Watch the video and then come back down here and let’s discuss some things.
Let’s just start off with this:
“Uganda is among over 35 African countries which have banned homosexuality. Human rights activists point out that Uganda, which has a population of around 31 million, has 500,000 gays and lesbians, and that they continue to live in fear. In 2010, Bahati called for the introduction of the death penalty for certain homosexual activities. The Anti-Homosexuality Bill, has received international condemnation, however it has not yet been officially discussed in Uganda├óΓé¼Γäós parliament.”
Absolutely horrible!
Now, having watched the video above, the rest of the story is a different kind of scary. Not one of just crippling ignorance, but ignorance in addition to very real and specific physical danger.
Scott Mills, a radio personality for the BBC, was shooting a documentary with his crew in Uganda called The Worst Place to Be Gay? when he revealed to the anti-gay preacher and parliament member David Bahati that he was indeed a gay man.
Not shown in the video is Bahati getting upset and demanding armed MPs to come and shut down the shoot.
This happened next:
“They then fled, and Bahati phoned one of the crew asking where they were staying and asking for the registration plates. Bahati said he wanted them arrested. Mills├óΓé¼Γäó colleague lied about exactly where the crew had been staying, which allowed them additional time in which to escape. Mills said he was scared as he had been told horrendous tales about individuals being detained and roughed up.”
This is no way to treat people, from the BBC or not. You read earlier that it’s estimated that of the 31 million people in Uganda that 500,000 of them are gay and lesbian. While we’re sure that number is probably a bit higher, everyone lives in a constant state of fear. At all times. So sad.
We can’t even imagine living in a place so intolerant, and even though equal rights for gays here in America have just recently started to gain momentum, we are lucky to live in such a tolerant society in comparison.
It goes without saying that nobody should condone any of this, especially something so ridiculous as creating a death penalty for certain gay actions.
This is just a terrible subject to have to write about, and hopefully views on gay rights all over the world will soon change for the better. Maybe it’ll become more and more infrequent to have to write about, to the point where we don’t really have to anymore. Wouldn’t that be amazing??
That would be absolutely wonderful for equality in the world!
Listen. People are people, regardless of sexual orientation. We all have the capacity to do the same things: Love, hate, do great things, do horrible things, or do nothing at all. While we hope that the good in people will always strive to come out, it won’t always be the case. That’s when we need to stand up for others. We just need to start treating people as people, and not by whom they love.
Sounds simple, right?
What do U think about all of this?