The African nation of Uganda came under fire on a global scale last year when it was announced that lawmakers passed a bill that further criminalizes homosexuality and could leave many of its LGBT citizens in prison for life. President Barack Obama was one of the original political leaders to voice disdain for the bill and he recently spoke again on the matter and claimed that the bill is inhumane.
Although Uganda already deemed homosexuality illegal thanks to a colonial-era law, the controversial bill was introduced in 2010 and even included a provision for the death penalty for homosexuality. However, that provision was removed from the current bill, which now punishes “aggravated homosexuality” with life imprisonment.
LGBT activists around the world have been calling attention to the bill in order to stop its passing, but the bill has been widely supported in Uganda by Christian groups who claim that Western homosexuals are recruiting Ugandan children into homosexuality.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni is now set to sign the bill into law, but, according to the Huffington Post, our own nation’s president recently released a statement explaining why the bill will do more damage than Museveni understands.
“As a country and a people, the United States has consistently stood for the protection of fundamental freedoms and universal human rights. We believe that people everywhere should be treated equally, with dignity and respect, and that they should have the opportunity to reach their fullest potential, no matter who they are or whom they love.
“That is why I am so deeply disappointed that Uganda will shortly enact legislation that would criminalize homosexuality. The Anti-Homosexuality Bill in Uganda, once law, will be more than an affront and a danger to the gay community in Uganda. It will be a step backward for all Ugandans and reflect poorly on Uganda’s commitment to protecting the human rights of its people. It also will mark a serious setback for all those around the world who share a commitment to freedom, justice and equal rights.
“As we have conveyed to President Museveni, enacting this legislation will complicate our valued relationship with Uganda. At a time when, tragically, we are seeing an increase in reports of violence and harassment targeting members of the LGBT community from Russia to Nigeria, I salute all those in Uganda and around the world who remain committed to respecting the human rights and fundamental human dignity of all persons,” wrote Obama.
We applaud Obama for sharing his disapproval of the bill and for championing equal rights and legislative protection for all LGBT people across the globe. It’s unfortunate that this bill will likely pass in Uganda and that blood will also be spilled as Uganda basically legalizes the hunt for all LGBT people in its borders. What’s even worse is that those same kids that Uganda claims to want to protect will no longer feel a sense of protection from their country if anyone believes they are LGBT. Instead, they will be deemed less than human, like so many others, and be hunted mercilessly. –nicholas robinson
