Are U.S Anti-Gay Leaders Behind Uganda's Push To Execute Gays?

Rachel Maddow has been doing extensive coverage on where Uganda's proposed law that would give gay folks the death penalty just for being who they naturally are came from!!! What she has uncovered is both shocking and disheartening.

Because U.S anti-gay leaders may have initiated this debate over whether gays in Uganda should receive the death penalty or not.Here's more on that from the Southern Poverty Law Center:

"A bizarre trio of American anti-gay leaders arrived in the Ugandan capital of Kampala Thursday to stage a three-day seminar, “Exposing the Truth Behind Homosexuality and the Homosexual Agenda,” in a country where homosexuality is a crime punishable by death. They are:

• Scott Lively, co-founder of the hate group Watchmen on the Walls and author of The Pink Swastika, a pseudo-history book claiming that “militant male homosexuals” helped mastermind the holocaust.

• Caleb Lee Brundidge, a “sexual reorientation coach” for the International Healing Foundation, whose signature technique, as demonstrated on CNN, involves patients “beating on chairs with tennis rackets and screaming, “Mom, Mom, why did you do this to me?” Brundidge also counsels men struggling with their sexuality to visit mortuaries with a fringe Charismatic ministry team to “practice raising the dead.”

• Don Schmierer, a board member for Exodus International, an international umbrella group covering hundreds of “ex-gay” ministries. Schmierer warns parents in his guide to preventing homosexuality to watch out for boys who show “extreme macho behavior” are “frail, deformed, deaf” or “avoid fights/physical altercations.”

According to Steven Langa, executive director of the Family Life Network, the New York-based Christian right advocacy group that organized the seminar, Lively, Brundidge and Schmierer were called to Uganda because gay activists in that county are recruiting children to homosexuality.

That justification seems farcical, considering that death threats and the fear of state-sanctioned execution have forced gay rights activists in the African country underground. Since 1990, homosexuality in Uganda has been a capital crime."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.

But,Uganda is not the only country that is virulent in their quest to deprive people of their God-given right to have sex with whomever they choose.

Here's more on that from ABC News:

"Uganda is not the only country considering anti-gay laws. Nigeria, where homosexuality is already punishable by imprisonment or death, is considering strengthening penalties for activities deemed to promote it. Burundi just banned same-sex relationships and Rwanda is considering it.

Homophobia is rife even in more tolerant African countries.

In Kenya, homosexuality is illegal but the government has acknowledged its existence by launching sexual orientation survey to improve health care. Nevertheless, the recent marriage of two Kenyan men in London caused outrage. The men's families in Kenya were harassed by reporters and villagers.

In South Africa, the only African nation to recognize gay marriage, gangs carry out so-called "corrective" rapes on lesbians. A 19-year-old lesbian athlete was gang-raped, tortured and murdered in 2008.

Debate over the Ugandan bill follows a conference in Kampala earlier this year attended by American activists who consider same-gender relationships sinful, and believe gays and lesbians can become heterosexual through prayer and counseling. Author Don Schmierer and "sexual reorientation coach" Caleb Lee Brundidge took part; they did not respond to interview requests.

A third American who took part in the conference in Uganda, Scott Lively, said the bill has gone too far.

"I agree with the general goal but this law is far too harsh," said Lively, a California-based preacher and author of "The Pink Swastika" and other books that advise parents how to "recruit-proof" their children from gays.

"Society should actively discourage all sex outside of marriage and that includes homosexuality ... The family is under threat," he said. Gay people "should not be parading around the streets," he added.

Frank Mugisha, a gay Ugandan human rights activist, said the bill was so poorly worded that someone could be imprisoned for giving a hug.

"This bill is promoting hatred," he said. "We're turning Uganda into a police state. It will drive people to suicide."

Buturo played down the influence of foreign evangelicals, saying the proposed legislation was an expression of popular outrage against "repugnant" practices. But activists like Cato argue anti-gay attitudes are a foreign import.

