Uganda considers death penalty for homosexuals

Proposed legislation in Uganda would impose the death penalty for homosexuals, and seven years in jail for friends and family members who fail to report a homosexual to the authorities. Political leaders in the country claim the bill is meant to help combat the spread of HIV/AIDs. However, the gay community feels that there is continent-wide backlash because they have become more vocal in recent years.

According to the Associated Press, the measure was proposed in Uganda following a visit by leaders of U.S. conservative Christian ministries that promote therapy for gays to become heterosexual. In other words, conservative Christians from the U.S. decided it would be a great idea to spread their own ignorant ideologies to other countries. However, at least one of those leaders has denounced the bill, and so have some other conservative and liberal Christians in the United States.

Gay activists say the bill is likely to pass. The Ugandan legislation in its current form would mandate a death sentence for active homosexuals living with HIV or in cases of same-sex rape. Serial offenders also could face capital punishment, although the legislation does not define what “serial offender” means. Anyone convicted of a homosexual act faces life imprisonment. Anyone who “aids, counsels or procures another to engage of acts of homosexuality” faces seven years in prison if convicted. Landlords who rent rooms or homes to homosexuals also could get seven years and anyone with “religious, political, economic or social authority” who fails to report anyone violating the act faces three years.

Laws against homosexuals are common throughout Africa. South Africa is the only nation that recognizes gay marriage. However, gangs in the country carry out so-called “corrective” rapes on lesbians. A 19-year-old lesbian athlete was gang-raped, tortured and murdered in 2008.

The Ugandan legislation is sponsored by David Bahati, who is devastatingly stupid enough to believe that homosexuality is a choice that can be changed with enough counseling. He is also spreading anti-gay propaganda by telling the people of Uganda that homosexuals are “recruiting” school children.

“The youths in secondary schools copy everything from the Western world and America,” said high school teacher David Kisambira. “A good number of students have been converted into gays. We hear there are groups of people given money by some gay organizations in developed countries to recruit youth into gay activities.”

This is the type of propaganda that was used to pass Proposition 8 in California, which banned gay marriage in the state. Supporters of Prop 8 created television ads that indicated that schools would begin teaching children about homosexuality if gay marriage became legal. That alone instilled enough fear to convince the voters to pass the anti-gay legislation.

I am obviously against any legislation or law that discriminates against homosexuals. Conservatives do not think that prosecuting or banning homosexuality is discrimination because they hold this insane notion that the gay lifestyle is a choice. There is no question that this stems from pure ignorance. It bothers me beyond words to think that individuals from the U.S. are spreading ignorant hate in other countries. I share my thoughts on this story in the video below.