Slog
News & ArtsFriday, November 23, 2012
LGBTQITSLFA $500,000,000
Posted by Dan Savage on Fri, Nov 23, 2012 at 9:25 AM
That's how much money the United States is planning to giving to Uganda this year and next year—even if Uganda passes a law that imposes the death penalty on gay people and anyone who rents an apartment to a gay person. Other nations are threatening to cut Uganda off if the law passes. What you can do to stop Uganda's "kill the gays" law.
26
@4 -- Are you sure you want to stop all aid immediately? ALL aid? HIV/AIDS programs? Malaria? TB? Family planning? The Fistula Project? Infant mortality programs?
Because this kind of life-critical support makes up about 80% of US aid to Uganda.
Because this kind of life-critical support makes up about 80% of US aid to Uganda.
25
@22 Nice job completely changing the topic because you can't counter my arguments :) And yes, Obama's drone policy sucks, but since the republicans are spoiling for war with Iran, it's not like voting to strip ourselves of human rights was going to save anyone in turn. All it would do is fuel your boner.
24
@23 Life imprisonment in Uganda is a death sentence, maybe not shorter than the average death sentence in the U.S., which at least takes a few years of appeals, but nowhere near as long as a normal Western life sentence.
Find me someone who served 20 years in Ugandan prison and lived to tell the tale. I doubt there is one. And given official attitudes, Uganda-imprisoned LGBT aren't going to live half as long as the average criminal.
Uganda's "final solution" to their LGBT population is insane, and can't be allowed to stand. It's the equivalent of genocide, a witchhunt, pogrom and ethnic cleansing all rolled into one. And worse, if that's even possible, it's totally stupid, even if their aim had any expressible valid social purpose. Gay people will continue to be born unless they stop all births altogether. Which, if their leaders are any example of the rest of the populace, might be a good idea.
If the Old Testament God existed, he would totally nuke Uganda when they pass this law. Just put the salts and ashes back into the soil and start over. And, He'd announce it on twitter and facebook the photos.
Find me someone who served 20 years in Ugandan prison and lived to tell the tale. I doubt there is one. And given official attitudes, Uganda-imprisoned LGBT aren't going to live half as long as the average criminal.
Uganda's "final solution" to their LGBT population is insane, and can't be allowed to stand. It's the equivalent of genocide, a witchhunt, pogrom and ethnic cleansing all rolled into one. And worse, if that's even possible, it's totally stupid, even if their aim had any expressible valid social purpose. Gay people will continue to be born unless they stop all births altogether. Which, if their leaders are any example of the rest of the populace, might be a good idea.
If the Old Testament God existed, he would totally nuke Uganda when they pass this law. Just put the salts and ashes back into the soil and start over. And, He'd announce it on twitter and facebook the photos.
23
So deeply offended by this bill, and life imprisonment vs. death penalty isn’t enough of an improvement to make a difference. The idea that my tax dollars are supporting a regime tied to this is sickening.
But looking around for more info I found this 2011 piece where a panel of African LGBT activists said cutting international aid would only make things worse for those communities and urged against it (although short of cattle cars it’s hard to imagine “worse”).
http://www.washingtonblade.com/2011/05/1…
No idea what to do.
But looking around for more info I found this 2011 piece where a panel of African LGBT activists said cutting international aid would only make things worse for those communities and urged against it (although short of cattle cars it’s hard to imagine “worse”).
http://www.washingtonblade.com/2011/05/1…
No idea what to do.
22
21
obama seems to be quite fond of drone diplomacy.
you liberals are totally cool with indiscriminate murder from the sky in your name, right?
after all, what are a few thousand murdered brown women and children compared to advancing the Enlightened Agenda?
obama seems to be quite fond of drone diplomacy.
you liberals are totally cool with indiscriminate murder from the sky in your name, right?
after all, what are a few thousand murdered brown women and children compared to advancing the Enlightened Agenda?
21
@20 Money is the only leverage we've got, but since this whole thing gives you a boner I doubt you give a fuck.
20
19
no.
because @16 is a lameass idea that might make some yuppie feel morally superior but won't do jack-shit to improve the lot of uganda gays....
no.
because @16 is a lameass idea that might make some yuppie feel morally superior but won't do jack-shit to improve the lot of uganda gays....
19
@18 Because being unemployed is so much worse than spending your life in jail because of the way you were born...
18
16
good idea!
that will put hundreds of Ugandans out of work?
probably some of them homosexuals....
good idea!
that will put hundreds of Ugandans out of work?
probably some of them homosexuals....
17
We need to petition the US to cut any funding to Uganda. There's a 500 mil we can save on our budget right there.
16
Not certain if this is an avenue worth pursuing, but...
The Uganda Travel Bureau, which organizes safaris for rich tourists, touts on their website that travel insurance is provided through Chartis Travel Guard (www.travelguard.com). I gather that's the only insurance company that will cover a Uganda safari.
Can anyone think of a way to exert pressure on Travel Guard/Chartis to withdraw their services and products from Uganda and Ugandan travel? Under their "About Us" tag, they even have a section on "Social Responsibility."
The Uganda Travel Bureau, which organizes safaris for rich tourists, touts on their website that travel insurance is provided through Chartis Travel Guard (www.travelguard.com). I gather that's the only insurance company that will cover a Uganda safari.
Can anyone think of a way to exert pressure on Travel Guard/Chartis to withdraw their services and products from Uganda and Ugandan travel? Under their "About Us" tag, they even have a section on "Social Responsibility."
12
I've signed the petitions and all that, but I must admit they very much feel like a waste of time.
Is there an organization I can donate to that is providing aid or advocacy for LGBTQ Ugandans?
Is there an organization I can donate to that is providing aid or advocacy for LGBTQ Ugandans?
8
@5,
Are you sure about that. I keep hearing/reading that the death penalty is part of the bill. Will have to check again.
Any punishment for being gay is unacceptable.
Are you sure about that. I keep hearing/reading that the death penalty is part of the bill. Will have to check again.
Any punishment for being gay is unacceptable.
7
@6 "1. is it fixed? really? not in what I see."
Apparently you're not good with numbers either.
2: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20368182 all of the above?
3: Not likely.
Apparently you're not good with numbers either.
2: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20368182 all of the above?
3: Not likely.
6
1. is it fixed? really? not in what I see.
2. is this aid to govt. that's corrupt or to agencies that like give food to starving people? is this aid for health care?
3. after we kill the rest of this bill, maybe at some point we start taking responsibility for the human rights violations of the USA? as in our unequal voting laws that prevent 6.5 million people, by law, from having equal rights? assuming human rights are in fact for everyone, btw.
2. is this aid to govt. that's corrupt or to agencies that like give food to starving people? is this aid for health care?
3. after we kill the rest of this bill, maybe at some point we start taking responsibility for the human rights violations of the USA? as in our unequal voting laws that prevent 6.5 million people, by law, from having equal rights? assuming human rights are in fact for everyone, btw.
4
If Obama is serious about equality, he will tie any and all aid to civil rights in Uganda. If this bill passes, all aid immediately stops. Then we start imposing sanctions. Human rights have got to take a higher priority in politics. Passing hate laws is easy until the money dries up.
1
$500 billion? Dan - come on, that's one-eighth of the federal budget or thereabouts. Surely you mean $500 million? Or less?
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