Posted on 02/05/2010 6:13:36 AM PST by Pan_Yan
U.S. President Barack Obama has sharply criticized an anti-gay bill in Uganda that would impose the death penalty in some cases. Other western governments and gay rights activists also have criticized the legislation. Supporters accuse the U.S. and other western nations of interfering in Uganda's internal affairs. VOA's Robert Raffaele has more.
The Ugandan measure calls for the death penalty or life imprisonment for HIV-positive homosexuals who have sex with minors.
Earlier this week, at the U.S. Congress, some 200 lawmakers introduced a resolution condemning the bill.
U.S. President Barack Obama criticized the Ugandan measure while speaking at a prayer breakfast Thursday in Washington. "We may disagree about gay marriage, but surely we can agree that it is unconscionable to target gays and lesbians for who they are -- whether it's here in the United States or, more extremely in odious laws that are being proposed, most recently in Uganda," he said.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said she recently called Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, expressing the "strongest concerns" about the proposal.
Mr. Museveni is now calling the bill a 'foreign policy' issue. He's urged lawmakers to craft a measure that, in his words, 'does not compromise our principles' and takes into account Uganda's foreign policy interests. "The Prime Minister of Canada came to see me and what was he talking about? Gays. Prime Minister Gordon Brown came to see me and what was he talking about? Gays," he said.
The bill's author, Ugandan politician David Bahati, has this response to nations threatening to withhold aid if his measure passes. "We would rather stay with our values and you stay with your money," he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at 1.voanews.com ...
In Uganda he could play dictator to his hearts content. A skinnier version of Idi Amin with no pesky Congress or Constitution to bother him.
But pretty please, please take Eric Holder with you, okay Barry.
This is about sex with minors, ie: pederasts or pedophiles. That is more than just a behavior, it's despicable.
The problem with the law is that it is not JUST about sex with minors. It penalizes ALL homosexual activity with life imprisonment, and penalizes “serial” homosexuals (that is, anyone who is convicted of homosexual activity more than once) with death.
But is there anything wrong with Uganda, a sovereign nation, passing laws based on their morals and constitution? Obviously it is not something that would not pass here or in Europe, but I don’t think that gives our government any right to criticize them, especially concidering what we put up with from ‘more important’ countries.
And where was his condemnation of the muzzies who buried that poor girl alive for having male friends??!!
It’s all a matter or priorities. Remember, within hours of an abortion doctor being shot the White House issued a statement of condemnation. On a Sunday. When two soldiers were gunned down by a terrorist in Little Rock the White House were silent for a week then issued a vauge statement of sympathy.
Uganda is well within their rights as a sovereign nation to pass whatever laws they like. I am well within my rights as a free person to say that they are dead wrong. And, the US government is well within its rights as a sovereign nation to say that Uganda is dead wrong. Sovereignty does not render a nation immune to criticism.
You are right about nations not being immune from criticism. I'm just not sure our current government has the moral authority to criticize anyone, especially in such a singular way.
Me, too. Uganda is one of the few truly progressive nations in the world.
Sort of like our nation was doing when it began?
How has legalizing homosexuality made the country better? All it has done is spread disease, depression and early to death to the average participant.
Exactly. In Africa, nearly all HIV infection is spread by heterosexuals.
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