Friday, February 05, 2010

WATCH: SOSUS and POTUS Condemn Uganda Anti-Gay Bill

At the National Prayer Breakfast this week Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and President Barack Obama both mentioned and condemned pending legislation in Uganda's Parliament which could lead to state executions of LGBT people for "aggravated homosexuality."

Hat/tip to Rod 2.0.

The reaction in Uganda was not very positive:

[Uganda minister of ethics and integrity James Nsaba] Buturo, one of the main Ugandan proponents of the bill which would further criminalise homosexuality and even gay rights advocacy, vowed that Ugandan MPs would not be swayed by US or any outside criticism.

"We cannot tell the Senate what to do. We cannot tell Congress what to do. So why do they feel that they can tell us what we should do in the interest of our people?" he asked.

"It is totally unacceptable," Buturo added, in reference to any attempt by some of Uganda's partners to reverse the adoption of the bill.

"Members of parliament have a constitutional duty to choose between what the people of Uganda want and what others want, and I am sure they will choose what the people of Uganda want," he said.

It will be interesting to see what the final resolution of this political debate will be. Clearly, Buturo doesn't understand that in a free society, everyone can comment on (and condemn, if they so desire) the potential legislative acts of another sovereign nation. There are generally accepted practices worldwide, and putting people to death or in prison for being who they are or advocating publicly for equal treatment under the law is absolutely unacceptable.

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