be, these people, these deaths DID NOT MATTER. These lives didn't fucking count. These deaths were seen as unimportant - even a good thing!
Can you imagine how less severe it would be, how many fewer would have died if the powers that be had actually given a damn then?
But, eventually, the privileged people started dying. Eventually people started to take notice. But the ignorance was already winning.
We had more ignorance coming from religious groups who LEAPED on the epidemic as an opportunity to pursue their own agenda. "Abstinence!" they screamed! No more sex! SEX IS BAD! EVIL! And every step of the way they pushed that and tried to hijack the fight to stop a devastatingly huge pandemic into a way to push their own moral values. Their dogma was more important than untold millions of deaths! And they knew no shame - to this day the Catholic Church is spreading LIES about condoms in Africa.
Let me repeat that. The Catholic church is spreading LIES about condoms. WILLFUL LIES. Condoms, a vital tool in preventing the spread of AIDS, are being labelled as ineffective. How many are dying here because dogma is valued over truth?! That is evil. That is tantamount to genocide.
But the ignorance continued. Governments, confronted with the sudden horror of rising AIDS levels, some facing huge segments of their population being infected started fleeing in denial. HIV didn't cause AIDS they said. They bought into the most dubious AIDS denial research, backed the most quackiest of quack medicine to escape the reality of it.
And ignorance fed ignorance. Ignorance and agenda and denial combined to a ridiculous degree. People scapegoated the disease - it was a gay disease, a drug users disease, a promiscuous disease. 101 ridiculous and foolish "cures" were imagined by fearful, superstitious and ignorant people (the most pernicious of which, I think, was the idea that AIDS could be cured by having sex - unprotected sex! - with a virgin!). Predatory greed lead some evil people to sell their dubious "cures" to ignorant and fearful people (some of these AIDS cures are little more than vitamin C tablets!) Drugs companies with vital, life saving retroviral drugs set the prices prohibitively high - and fought viciously against cheaper alternatives.
And rising from this is an ongoing prejudice against people living with HIV and AIDS. People who can live long, productive, fulfilled lives - are treated with the kind of stigma associated with medieval lepers. Ignorance, fear and prejudice again - and again at the cost of people's lives.
AIDS is a story of human failure. It's a story of ignorance and arrogance and fear and prejudice and greed and pure, evil indifference to our fellow man.
AIDS will not go away until we change that story, fight the evil and redeem ourselves. And that is going to take a lot of work
I am grief stricken and furious that AIDS has become the scourge it has.
The grief goes without saying - because so many dead is just heart breaking. So many dead and suffering in such numbers - there are not enough tears in the world.
But all of this is coloured by rage. Rage, because AIDS is, in my view, one of the greatest failings of humanity. The sheer size and scale of the epidemic now has been created by masses of human indifference, prejudice and ignorance to such a degree that I want to scream - and it's still continuing.
When AIDS was first becoming an issue it was ignored. It was ignored because it was a gay disease. It was ignored because it was an African disease. It was ignored because, to the powers that be, these people, these deaths DID NOT MATTER. These lives didn't fucking count. These deaths were seen as unimportant - even a good thing!
Can you imagine how less severe it would be, how many fewer would have died if the powers that be had actually given a damn then?
But, eventually, the privileged people started dying. Eventually people started to take notice. But the ignorance was already winning.
We had more ignorance coming from religious groups who LEAPED on the epidemic as an opportunity to pursue their own agenda. "Abstinence!" they screamed! No more sex! SEX IS BAD! EVIL! And every step of the way they pushed that and tried to hijack the fight to stop a devastatingly huge pandemic into a way to push their own moral values. Their dogma was more important than untold millions of deaths! And they knew no shame - to this day the Catholic Church is spreading LIES about condoms in Africa.
Let me repeat that. The Catholic church is spreading LIES about condoms. WILLFUL LIES. Condoms, a vital tool in preventing the spread of AIDS, are being labelled as ineffective. How many are dying here because dogma is valued over truth?! That is evil. That is tantamount to genocide.
