DRUM ROLL/INTRODUCING--CONFESSIONS OF A GAY UGANDAN TEEN : ¨In all this, Bahati came across as a pretty decent guy, a polite monster ...¨

Anglican and Member of Parliament David Bahati doing the Dodge, Duck, Dip, Dive and Deny

Dear Erupting Volcano Friends, I´m pleased to introduce to you from on-the-ground in Kampala, Uganda, our very newest online LGBTI  activist/associate ¨Gay Ugandan Teen¨ who has reviewed for you MP David Bahati´s recent T.V. interview with Ms. Rachael Maddow, MSNBC!

CONFESSIONS OF A GAY UGANDAN TEEN

Some observations regarding ¨DAVID BA'HATE¨:

¨...He is adhering to the time honored tactic of the 5 D's; Dodge, Duck, Dip, Dive and Dodge. He didn't answer a single question directly. Lies and obfuscation are the only refuge of the bigoted, as one of the commenters mentioned. And yeah, of course he played the recruitment card. When asked about evidence of recruitment, he said something bordering on ‘Oh yes I can tell you, it’s a fact, it’s a fact because it is happening and we know it is happening because it is a fact, it is not a myth. It is a fact that people who do not believe in homosexuality know.’ Oh how hilarious. I’m amused at how he says the “people who do not believe in homosexuality.” Believe??? Homosexuality is not something to be believed in, it is just a thing. It’s like saying I don’t believe in that escalator, while seating at Mokka Terrace in Nakumatt, or saying I don’t believe in weather…there’s nothing to believe or not to believe in, it’s there! Period!!! Bahati’s utterances are very typical of many Ugandans that choose to bury their heads in the political sands of self righteousness, people who ignore all reason and choose to remain blinded by the curse of bigotry.

I don’t really know where the idea of recruitment came from…oh wait, I do. Remember Anita Bryant and her pals? Well it seems that ideology has remained in the minds of the anti gay evangelicals that have followed…some of whom came to Uganda about two years ago to spread their hate. This recruitment thing seems to be something that’s just there to veil personal homophobia. Using children to justify your hatred towards a minority group has been a tactic bigots have used for years to justify their prejudices.

The more you think of the idea of recruitment the more ridiculous it gets. Our high schools here are structured in a way that outsiders cannot get in and the closest you can get to seeing the outside world is visitation/open day. I cannot even imagine someone getting into Namilyango College or SMACK and recruiting those burly figured boys. Or even the primary schools, regardless of whether they’re day or boarding. I have not heard any Ugandan parent come forward saying their six year old kid came home and told them of how a strange man came to class and told them it is okay for Jack to marry John…and you know how honest kids can be. In fact technically that is not recruitment at all, nonetheless, this still doesn't happen in Uganda. How is it even done? What do these recruiters look like? Do they have rainbow uniforms? Do they carry around notebooks to list down their new recruits? Or IPads, they are being sent 15 million dollars after all, that should come with a couple IPads right? How do I get one? I was really looking forward to understanding all this when Bahati promised to send proof of recruitment to Rachel Maddow’s inbox, proof that she said she would gladly air on her show and that she is still waiting on by the way. Any non biased, educated Ugandan with a brain can see that these allegations are flawed and fabricated. But then again the majority of us are biased, and many among us aren’t that well educated, even if they went through school. How else does one explain Bahati or Ssempa?

Mrs. Maddow (Can I call her that?) also mentioned how the American psychological association declared that homosexuality is inborn and condemns any forms of attempted reparative therapy. Bahati then went on to respond that we (Ugandans) have our own views of dealing with these things different from America. Now that was a laugh! We don’t even have an active psychological association, or one that I have heard of. Please enlighten me if I'm wrong. Suddenly I'm reminded of what I normally hear from anti gay Ugandans when they are told about international pressure to stop the bill; ‘they (International community) should not undermine Uganda’s supremacy.’ Bahati’s statement is a classic case of what I like to call East African ignor-arrogance! What exactly are our ways of dealing with things? Wake up and smell the bacon people! We’re in the third world. Rwanda also had its own views and look what happened…a nation’s history scarred so much you can actually still see the effects of it today. Why weren’t the FBI Officials who came in the aftermath of the bomb blasts told to go back, because we Ugandans have our own ways of dealing with things? Send back all the medicine that’s being shipped in! We Ugandans can use our herbs after all, even for cancer! So far all I can see that our way of doing things has brought us is more potholes,, corruption, increased HIV rates, collapsing buildings and Journalism Graduates that settle for pit latrine publishing. Most Ugandans will shun me for saying this and say I’m unpatriotic, but it is the hard truth that we need to face in order to move forward freely. China and Russia can afford to pretend they have their own way of doing things when they actually know every country needs the rest; Britain can, the Aussies can, but sorry, not Uganda.

In all this, Bahati came across as a pretty decent guy, a polite monster – that’s what they’re calling him. In spite his poor debating skills and irrelevance, he was kind, which is probably why Rachel just couldn’t give him the Cohen-style smack down he so truly deserved. I also realized how he bears a striking resemblance to Idi Amin Dada. Weird. And his almost red eyes, with their extremely different world view...combine these with his strong forceful accent and you can render me catatonic around him.

MP David Bahati bears a striking resemblance to Idi Amin Dada. 

Still a part of me thought this could be just a guy who due to his inevitable mindset has found himself on the wrong side of history. Perhaps that’s what Rachel saw too.¨ don´t miss a word, HERE

· Thanks to Confessions of a Gay Ugandan Teen, sidebar
· Thanks to Rachael Maddow, MSNBC