By Cathy Kristofferson, April 19, 2014
Today, demonstrators, with a mural of eight posters, reminded the Ugandan Embassy in Washington D.C. that their country’s state sponsored homophobia has not been forgotten. As Martin Luther King said “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” The injustice that is the Anti-Homosexuality Act and the persecution the LGBTI community of Uganda is facing because of it, will be an issue for the worldwide community until Uganda repeals their unjust draconian scapegoating law.
Already there are reports regarding the first court date for Ugandan citizens arrested and to be tried under the Anti-Homosexuality Act. They face life imprisonment if convicted. This is not some bill enacted into law simply to placate a rabid electorate. This is a tool for a homophobic administration to utilize in the persecution of a minority of Ugandan citizens, as means of deflecting attention from the real woes of the country.
Posters also show the disgusting display of homophobia made by President Museveni and school children alike, as led by church leaders, during the ridiculous 5-hour parade and Ugandan national “thanksgiving celebration” for the enactment of the Anti-Homosexuality Act.
Mr. Museveni had previously declared war on ‘the gays’ and now feels mobilized to fight us.
We aren’t totally sure who is the homosexual lobby Museveni has declared war on, but what we are clear on is the caustic cauldron of hate the Act has created, acceptable to the nation of Uganda.
In our silence is the entire world complicit?
A war has been declared. What next? What is the world willing to do? Will leaders of the African continent stand up? Will the U.S. State Department and the governments of other countries increase their quotas and allow immediate asylum for those forced to flee the persecution of their own Government? Ugandan lives depend on our collective response.
9 hours later the mural is still in place:
Day two (Sunday 4/20) and the mural is still in place:
Day three (Monday 4/21) and still there!
Related articles:-
- Protest at South African Embassy in D.C. Slams Zuma for Failing on Gay Rights
- Activists Execute Eviction Notice at Uganda’s D.C. Embassy
- Anti-Gay Christian Ugandans Rally in Shocking War on Gays
- Global Day of Action Against Uganda’s Anti-Gay Law
Reblogged this on JerBear's Queer World News, Views & More From The City Different – Santa Fe, NM.
Reblogged this on It Is What It Is and commented:
Excellent post!! Word needs to get out!!
Saudi Arabia has the death penalty for homosexuals….how comes no similar treatment for their embassy?
Yes David why dont you do it? So sick of the armchair critics who dont initiate anything for themselves? If you believe that you would like to target Saudi Arabia go for it.
It’s not because you’re afraid of Muslims? You guys always steer clear of them…
Who are you guys? LOL seriously? This is a blog post story written about an action of 2 amazing activists who targeted Uganda for their newly legislated AHA – where most USA activists are quiet on the issue. So you want Cathy and Ellen to run down to the Saudi Embassy while they are about it? And then there are th other 74 counties that criminalize homosexuality. Why dont you just make your point rather than your passive aggressive attack at the action that was indeed taken. And if you have an issue with how little the LGBTI community is doing to target all 76 countries that hurt gays you are damn right. So take your frustration out on on ALL OUT and HRC and all the other multi million dollar organizations where people get salaries to do this stuff. Not on the unpaid unfunded activists who can barely make it to one or 2 embassies per month.
Ok Melanie, I see your point. Thanks and all the best.
I appreciate that David. Thanks please keep an eye on this blog – and remember a lot of us are unpaid and spend a lot of time doing the best we can fighting for what we believe in.
As far as Uganda and Africa are concerned you are not fighting for us and we don’t need you to fight for us. Your agenda will not succeed in Africa.