But the ignorance continued. Governments, confronted with the sudden horror of rising AIDS levels, some facing huge segments of their population being infected started fleeing in denial. HIV didn't cause AIDS they said. They bought into the most dubious AIDS denial research, backed the most quackiest of quack medicine to escape the reality of it.
And ignorance fed ignorance. Ignorance and agenda and denial combined to a ridiculous degree. People scapegoated the disease - it was a gay disease, a drug users disease, a promiscuous disease. 101 ridiculous and foolish "cures" were imagined by fearful, superstitious and ignorant people (the most pernicious of which, I think, was the idea that AIDS could be cured by having sex - unprotected sex! - with a virgin!). Predatory greed lead some evil people to sell their dubious "cures" to ignorant and fearful people (some of these AIDS cures are little more than vitamin C tablets!) Drugs companies with vital, life saving retroviral drugs set the prices prohibitively high - and fought viciously against cheaper alternatives.
And rising from this is an ongoing prejudice against people living with HIV and AIDS. People who can live long, productive, fulfilled lives - are treated with the kind of stigma associated with medieval lepers. Ignorance, fear and prejudice again - and again at the cost of people's lives.
AIDS is a story of human failure. It's a story of ignorance and arrogance and fear and prejudice and greed and pure, evil indifference to our fellow man.
AIDS will not go away until we change that story, fight the evil and redeem ourselves. And that is going to take a lot of work
Sir Ian Mckellan recently said "I increasingly see organized religion as actually my enemy. They treat me as their enemy," said the British actor, who came out 20 years ago. "Not all Christians, of course. Not all Jews, not all Muslims. But the leaders. . . . Why should I take the judgment of a declared celibate about my sexual needs? He's basing his judgment on laws that would fit life in the Bronze Age. So if I'm lost to God, organized religion is to blame."
And, increasingly, I find myself agreeing with him. I become more and more afraid of and angry towards organised religion. Naturally not all members of organised religions are ignorant homophobes - not even close. Some are passionately in favour of gay rights.
But organised religion is probably THE biggest force for homophobia today. It is the loudest cheerleader for hate, the most passionate opponent of our rights and equality and the must virulent attacking force against us. Increasingly, when I see prominent displays of religious faith I shrink back - because it tells me this is a place and an organisation that hates me and would strip me of everything I have if it could. I fear it as one of the most virulent sources of hate against me and my life.
Catholic church Gay Unions threaten fabric of society Apparently we’ll harm children, spouses, education, the common good and the intrinsic dignity of the human person. Oh and while our unions are a threat to society cohabiting without marrying is inherently sinful. SO basically the Catholics to gays: fuck you.
Catholic church had to conclude that, no, the sex abuse scandal was NOT the fault of gay people They tried so hard to Blame us for their harbouring, protecting and hiding paedophiles and their abuses I’d demand an apology - but if we start asking the Catholic church to apologise for it’s venomous hate we’d have no time for anything else
And let’s not forget that the Catholic church wants us to keep the hell out of the Vatican, and is willing to screw the poor and toss aside all that ‘Christian charity‘ in favour of attacking gay people.
But it is nice to see Christian denominations that spend so much time spitting at each other coming together in their mutual prejudice. Touching, ain’t it? Of course one signatory there is Rev. Peter J. Akinola Primate of the Anglican Church of Nigeria, Bishop of Abuja. Who wants to throw gay people in prison
Then we have Bishops blaming the break up of straight families on homosexuals. Yeah, right.
Religious pro-hate group that set out to deliberately break the hate crime law was a disaster - and actually included someone from a hate group. Someone who travelled to Uganda to encourage their little “let’s kill the homos” law.
Which is, of course, a virulent anti-gay law that has been met with, at best, Anglican indifference and Anglican and Evangelical support. Further supported by the Orthodox, Pentecostal, Seventh Day Adventist and Muslim religions in Uganda as well as American Evangelical leaders promoting and supporting homophobia in Uganda and elsewhere
And these are just SOME of the link from just the last month or so.
Really, I think Sir Ian Mckellan has hit the nail on the head. In fact, he may have been far too moderate and forgiving.
