We haven’t checked yet to see if it varies from the second hand copies that have been offered up to now, but this is a copy of the official bill provided by Martin Ssempa, a key sponsor. Please share this as you contact others to make them aware of the severity of the human rights abuses it will prompt.
Reading the the objectives of this bill, it becomes clear why so many conservative groups and ministries, such as Exodus and Focus on the Family, have not spoken out more clearly against it: they share common goals with the anti-gay forces in Uganda. Some may be thinking this is a rather obvious point, but the realization was somewhat chilling.
- provide for marriage in Uganda as that contracted only between a man and a woman;
- prohibit and penalize homosexual behavior and related practices in
Uganda as they constitute a threat to the traditional family; - prohibit ratification of any international treaties, conventions,
protocols, agreements and declarations which arc contrary or
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act; - prohibit the licensing of organizations which promote
homosexuality.
This bill aims at strengthening the nation’s capacity to deal with emerging internal and external threats to the traditional heterosexual family.
This legislation further recognizes the fact that same sex attraction is not an innate and immutable characteristic.
While I am sure that many are genuinely disturbed that this bill provides for the death penalty, is it acceptable to take an individual’s freedom away for life, or even for a few years, simply for having a relationship with another adult, or for not informing the state of such? How about forced “treatment” (change is possible)? And how many, if they are honest about it, are saying to themselves, “yeah! It’s about time someone stopped those homosexuals?”
Before the Supreme Court struck down sodomy laws in the US in 2003 (Lawrence v. Texas), then Exodus Media Director Randy Thomas made it clear they were against the move:
After much reflection and more research it does appear that if the Supreme court overturns this case it could be a watershed event in redefining the family. Therefore, in the realm of public dialog, the possibility of overturning the laws deserves opposition from those of us who want to defend our beliefs as they pertain to Biblical models of relationships.
Other conservative organizations made even stronger arguments against repeal. While not often enforced, the most extreme penalty for such a “crime” at that time was life in prison. Exodus President Alan Chambers commented “We don’t live in 1953 Christian America anymore.” In the state of Florida, where Exodus is headquartered, the penalty for sodomy was death until the early part of the last century.
So if they take issue now with what is happening in Uganda, does that hit too close to home? Even if Exodus decided to issue a definitive statement against these proposed laws, would they have any moral authority to do so without first apologizing for their own stance just a few short years ago?
And then there is Don Schmierer, the Exodus board member who participated in the infamous “Homosexuality” conference in Uganda last March. Even if he was truly in the dark about the purpose of that meeting, Exodus has never disavowed his visit (quite the contrary). The entire episode was so odious that it prompted several, myself included, to call for Schmierer’s removal from the board and Chamber’s resignation.
What Chambers sees as just another issue to avoid, a better leader would have recognized as a golden opportunity. Exodus wants us to see them as having a compassionate response to “those impacted by homosexuality.” What a bold and genuinely moral stand they could have made if they had only spoken up early and clearly.
Addendum: Evangelicals Taking a Stand
Andrew Marin (Marin Foundation) has made a clear statement against this bill.
Chad Thompson, ex-gay activist, made a clear and detailed statement.
Shawn Harrison, Six11 Ministries – a passionate plea.
Africa and not only Ugandans need a strict law against sodomy and anything that seeks to destroy family institution.
Africa is indeed disappointed at President Obama for being anti life and family
Nkeramihigo, how exactly does the relationship of a gay or lesbian couple destroy anyone else’s family? Even by conservative estimates, you have nearly a million gay people in Uganda. How will sacrificing their lives or freedoms make your family better? How is that just?
Uganda has a lot of legitimate problems, and it seems some very bad people are using a tried and true method for providing an imaginary solution — scapegoating the vulnerable. Should this continue to law, Uganda will go down in history as a disgrace to humanity, not just Africa.
No country can operate alone in this world, those days are long gone. Focus on the real issues. Otherwise you may find one day that you and your family are the next scapegoat.
One thing we cannot deny, our own rhetoric is coming back to us.
People like Nkeramihigo Emmanuel and Martin Ssempa are anti-family, anti-life, and anti-decency.