"In the beginning, when the missionaries brought religion, they said they were bringing love," he said. "Instead they brought hate, through homophobia."

Susan Timberlake, a senior adviser on human rights and law from UNAIDS, said such laws could hinder the fight against HIV/AIDS by driving people further underground. And activists also worry that the legislation could be used to blackmail or silence government critics.

Cato said he thinks the Ugandan bill will pass, perhaps in an altered form.

"It's such a setback. But I hope we can overcome it," he said. "I cannot believe this is happening in the 21st century."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.

I can't believe that in this day & age people could have such antiquated views towards homosexuality,either. Come into the 21st century,people!

Zikkeria Bellamy Was Denied Employment At McDonalds Because She Is Transgendered!

A transgendered woman named Zikerria Bellamy was denied employment at McDonalds because the manager claimed the company does not hire "faggots." Then,he went on to berate Ms. Bellamy because he said that she "lied" when she checked female on her application.If you've heard the voice-mail that he left for her,you could hear the outrage in that dude's voice.

You know,thou doth protest too much,in my humble opinion.Why is this guy so homophobic? Zikerria just wanted a job.He reacted to her like one would if they had been tricked into dating a man that they thought was a woman.That's not what happened here.

So,why leave such a vitriolic message for Zikerria? The manager at that McDonalds must be suppressing some homosexual feelings of his own.

Here's more from Transgender Legal.org:

"On July 10, 2009, 17-year-old Zikerria Bellamy applied online for a position as a Shift Manager or Crew Leader at a McDonald’s restaurant in Orlando, Florida. On July 28, after managers at McDonald’s learned that Zikerria is transgender...

Zikerria never received the job interview she sought. McDonald's refused to hire her.

Zikerria’s story is all too common. Transgender people face tremendous discrimination in the workplace. According to a recent survey by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the National Center for Transgender Equality, 47% of transgender people report being fired, or denied a job or promotion, just because of who they are.

Few protections exist for transgender people who experience employment discrimination. In 38 states, there is no law protecting transgender people from being fired because of who they are. Federal law similarly offers no job protection for transgender people.

In Florida, while no law explicitly addresses discrimination based on gender identity, administrative agencies in Florida have ruled that transgender people are protected by the Florida Human Rights Act’s prohibitions on sex and disability discrimination. The Competitive Workforce Bill, which would add gender identity and sexual orientation to the Florida Civil Rights Act, was introduced in the Florida legislature on November 20."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.

Some Italian-Americans Find MTV'S "Jersey Shore" To Be Offensive!

The Italian guys in MTV's "Jersey Shore" take great pride in being a "guido." The way they embrace this negative portrayal of Italian-Americans is very similar to how some African-Americans are proud to be a "nigga." It's another way to exhibit your machismo for these folks,I guess.But,when you promote stereotypes,you can be certain to offend someone.Some Italian-Americans are not amused by the "guidos" who appear on "Jersey Shore."

Here's more from Entertainment Weekly:

"So, last night was the premiere of MTV’s delicious, guido-loving, fist-pumping docu-reality series Jersey Shore, a show that’s been ruffling more than a few feathers because it supposedly builds on negative stereotypes and bad behaviors of a subset of Italian-Americans that call themselves “guidos.” But… did those haters actually watch the show? Well, I did, and I’m here to tell you it’s pretty much the bomb. (Sorry if that offends you!) Sure, it’s also pretty much complete trash—and it certainly does build on stereotypes of “guidos”—but c’mon! It’s really just harmless fun. (And if you aren’t one of these “guidos” but still can’t separate yourself from then, then… well, you’ve got bigger problems.)

Jersey Shore is like The Real World, but filled with super-skanky folks of Italian descent who want nothing more than to tan, drink, and hook up. What’s wrong with that? And, in this instance, just like The Real World, the people depicted on screen are there—tanned skinned, “juiced” muscles, gelled hair and all—on their own accord. These seemingly silly “guidos and guidettes” (their words, not mine) aren’t being forced to do anything—MTV just brought its cameras and let them do their thing."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.