Source: ugpluse.com
Gay rights activists in Uganda held a press conference today in response to a recent anti-gay push coordinated by Family Life Network (FLN) leader Stephen Langa. Ex-Gay Watch has posted exclusive video (here and here) of Langa addressing a group of people in Kampala with all manor of misinformation concerning homosexuality. Apparently, gay leaders there thought it was time to respond publicly.
Victor Mukasa, the coordinator of the Uganda Minority Sexual Rights group says the campaign against homosexuals in the country is based on wrong information that homosexuality is an acquired behavior which can be taught to people.
Mukasa says homosexuals are naturally born attracted to people of the same sex and do not “change like weather”. Mukasa says it is wrong for Langa and his group to accuse homosexuals of being in a campaign to recruit and change school children into homosexuality. He says these allegations are aimed at making Ugandans to hate homosexuals and force the government to become punish homosexuals.
Langa has resorted to the demonization of gays with claims that they are “after the children,” reportedly bringing his pleas to FM radio stations around the city. Some have come forward to say they had done exactly that. Mukasa comments further:
But the Family Life Network recently presented a group of former homosexuals who claimed they used to recruit students through offering them money and friendship.
Mukasa says the people claiming to have been working to promote homosexuality in schools have been paid to talk bad about homosexuals in order to make Ugandans hate homosexuals, instead of appreciating their differences.
This agrees with information we have received that those coming forward are doing so at the behest of Langa and FLN, and only after receiving money to do so. Earlier we speculated that perhaps they had been given such assignments as an alternative to jail (after having been arrested), but the apparently money is a more potent motivator.
For those who may have forgotten, Richard Cohen was permanently expelled in 2001 from the American Counseling Association for serious multiple violations of the ethical code. Most ethical code violators are given a suspension. However, permanent expulsion is a very rare occurrence for ACA, which has over 40,000 members. It is given only for the most serious and well documented ethical violations. Strangely, the only professional organization that he is a member of is NARTH. It makes one wonder how an organization that professes to be a scientific organization could have Cohen as a member when he is the laughing stock of the internet and not taken seriously.
Yes, we have all had our laughs at Cohen’s tv and internet 3 ring circus of pillow pounding, screaming, holding/cradling, etc,.certifying sexual re-orientation specialists (on what does Cohen base his credentials for certifying this new category of specialists?). But, it is now time to get serious, very serious.
With all of this, Cohen has very cleverly managed to get himself international credibility. One of his recently International Healing Foundation certified re-orientation specialists Caleb Brundige was at the Ugunda conference, who is the same person who says that he can raise a person from the dead. Just because Cohen has published a book doesn’t make him an authority on anything.
This has now taken a very serious turn in Uganda where people’s lives are in jeopardy only because they are gay. Cohen’s book is being recognized by Ugundan authorities and used as the authority on homosexuality, that anyone can change and if you don’t, the death penalty. How absurd! Ugundan authorities actually think that Cohen is a scientific authority (what a joke) and people from other African countries (can the Middle East be far behind?) are watching and listening.
It is long overdue for all individuals and organizations, gay, ex-gay, ex-ex-gay, straight, whatever, who have any sense of compassion and justice, to organize a campaign to get serious about discrediting Richard Cohen’s serious lack of credentials. To do anything less would be unconscionable