And, increasingly, I find myself agreeing with him. I become more and more afraid of and angry towards organised religion. Naturally not all members of organised religions are ignorant homophobes - not even close. Some are passionately in favour of gay rights.
But organised religion is probably THE biggest force for homophobia today. It is the loudest cheerleader for hate, the most passionate opponent of our rights and equality and the must virulent attacking force against us. Increasingly, when I see prominent displays of religious faith I shrink back - because it tells me this is a place and an organisation that hates me and would strip me of everything I have if it could. I fear it as one of the most virulent sources of hate against me and my life.
Catholic church Gay Unions threaten fabric of society Apparently we’ll harm children, spouses, education, the common good and the intrinsic dignity of the human person. Oh and while our unions are a threat to society cohabiting without marrying is inherently sinful. SO basically the Catholics to gays: fuck you.
Catholic church had to conclude that, no, the sex abuse scandal was NOT the fault of gay people They tried so hard to Blame us for their harbouring, protecting and hiding paedophiles and their abuses I’d demand an apology - but if we start asking the Catholic church to apologise for it’s venomous hate we’d have no time for anything else
And let’s not forget that the Catholic church wants us to keep the hell out of the Vatican, and is willing to screw the poor and toss aside all that ‘Christian charity‘ in favour of attacking gay people.
But it is nice to see Christian denominations that spend so much time spitting at each other coming together in their mutual prejudice. Touching, ain’t it? Of course one signatory there is Rev. Peter J. Akinola Primate of the Anglican Church of Nigeria, Bishop of Abuja. Who wants to throw gay people in prison
Then we have Bishops blaming the break up of straight families on homosexuals. Yeah, right.
Religious pro-hate group that set out to deliberately break the hate crime law was a disaster - and actually included someone from a hate group. Someone who travelled to Uganda to encourage their little “let’s kill the homos” law.
Which is, of course, a virulent anti-gay law that has been met with, at best, Anglican indifference and Anglican and Evangelical support. Further supported by the Orthodox, Pentecostal, Seventh Day Adventist and Muslim religions in Uganda as well as American Evangelical leaders promoting and supporting homophobia in Uganda and elsewhere
And these are just SOME of the link from just the last month or so.
Really, I think Sir Ian Mckellan has hit the nail on the head. In fact, he may have been far too moderate and forgiving.
It appears that the murderer of Jorge Steven Lopez is using that ever-tiresome defence - the gay panic defence (along with a couple of dozen other very dubious defences
Now for those of you blessed not to know what this means, let me clarify. The gay panic defence (and it’s equally vile cousin, trans-panic defence) is a defence used, primarily by heterosexual mean, to justify why they had to attack/beat/hospitalise/kill gays (and trans people).
It goes like this - a straight guy, upon realising that a gay man (or trans woman) might be sexually attracted to them (and this is complicated by that eternal assumption that straight guys are UTTERLY IRRESISTIBLE to gays) is perfectly justified in going into a berserk rage and murdering said gay person.
Unsurprisingly, I have issues with this “defence” and this whole damn mindset. Oh yes I do.
Firstly - can we bury this idea that homosexuals are salivating desperately after the straight folk? (not relevant in this case, but it needs to die already). Seriously, get over yourselves already.
Right now to the ‘defence’. I am sure everyone woman reading this has had, at some point, an unwanted sexual advance from a guy. If they’re polite the response tends to be “no thank you.” If they’re an arsehole who won’t let it drop with the kind of personality that means they have to sneak up on their own right hand to masturbate then the “no thank you” is accompanied by swearing, a slap, drink thrown in face and/or a swift kick in the yin-yangs (in roughly that order).
What they DON’T do is burn, decapitate and dismember the lizard, no matter how skeevy he may be. Because that is evil.
“But Sparky,” I hear you cry, “of course the homophobes are ridiculous and evil, everyone knows this!”
And this is true. And I don’t expect the homophobic arseholes that attack us to give a damn whether their defence is reasonable or not. No, what I care is the rest of the world treating this as even remotely a reasonable defence.
I care about it being argued and considered as a defence in court rather than just being treated as patently ridiculous.
