State sponsored genocide of gays in Uganda

[Paññāsikhara]

And, on the other hand, those American christian leaders who have been connected (in one way or another) with Uganda recently, instead often seem to be claiming that homosexuality is a "learned" thing, and that people can thus be "trained" out of it. In this vein, note too that the Ugandan groups behind this claim to be afraid of the "West" "importing" homosexuality into their country and culture. Now, assuming that they don't mean having western homosexuals come to somehow transmit their "genes", it appears that they mean "homosexual culture" transmitted through the media, arts, etc.

So, there are two interesting issues going on here, on the level of "views". Those persecuting homosexuals taking a position that it is somehow only "learned" (= environment), whereas those defending them that it is "gen-" related.

I hope it doesn't appear that I'm dragging this thread off-topic with these thoughts, but I very strongly believe that bottom line "views" about how things work and happen is extremely important. Often, changing these views will effect downstream behavior. Treat the source.

[Dan74]

Yes, there are those views but whichever way the science points, it can be twisted to fit the agenda to fight the "enemies" out there.

This is only my take, but perhaps the bottom-line view is an us-versus-them mentality which according to one interpretation, essentially projects any mechanism in the psyche perceived as threatening onto an external "object". So simplistically if I am afraid of my own sexual tendencies, I will hate the perverts out there. if I am afraid of some cruel thoughts that seem to surface, I may become an extreme animal rights campaigner. Easier to fight the battle with the external enemies than face those within, or so the logic goes.

Going even deeper, we find our old "bosom-buddy" reification -> division, conflict.

On the other hand, lost of nastiness can be learnt from pop culture and as a parent, I worry about my kids exposure to it. I recall coming to the West when I was 13 and discovering a kind of a "Realm of Gratification." Sure people have plenty of desire everywhere, but back in the USSR there just wasn't much gratification to be found in consumerism (unless you like queues). And suddenly you could find all your material fantasies in some shop, your sexual fantasies (and many more you never even thought of) in a video library and big posters and commercials creating ever new ones. It had an impact and I hope my kids have more insight and inner strength to develop antibodies to these things as they become more and more exposed to them.

The point is that a lot of traditional cultures probably do perceive a threat of western consumerist-driven pop culture. Perhaps muslim fundamentalism could be partly seen as a reaction to this, I am not sure. To what extent this has motivated the Uganda situation is also unclear to me. I do think some intellectuals in Russia played on the so-called degradation of the West, to foster a pan-Russian nationalism and promote what they see as a pure Russian culture.

[BubbaBuddhist]

Yes, "The Family," The group behind both these prayer breakfasts and the death-to-gays bill is a world-encompassing open modern Illuminati type organization that when I first heard of them I thought "conspiracy theory," but they actually exist. A "secret society" that operates out in the open, in full view, with an open agenda of taking over the world and they don't care that everyone knows it because it's sanctioned by God and it's for "the greater good."

Google them if you never heard of them, and be amazed as I was when I began to learn about them. Reading the book even as we speak.

J

[christopher:::]

Please join me in raising awareness of the situation in Uganda. Write to your representatives and ministers/secretaries for foreign affairs and media outlets.
kind regards

Ben

Rachel Maddow on MNBC has been following this pretty closely with a segment called "Uganda Be Kidding Me"....

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AND it appears that the media attention (as well as behind the scenes political pressure) has had "some" effect. The Anti-Gay bill no longer calls for the execution of homosexuals....

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[Ben]

Thanks Christopher for posting that.
That was an interesting interview.

Its still barbaric to lock gays up for life because they're gay.
Poisonous christian fundamentalism.
kind regards

Ben