This bill outlaws gay marriage, yet the Ugandan Constitution (Article 31) same-sex marriage is specifically not allowed. So why the need to further state that in this bill? Only one reason, the need to further denigrate those Ugandans who are gay.
It is interesting that the Roman Catholic Church has come out saying that homosexuality should not be criminalized, yet no Catholic leader in Uganda has followed the Vatican. So much for submission in the RCC.
The people beating the anti-gay drums the loudest over there seem to be appealing to pre-existing feelings of national pride, framing this as “Uganda vs. the West” or some such nonsense. It takes only a quick scan of their news to see that Uganda has far more dire (and real) issues to deal with. Unfortunately, there appears to be a heavy commingling of church and state, something that always leads to abuses of power — often for the faithful as well.
This is why we felt such urgency earlier this year during the first “Homosexuality conference,” before the momentum had built up so much. The reaction was either playing dumb and silent on the one side, or asking why we were worried about some country in Africa when there were fights here at home to win on the other. Neither response is acceptable in my view.
It’s disappointing to note that some people are seeing the bill as a threat rather than as protection for the vulnerable young boys and also the girls who are being used each time. its until you come face to face with an individual still paying for the consequences of this outrageous act that you will think of it as being protection for such.. unless you have intentions of molesting some one i don’t see the reason to wonder for such punishment to great offenders.
for God and my country
The legislation has nothing whatsoever to do with child molestation.
The United States aggressively punishes child molesters.
Uganda unfortunately is preoccupied with the execution of same-sex-attracted persons who have harmed no one. The law will also punish pastors and family members, and prohibit factual education about sexuality and health.
“Ede Lynne” appears to care not one whit about the wife-beaters, honor-killers, rapists, and other thugs that have emerged to publicly support the legislation.
Ede Lynne believes in a god of lies, hate, and violence, and Ede worships “country” as if it were a religious idol.
“Mike Airhart”
legislation is one of the key ways of cubing child molestation.
one thing the law does is to put things right in a society. its also used to define the values of society of which homosexuality is not one of them.
in society the girl child is so much protected and what this bill just did was to equate the act of sodomizing any minor to defilement which is not a lie.
i believe the law is also meant to correct and to repair. society decays and its part of the law to reform it and homosexuality can never be any achievement positive for society to protect and cherish but rather should be banned and its doers be sent a way from society to some where else. its against nature to be a homosexual and this can be seen in how long they live. its a shame for some one to be proud of the evil they are doing in Godly country like this one….
shame on all homosexuals
This legislation does nothing to deal with heterosexual molestation: girls would still be vulnerable to men, boys still vulnerable to women. Why wouldn’t legislation to counter those threats by passed?
“its against nature to be a homosexual and this can be seen in how long they live.”
It’s true for queer men–if not for lesbians–that the HIV epidemic has shortened the average life span, something on the order of 20 years in Vancouver in the 1990s before the advent of effective treatments.
http://ije.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/30/6/1499
But Uganda suffers a life expectancy of 50 years. Does that means it’s unnatural to be a Ugandan?
As for “repair,” even if you’re supportive of the ex-gay movement, surely you have to realize that draconian legislation such as this will do nothing to encourage these people to appear in order to be converted!
No, Ede lynne, you are a cretin. This bill has nothing to do with child molestation, this bill is about the extreme evangelical right from America taking their snake-oil and discredited ideas to a place where people are more gullible, and their intended victims more vulnerable. This is 100% about hate. If this bill passes, it will cause a minor genocide. The progress that has been made with AIDS in Uganda will stop, as professionals of all stripe will be afraid to help gays. Quit masquerading as a Christian with that “God and country” bullshit. You are a small-minded hillbilly who has fallen for scare tactics and scapegoating. You can have your 18th Century morality, but to impose it, by force, on all others is truly evil. One day you and everyone like you will pay for the things you have done to the innocent.
gaggy am very certain.I have been seeing the bill and i have studied it, protection is one of the key things in the bill that i can assure you now. its like you have not read it for your self but your are just seeing snippets of it, posted on line by its critics.
