march: homo on the range
Posted on 05. Mar, 2010 by Seth in lifestyle
words > JASON DILTS
Half a world away, a very serious human rights matter has
risen with tracks leading back to our own yellow-brick road.
Sure, Kansas queers can complain about a few things to complain about. In this state it’s perfectly legal to be fired from a job for being gay. A constitutional amendment exists to deny same-sex couples basic legal rights.
However, there’s something gay Kansans do have here that our friends in the East African nation of Uganda may soon covet—the right to be alive.
It’s actually illegal to be gay in a number of places abroad. Punishments range from large fines to public beatings to prison sentences. A bill has been introduced in Uganda’s parliament that would go beyond that by mandating the death penalty for what the bill’s author coins “aggravated homosexuality.”
Uganda be kidding, right?
Sadly, no, and it isn’t just gay people who need fear retribution. Anyone who knows a gay person and doesn’t report their knowledge to the police will be thrown in jail. Anyone who advocates or speaks out on behalf of gay rights will also get locked up. If you lived in Uganda, every person reading this magazine could be in big trouble—unless you turned me into the police to be executed!
As we argue whether we should allow gay couples to be married, elsewhere there’s an argument over whether gay people can just be. In Uganda, family is a keen value; anything that threatens its traditional structure is a problem to be stopped. Homosexuality is seen there as a threat to traditional values—so the death penalty is seen by some as a suitable solution.
I know different societies have different values and beliefs, but this is a horse of different color.
And you can smell the manure from here.
The author of this bill, Ugandan Member of Parliament David Bahati, is a key associate of the secretive, Washington-based node of Christian political power known as The Family. Our own Senator Brownback is a well-documented member of this ultra-conservative clan. Jeff Sharlet, author of a book documenting The Family’s ties, says the group has funneled millions of dollars into the Ugandan anti-gay campaign and considers Uganda’s president, Yoweri Museveni, as the “key man” for protecting family values in Uganda. Sharlet also says Museveni can go to Brownback if he wants money for arms or any other project—such as getting this bill passed.
This is quite troubling given the fact that Brownback is the apparent frontrunner in next fall’s gubernatorial race. In the past, he has used his influence to aid global humanitarian issues, such as working to end international sex trafficking. However, he has yet to comment on this issue or detail his involvement with Ugandan officials. It’s a deafening silence—but it’s not a quashing quiet.
In Kansas we have a right that our gay brothers and sisters in Uganda don’t. We can ask questions and demand answers. No one’s going to execute us in Wichita for demanding to know the depth of our Senator’s involvement. No one will go jail for asking him to use his connections to speak out and stop this atrocity. In fact, you can call his office right now and let his staff know you want to see some action (316.264.8066). The issue may seem a world away, but apparently it’s been blown straight to Oz!
You can also e-mail Brownback’s office by filling out a comment form at:
http://brownback.senate.gov/public/contact/emailsam.cfm.
One Response to “march: homo on the range”
Leave a Reply
Stephanie
30. Mar, 2010
I was shocked and horrified when I saw this piece on Date Line. I am even more horrified to find out how close to home this issue hits. We need to do something as a state and community to show we will not tolerate our leaders condoning such a disturbing piece of legislature.