Scott Lively Sued by Ugandan Gay Rights Group

Scott Lively

In 2009, Pastor Scott Lively was one of three American evangelists who traveled to Kampala and delivered a series of lectures about homosexuality to Ugandan audiences--which included police officers, teachers and politicians. As part of his lecture, Pastor Lively promoted the myth that the Holocaust was actually orchestrated by homosexuals. Shortly thereafter, a Ugandan politician introduced the Anti-Homosexuality Bill of 2009 which would, among other things, make homosexuality a capital offense. Although the bill was temporarily shelved (having finally been revived once more last month), persecution of gay men and lesbians in Uganda reached new heights, as Rolling Stone, an Ugandan newspaper, ran a piece outing homosexuals and calling for them to be lynched. In 2011, David Kato--a prominent Ugandan gay rights activist whose photo was shown in Rolling Stone--was brutally murdered. In response to the increasingly hostile, anti-gay climate, the  gay rights group Sexual Minorities Uganda has filed a lawsuit against Pastor Lively under the alien tort statute. The lawsuit alleges that Lively's actions have led to the "persecution, arrest, torture and murder of gay men and lesbians in Uganda."

The full complaint can be read here.

Anti-Gay Hysteria in Ghana

It was only two months ago that a Ghanaian minister, Paul Evans Aidoo, began urging the citizens of Ghana to report suspected homosexuals to the police in an effort to "get rid of these people in the society." In August, the Presbyterian Church of Ghana began stepping up efforts to "cure" homosexuals through the pseudo-science of reparative therapy. Sam P. Yalley, former Ghana Deputy Minister, has recently compared homosexuality to genocide, saying:

"Genocide results in the extermination of the human race and if you expand the meaning of homosexuality to mean that a man cannot have a child with another man then it means that that practice would lead to the extermination of mankind and therefore for me if I am to charge anybody apart from having unnatural carnal knowledge, I would also charge him with genocide and see how he can get out of that situation. If you are a man and you are having carnal knowledge with a man how are you going to have a child?"

Now, GhanaWeb is reporting an unprecedented anti-gay propaganda campaign, with prominent religious leaders calling gays "unbiblical, un-African, abnormal and filthy" and a Ghanaian legislator saying that gays could legally be lynched just like robbers. If this trend continues, Ghana could become the next Uganda for the LGBT community.

"Paul Evans Aidoo's Ghana gay spy call 'promotes hatred'":
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14250170
"Ghanaian Church Aims to Pray Away the Gay":
http://www.care2.com/causes/ghanan-church-aims-to-pray-away-the-gay.html
"Ghana: Homosexuals Commit Genocide By Having Sex And Must Be Arrested":
http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/ghana-homosexuals-commit-genocide-by-having-sex-and-must-be-arrested/politics/2011/09/03/26352
"Ghana’s Growing Gay Pride Faces Evangelical Backlash":
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=217497

Uganda’s Family Life Network Calls for Passage of Anti-Homosexuality Bill

As Warren Throckmorton reports, Stephen Langa of the Family Life Network has launched the "Pass the Bill Now Campaign", urging the Ugandan parliament to approve the draconian anti-homosexuality law which would, among other things, make homosexuality a capital offense. Langa, who organized the 2009 Kampala conference attended by Scott Lively and other anti-gay evangelicals, stated in a press release that as we speak "[t]he molestation, recruitment and defilement of our children is still going on unabated and with impunity."

You can view the press release in its entirety at Warren Throckmorton's blog:
http://wthrockmorton.com/2011/09/03/ugandas-family-life-network-calls-for-passage-of-anti-homosexuality-bill/

Uganda's "Kill the Gays" Bill may go for a vote tomorrow

A bill that would make homosexual conduct punishable by death in Uganda may be voted on tomorrow. This bill has been lurking out there for a while but had recently gone just below the U.S's political radar. Gay Politics reports that Congressman Barney Frank issued a statement about the bill.

Ugandan Gay Rights Activist Beaten to Death

Jeffrey Gettleman of The New York Times reports that David Kato, a Ugandan Gay Rights activist was beaten to death with a hammer on Wednesday afternoon. Read the full New York Time article here.

U.S Legislators urge action against Uganda's Anti-LGBTQ bill

The proposed Ugandan bill would have penalties as severe as life in prison or death for homosexuals. U.S legislators are urging President Obama to publicly speak out against this bill. Please see the link below for more details.

U.S Reps call for action against Ugandan bill