Again am going to say this” don’t view this bill as a threat but as a protection to both societies morals and the people in Uganda.
you dont first spread homosexuality then you send the aid to help its victims but rather just root out the evil so that its evil roots don’t just catch other people.
when you say its genocide then am lost for what to say, when a man is given a life sentence for defiling a young girl below the age of 18, whats that??? this law does not allow mob justice but rather decent means of correcting such evils in society.
you know the truth and please better stand for what is true and only true.
Ede Lynne
when you say its genocide then am lost for what to say
If you can learn how to see gay people as human beings, you will stop being lost for what to say.
Ede Lynne,
your understanding of sexual orientation ends here. In total ignorance and stupidity.
So please do not spread your so-called “protection” or so-called “moral” for Uganda.
You are already distorted in your thinking. There simply is no point talking to you.
Your kind misinformation is what is harming Uganda, leading to persecution of innocents.
Yes, root out the evil. Starting from you. There is no peace in the face of blind bigotry.
I can imagine a scenario like this. Ede Lynne has a child who is born homosexual. The child will then grow up to be a teen. The teen will then be arrested at a LGBT meeting for simply being. Ede Lynne will then be arrested and jailed for years for not reporting his child. Then people will accuse Ede Lynne of “spreading homosexuality” to his child, and will have a hard time in there. Then Ede Lynne realises he got HIV/AIDS from previous straight relationship.
Ede Lynne will be no more. And the teen will be jailed for life. So much for protection, eh?
Yuki Choe
“No one is born a homosexual, child birth is natural but homosexuality is not”.
the concept of one being born a homosexual is simply one of the biggest lies still trading in life.
homosexuality is nothing more just sexual perversion in society. It’s simply a counterfeit and this justifies the real existence of the original and planned for sexual life which is a man and woman.
Yuki Choe you not a product of a homosexual couple but rather a heterosexual couple.
“for god and my country”
Ede Lynne,
That is why I say there is no point talking to you, since you stubbornly insist on myths.
Medical professionals, school counselors, authoritative psychiatrists, all of them, proves you are dead wrong.
I am born through heterosexuals, correct. Then tell me, why are there deviations on brains waves, differential enzimes, chromosomal abnomalies, intersexed conditions, biological circumstances; all validated by facts and sciences, on a girl like me?
You would probably tell me the medical norm today is a lie. Then what is the point of you carrying on? You have nothing more to prove except your own prejudices realized by your own discrimination.
For GOD? My foot. Then please stop judging people you do not even know based on nothing but your bias.
Go and feed the poor, not harming innocent lives. There is not one single evidence of your so-called recruitment.
You do not even know what is homosexuality. Heterosexual couples doing anal, are they homosexuals as well? I am proud to have known many homosexuals having the humanity of Christ.
Unfortunately, you are inhumane. All you stand for is bigotry. Where is the love? You do not have it. All you can think about is yourself.
That there is a significant genetic component to homosexuality is not in dispute, Ede. How much of the rest is biological and/or social is a matter for further study. Your comments reflect an ignorance of the issue, purposeful or not. In the end, however, obsessing about causation is not really all that productive. Regardless of the origin, changing one’s sexual orientation through an act of volition is not supported by the facts. Therefore, Uganda is basically condemning nearly a million of it’s citizens for something they could not change even if it was appropriate to expect them to do so (and it is our position that it most certainly is not).
As for there being only snippets of the bill being circulated, this too is false. We have the official copy in it’s entirety. Please try to be more honest in your statements.
Uganda needs to get a grip. They are obsessed with same sex love. Get over it and focus your time and trying to sort out your pathetic excuse for a country. Its funny how you are angry that the west is ‘pushing homosexuality on you’ Which is absolute cr*p yet you dont mind taking our money in aid because you cant sort out your affairs.
I am GLAD Sweden has decided to stop aid to Uganda and I hope that you are kicked out of the commonwealth.
Instead of killing your gays let them leave your country and the west will look after them. Because in the west we have a thing called decency. Unlike Uganda which seems to be following the lines of Hitler’s anti-Jewish decrees in the 1930’s and 1940’s.
Leave the gays alone and sort out your own mess in future. I hope we wipe our hands of you and your bigoted culture