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¨Willful Ignorance¨ threatens the everyday lives of persecuted LGBT Ugandans, their family, their friends and their spiritual counselors such as heterosexual Bishop Christopher Ssenyonjo (¨National Scandal¨ right) who has been demonized and excommunicated by Anglican Archbishop Henry Orombi for ¨ministering¨ to desperate LGBT Anglicans/others |
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| Anglican MP David Bahati, spiritually counseled by Bishop Orombi |
¨On October 14, 2009, a Ugandan member of parliament named David Bahati introduced legislation called the Anti-Homosexuality Bill. Among its provisions: up to three years in prison for failure to report a homosexual; seven years for "promotion"; life imprisonment for a single homosexual act; and for "aggravated homosexuality" (which includes gay sex while HIV-positive, gay sex with a disabled person, or, if you're a recidivist, gay sex with anyone — marking the criminal as a "serial offender"), death.
As of this writing the bill has yet to pass, despite near unanimous support in Parliament.¨
But the violence has been building, a crackling fury not yet quite a fire: beatings, disappearances, "corrective" rapes of lesbians, blacklists in a national tabloid, vigilante squads and church crusades, preachers calling out "homos" in their own pews. HERE
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| Anglican Archbishop Henry Orombi, Uganda, Global South ¨anti-lgbt preacher¨ bullies and demonizes LGBT Anglicans and other Christians in Uganda and abroad |
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| The Rt. Reverend Christopher Ssenyonjo, at The Center for Democratic Progress in Washington D.C. is Spiritual Counselor to LGBT Ugandans, their families/ friends and was excommunicated by Archbishop Orombi for his ministry to the suicidal, the persecuted, the outcasts and the marginalized at The Body of Christ in Uganda |
· Thanks to Jeff Sharlet, The Straight Mans Burden
· Thanks to Harpers
· Thanks to Bishop Christopher Ssenyonjo, Anglican Hero
· Thanks to Gay Uganda, sidebar
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5 comments:
I don't know if you were able to see it or not, but this past weekend, CSpan's Book TV aired Jeff Sharlet giving a talk on his new book, C Street: The Fundamentalist Threat to American Democracy. He described the C-Streeters' total lack of decency and ethics and brought in the Uganda connection. The whole thing was horrifying but enlightening. I hope they'll air it again. People need to know about these things.
Also, a little over a month ago, he was interviewed on NPR's Fresh Air. There's an article about it here, where you can also click to hear it online. He spoke on "Finding the Root of Anti-Gay Sentiment in Uganda." Sharlet is wonderfully investigative and digs up much useful information. He also manages to keep his cool when discussing unthinkable cruelties, which always amazes me.
Thank you fs! I appreciate the contribution to the topic...I heard a interview via Episcopal Cafe with Jeff Sharlet that amongst other great information provided us with the on the ground reporting that include the fact that MP David Bahaiti author of ¨Kill the Gays¨ Bill is a Anglican and ¨spiritually counseled¨ by Archbishop Orombi...Orombi is quite the behind the scenes instigator of some pretty vile stuff...the ¨leader¨ of Ugandas Anglican Church isn´t quite a full fledged man but simply a international Global South trouble maker who is a devious and power-hungry as they come.
I believe there are times, Leonardo, when a dark spirit stirs upon the earth, and we seem to be living through one of those times now. This recently enlivened, organized, and murderous homophobia -- so open, so blatant -- is a sign of it. Young gays are feeling it, and the most vulnerable among them lose the will to live. We watch in shock and dismay. There are signs in other realms, too -- such as a polarization in the United States fueled on hatred and deliberate lies. And the weakening of democratic governance in the face of a non-democratic corporate onslaught that begins to feel totalitarian in both aim and reach.
You do your part to wake people up to it; you're a foot-soldier for Good. I try in smaller ways, giving money to good causes, volunteering my time for those who are suffering, trying to make logical arguments online, hoping to open even a few eyes. I trust that the internet can multiply our efforts, like ripples in a pond. We pray that the right connections will be made.
I remember a time, the 1960s, when a very different spirit -- a spirit of hope, of brotherhood and love -- sang joyously through parts of the world for a few short years. We were blessed to know it while we were so young.
I hope we all make it through this. I think we can, if we keep our eyes and spirits open and seek heavenly guidance for our efforts.
Nice to "see" you again, btw. (Guess I "don't get out much" in these parts.) Is that handsome lad in your avatar the young Leonardo? A very likable looking fellow he is, I must say. ;-) Back in a happier world-time, too.
Dear fs,
Thank you for adding some much need feedback to this topic...sometimes I feel quite obsessed with carrying a message of alarm that seems to sometimes only alarm me...I have always known the hidden fears and hatred directed toward LGBT people...those buried down deep issues were almost always available in a flash when listening to boys/men my whole life...it seems that this ONE common thread of trigger disdain is a uniting forces for those who have little else in common...now, these days the wounded emotional warriors against LGBT people have draped themselves in acceptability...encouraged by clergy who are sick as they are and greedy as well...given Rovelike permission to spew filth covered fear/hate at LGBT is truly astounding...it´s good in a way because it is these spiritually and emotionally sick grandstanding folks who may one day take their ugly ¨cause¨ of persecuting others to the ¨falling off place¨...the place where IT WILL BE THEY who are so filled with self-loathing and shame and frustration that THEY won´t have anywhere to go except to God...that´s what I think, the hateful antics of this worldwide bunch on lynchmen, and women (although I think men mostly instigate this treachery against society, against families, against friends) will eat themselves alive...they won´t be able to STOP the addiction of self-will run riot...just the same as alcoholics and drug addicts, sex addicts and pedophiles on the lamb...there is nowhere for them to go or grow...sensationalism is hard to sustain...hyper feelings of fear and hate will eventually leave the mob in a state of collapse...God will we´ll still have enough strength to keep walking along, helping them back up as we keep our collective heads up with the knowledge that God can do what we are not able to do...a healthier day is coming when the haters become ¨willing¨ to let the fear-hate fall away...that´s what I think.
YES, that´s me! I just got that old photo from a nephews collection...I thought it was a great reminder for me of ¨what it was like, what happened and what it´s like now¨ (coded self-reminders from an anonymous group I belong to for 30+ plus years).
fs, thanks for all that you do for all those who need a smile and a nod along the way...that includes me and millions of others.
Love to you and yours,
Leonardo
I think part of the current virulence reflects their sense that the tide is turning against them. And it is.
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