Developments in LGBT Human Rights

I'm sure we all know what's happening in the 'Western' world as it relates to the most recent development in LGBT human rights.

The Obama administration announced on Tuesday that the United States would use all the tools of American diplomacy, including the potent enticement of foreign aid, to promote gay rights around the world. In a memorandum issued by President Obama in Washington and in a speech by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton here, the administration vowed to actively combat efforts by other nations that criminalize homosexual conduct, abuse gay men, lesbians, bisexuals or transgendered people, or ignore abuse against them.

“Some have suggested that gay rights and human rights are separate and distinct,” Mrs. Clinton said at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, “but in fact they are one and the same.”

Neither Mr. Obama nor Mrs. Clinton specified how to give the initiative teeth. Caitlin Hayden, the National Security Council’s deputy spokeswoman, said the administration was “not cutting or tying” foreign aid to changes in other nation’s practices.

Of course with this development we knew the religious right would not remain quiet, after all, Secretary Hillary Clinton’s speech on defending LGBT rights abroad and the new Obama administration policy to protect people around the world who are jailed, beaten and executed for being LGBT have been met with intense uproar from the Religious Right.

Pat Robertson on The 700 Club today said that the policy was “appalling” shows that America is willing to “violate God’s principles and to make a mockery of His laws.” Robertson even warned that God will not tolerate it and “when the blow comes, it’s going to be horrible”:

Fellow blogger H of GLBTQ Jamaica Watch posted:

"NTV is owned by the same company that publishes Daily Monitor, Uganda’s largest independent newspaper. This news report was posted to their YouTube channel just moments ago:

The report itself is very calm and measured. But it does reflect prevailing opinion not only in Uganda but through much of Africa when the reporter asks at the end, “Will Uganda blink and bow to the pressure?” The image of bowing, as you can imagine given Africa’s history, has a very specific humiliative resonance that goes much deeper than much of the rest of the world. The three lawmakers in the report — Anti-Homosexuality Bill author M.P. David Bahati, M.P. Steven Ochola of the opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDP), and Ethics and Integrity Minister Simon Lokodo (Lokodo is identified as “Rev. Fr.,” despite having been defrocked by the Vatican) — all spoke against Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s remarks in Geneva. Human rights lawyer Ladislaus Rwakafuzi suggests that a sort of “don’t ask, don’t tell” compromise might be the best way to go for Uganda’s LGBT community."

The responses on the Ugandan TV channel show some of the views of the people:

Great - if demeaning the humanity of its gay citizens is more imporant to the people of Uganda than receiving foreign aid than so be it. Cut them off.

TheTruthHurts9999 5 hours ago

A Jamaica Observer's news article titled: Gay pressure - US to limit aid drew some of the following comments:

Wayne Henry
12/8/2011

Obama just lost my vote. I voted, donated and campaigned for Obama in the last election and now I regret that. As a devoted democrat this will be the first time that I will vote Republican. You can't black mail Jamaica and other soverign countries. You can't give aid with strings attached. Jamaica must stand strong and don't bow to Sodom and Gomorrah. Homosexuality is unnatural and is a sin against God. I love Michele Bachman views on gays. I will never ever give in to gay lifestyle.

Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/Gay-pressure_10338535#ixzz1fy695woL

Jacqueline Crawford
12/8/2011

Let them keep their aid. Why should they dictate what another country does, especially when colour prejudice is alive and well in the USA. If they countries didn't have the so called aid every other country would be better off eg Cuba b/c they would all learn how to become self reliant. Obama is the most ungodly US president.

Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/Gay-pressure_10338535#ixzz1fy6dpIUZ

steve ellis
12/8/2011

Matthew Thomas is an idiot. Sorry to say. Impose in your bedroom? What we are talking about is something immoral and wrong, whether you do it in your bedroom or in public. No government should be forced to do as another country says because of aid. They should not dictate to us what we do. Our law is our law. I hope the government do not "bow" to this type of pressure..ever!!!

Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/Gay-pressure_10338535#ixzz1fy6nt8EA

N. Byrd
12/8/2011

This is a clear attempt to have everyone everywhere bow to the will of the minority. No country has the right tell the Jamaican people what should be morally acceptable to them. I've notice that when Obama took office Jamaicans talked of him being a king for them, well how fundamentally foolish you all must feel. Jamaica got independence in 1962 yet people having vegetable matter for brains would give it up to a man who doesn't believe in the will of the Jamaican People. Lord Have Mercy.

Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/Gay-pressure_10338535#ixzz1fy79CeiG

Let us see what will happen. Already the Lawyers Christian Fellowship Jamaica is having a symposium: 

“Human Rights, Sovereignty and the Politics of Truth”

Saturday December 10, 2011 at Lecture Room 2, Faculty of Law, Mona, UWI

I can only imagine what the discussions will be like, after all Mrs. Shirley Richards, Attorney-at-Laws, The Honourable Mr. Delroy Chuck, MP, Rev. Dr. Clinton Chisholm, Dr. Wayne West will be there. 

I'm looking forward to hearing about this event. I will not be present but I'm asking any one who attends to send me an email and let me know about the proceedings.

The bell has been sounded and now the battle has begun. H said it's time to wake up and I agree. It's time to wake up, no more sleeping.