I care about the number of straight guys who think it’d be REASONABLE to beat up a gay guy who makes eye contact, who came on to them or even who touches them (because, yeah, that’s wrong - but worth beating someone up over?)
I care about the number of people who think it’s ok to beat up a sex partner who you later find out is trans.
I care about the police who think it’s worth considering. Who have asked both myself and my friends whether we approached, came on to, solicited our attackers - as if it were relevant. I care because these same police actually asked what we were wearing.
And this is the underlying disease. Not that repellent homophobes want to kill us - we know that and there sadly will always be bigots and arseholes. No, the disease is that GBLT life is so devalued in standard cis and heteronormative society that the gay panic defence is given ANY credence at all.
Our lives are so devalued that extreme violence against us is not seen as serious as violence against cisgendered and heterosexual people. Our right to be safe is treated by such contempt by society that even the slightest “provocation” is considered as a possible reason to assault, beat and kill us.
And this is why the “gay panic defence” must die. Because this crap can’t have even a shred of legitimacy. It is one of the chorus of voices (and there are so many voices in this chorus it makes me want to scream) that tell us our lives are worth nothing made louder every time it is used and every time anyone remotely considers it having any kind of validity.
And while that chorus keeps singing, we keep dying.
Now for those of you blessed not to know what this means, let me clarify. The gay panic defence (and it’s equally vile cousin, trans-panic defence) is a defence used, primarily by heterosexual mean, to justify why they had to attack/beat/hospitalise/kill gays (and trans people).
It goes like this - a straight guy, upon realising that a gay man (or trans woman) might be sexually attracted to them (and this is complicated by that eternal assumption that straight guys are UTTERLY IRRESISTIBLE to gays) is perfectly justified in going into a berserk rage and murdering said gay person.
Unsurprisingly, I have issues with this “defence” and this whole damn mindset. Oh yes I do.
Firstly - can we bury this idea that homosexuals are salivating desperately after the straight folk? (not relevant in this case, but it needs to die already). Seriously, get over yourselves already.
Right now to the ‘defence’. I am sure everyone woman reading this has had, at some point, an unwanted sexual advance from a guy. If they’re polite the response tends to be “no thank you.” If they’re an arsehole who won’t let it drop with the kind of personality that means they have to sneak up on their own right hand to masturbate then the “no thank you” is accompanied by swearing, a slap, drink thrown in face and/or a swift kick in the yin-yangs (in roughly that order).
What they DON’T do is burn, decapitate and dismember the lizard, no matter how skeevy he may be. Because that is evil.
“But Sparky,” I hear you cry, “of course the homophobes are ridiculous and evil, everyone knows this!”
And this is true. And I don’t expect the homophobic arseholes that attack us to give a damn whether their defence is reasonable or not. No, what I care is the rest of the world treating this as even remotely a reasonable defence.
I care about it being argued and considered as a defence in court rather than just being treated as patently ridiculous.
I care about the number of straight guys who think it’d be REASONABLE to beat up a gay guy who makes eye contact, who came on to them or even who touches them (because, yeah, that’s wrong - but worth beating someone up over?)
I care about the number of people who think it’s ok to beat up a sex partner who you later find out is trans.
I care about the police who think it’s worth considering. Who have asked both myself and my friends whether we approached, came on to, solicited our attackers - as if it were relevant. I care because these same police actually asked what we were wearing.
And this is the underlying disease. Not that repellent homophobes want to kill us - we know that and there sadly will always be bigots and arseholes. No, the disease is that GBLT life is so devalued in standard cis and heteronormative society that the gay panic defence is given ANY credence at all.
Our lives are so devalued that extreme violence against us is not seen as serious as violence against cisgendered and heterosexual people. Our right to be safe is treated by such contempt by society that even the slightest “provocation” is considered as a possible reason to assault, beat and kill us.
And this is why the “gay panic defence” must die. Because this crap can’t have even a shred of legitimacy. It is one of the chorus of voices (and there are so many voices in this chorus it makes me want to scream) that tell us our lives are worth nothing made louder every time it is used and every time anyone remotely considers it having any kind of validity.
And while that chorus keeps singing, we keep dying.
