Uganda Plans to Kill The Gays: Blog 12

Uganda plans to kill the gays:

According to an article on thinkprogress.org (link to article above) Uganda's Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga has demanded that the bill be voted on by Tuesday and passed as a "Christmas Present" to all of the people who have advocated for it. She has refused to listen to any reason from wester countries about cutting aid to the bill. While the bill no longer includes the word death explicitly, it still calls for the death penalty for those engaged in homosexual sex acts. This is just the start of another genocide. Instead of sending drone strikes into countries and killing innocent mothers and children, how about the US sends troops into Uganda to actually do some good and stand up for those who are being persecuted? It's not even like they can ask for asylum in another country, because homosexuality is not covered under the UN's definition of refugees. This is disgusting and a stop needs to be put to it, one way or another. This is going to turn into a witch hunt.

Blog 10 Anti-Equality Group NOM Rolls Out New Ads

Ad One and Ad Two

These are the ads produced by two notoriously anti-gay equality groups The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) and Family Research Council. (FRC)

The first ad is by NOM and it's new Anti-Defamation Alliance schtick is nothing more than a weak attempt to get support from people who oppose unions and marriage equality. This ad is trying to say that Rowe's religious freedom is being taken away, when in reality it's the evolution of intelligence in people surrounding her. These same arguments were used against interracial marriage, yet look what's legal now. This is one of the most insulting ads I have seen personally as a gay woman. Rowe feels just because she has an outdated archaic view about the sex life and romantic partnerships of the LGBT community, that allowing them rights is stepping all over her religious freedom. NOM seems to forget that we have a little thing called the 1st amendment which outlines the separation of church and state. Now only if people in NC could get that through their thick skulls.

The second ad is about a girl who was bullied because of the views she testified to at a public forum for legislation against marriage equality in Maryland. While this girl should not have been bullied for her views, I myself am angry with the things she said. This is a 14 year old girl who has not had experiences outside of those her parent's provided for her, so she does not have a rounded view of the world, and she is not completely capable of breaking through the parental binds to think for herself as of yet. Her parents drove her to the committee she testified to, and I'm sure have planted this seed in her head because of their own bias and prejudice. Children raised in free thinking house holds are not the type to testify against equality. This girl has such strong beliefs, but isn't old enough or mature enough to take criticism. She can dish it out but can't take it. Her parents are irresponsible in this, because they should be insuring the safety of their child, not using her as a pawn to persuade legislators to continue inequity.

http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2012/11/01/1125891/anti-equality-groups-roll-out-more-exaggerated-victim-stories/

Blog 5: Ads of Racism

In another act of continued inequality propaganda Pamela Gellar released an ad imploring Americans “In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel, defeat Jihad”. This is a tactic that has been used for hundreds of years to breed inequality. It relies on the mantra that if someone is different than you, or if their cultures or practices, religious or otherwise are different than yours, then they are savages. It is ethnocentrism and racism in every respect.  Activists have been out in full force "vandalizing" the ads and replacing them with signs that say “In any war between the colonizer and the colonized, support the oppressed. Support the Palestinian Right of Return, defeat racism.”. This new ad campaign by Gellar brings to mind the colonization of America, and the mindset of Native American's as savages. Let's not forget to mention the colonization of India, and Hong Kong, and South Africa. 
Most people thought we were done with this idea of people of color or different religions being savages, but Gellar brings to the spotlight that ignorance continues to breed regardless of however much education and tolerance is available.
These ads came into print and into national/global view after the riots began in reaction to the "Innocence of Muslims" video on youtube, and after Obama's refusal to side with Israel's prime minister on an issue of sending troops in order to "control" the Palestinian people." It seems one wave of blatant racism after another is going to continue, and let's not even begin to wonder what America is going to come to if Mitt Romney gets elected. 

http://mondoweiss.net/2012/09/gellers-savage-ad-displays-the-racism-inherent-in-israeli-colonization.html

Tunisian Uprising for Gender Equality

In Tunisia Gender Equality is coming to light during a protest of a new charter the predominantly Muslim male government is trying to impose. The rally of women came together on the anniversary of the Personal Status Code (CSP) which was passed in 1956 and abolished polygamy and ended repudiation, (a law that stated a man could divorce his wife just by saying “I divorce thee” three times) thus instituting Judicial divorce, and making sure that there is consent in both parties before a marriage is performed.

What they were protesting was a draft of the countries’ new constitution, which these women say is favorable to men instead of equal. This government behind this new constitution claims that it will protect women’s rights, but "the protection of women's rights … under the principle of complementarity to man within the family and as an associate of man in the development of the country." is the wording from the draft, and is basically rolling back women’s rights, and subjugating them under men again.

These women feel like this new constitution is an Islamist ploy to harm and humiliate women, and they are not willing to stand for it. An online petition was started for this cause and as the reasoning for the petition stated, “the state is about to vote on an article in the constitution that limits the citizenship rights of women, under the principle of their complementarity to men and not their equality.” the protesters were able to deliver 8,000 signatures to the National Constituent Assembly. (NCA)

http://rt.com/news/tunisia-women-rights-rally-609/

Blog 1 Uganda Making Life Tough for NGOs, LGBT Rights.

Maria Burnett explored the growing inequality in Uganda, not only between the government and it's people, but the LGBT population of Uganda as well. The government is redirecting society's anger at their oppressive power towards the LGBT population. The government is creating false literature, lying, and doing everything it can to stir up the hatred towards the LGBT population. According to one minister, “The pursuit of LGBT rights is a Western conspiracy aimed at destroying Uganda. Uganda is the country that has been in the news about the “Kill the gays bill” which is still in front of Parliament. Homosexual sex is illegal in Uganda, but talking about LGBT issues is not, in theory. In practice though it remains impossible, due to the government’s growing focus on the LGBT community as a populist strategy to gain favor in the eyes of the people.

It hasn’t been easy for the government to gain control of their people though. More and more people are realizing the inequality growing and have protested food and fuel shortages by walking to work. With this protest though, military and police took to the streets with live ammunition and killed at least nine bystanders, and beat journalists documenting the protest. In this country, the government’s protection of the president from criticism is more important than the citizen’s rights, equality, fair access to resources, or knowledge. The Ugandan people are oppressed, and so much inequality occurs in this country, while I’ve focused mainly on LGBT issues, I haven’t even mentioned the inequality between men and women and the rising HIV rates due to rape. On a lighter note though, Uganda did just hold their first pride parade, and I admire all of the brave men and women who stood up, out and proud.

Burnett, Maria. "Uganda Making Life Tough for NGOs, LGBT Rights | Human Rights Watch." Uganda Making Life Tough for NGOs, LGBT Rights | Human Rights Watch. Human Rights Watch, 30 Aug. 2012. Web. 31 Aug. 2012. http://www.hrw.org/news/2012/08/30/uganda-making-life-tough-ngos-lgbt-rights