Ugandan ‘anti-homosexuality bill’ proposes death penalty; Obama administration has no comment

From The Spectator-

Tensions between the Obama White House and top gay rights leaders intensified this week, as the East African nation of Uganda seems set to pass a bill that would enforce the death penalty on the nation’s gay community. The legislation, drafted by Ugandan Parliament, states: 1) those found guilty of homosexual activity will be sentenced to a minimum of life in prison, 2) homosexuals that are HIV positive will automatically be sentenced to death as well as those who commit homosexual acts more than once and/or with minors, 3) the “promotion of homosexuality” through leaflets or otherwise will be outlawed, and 4) anyone who refuses to report homosexual activity will receive a 3 year prison sentence.

Ugandan lawmakers and religious leaders, both Muslim and Christian, have thrown their support behind the bill, and the Ugandan public overwhelmingly supports laws enforced against homosexuality. Even though Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has not publicly supported the bill, he has suggested in the past that homosexuality in Uganda is a result of western influence and has verbally supported an African movement to expel homosexuality from the continent. ““I hear European homosexuals are recruiting in Africa…You should discourage your colleagues because God was not foolish to do the way he arranged” Museveni said last month.

In the United States, the proposed Ugandan law has raised questions about American evangelical involvement in the region stemming from the potential schism within the Anglican Church, 35% of Ugandans are Anglican. Liberal commentators, like MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, have criticized California evangelical super-church preacher Rick Warren and the alleged American evangelical political society “the Family”, whose members include Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, Sen. James Inhofe of Oklahoma, and former Sen. John Ensign of Nevada, for supporting and funding religious fundamentalism throughout the nation.

“I believe we’re not doing nearly enough, and by not responding more forcefully by the administration we’re allowing these voices to sound to important parts of the world as if they represent U.S. policy, which clearly they don’t” Rep. Anthony Weiner of New York said.

More here-

http://blog.su-spectator.com/2009/12/ugandan-anti-homosexuality-bill-proposes-death-penalty-obama-administration-has-no-comment/