The Ugandan bill extends existing laws to make it illegal to promote homosexuality by talking or writing about it, and forcing people to tell the authorities about anyone they know who is gay. The bill, said Bahati, 35, an MP from the ruling party, aims to “protect the cherished culture of the people of Uganda against the attempts of sexual rights activists seeking to impose their values of sex promiscuity on the people of Uganda”.

He denied reports that international pressure might result in parts of the bill being toned down. “We are not going to yield to any international pressure – we cannot allow people to play with the future of our children and put aid into the game. We are not in the trade of values. We need mutual respect.”

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/dec/13/death-penalty-uganda-homosexuals

The draft bill, which is under consideration by a parliamentary committee, will drop the two punishments to attract the support of religious leaders who are opposed to these penalties, Buturo said today in a phone interview from the capital, Kampala.

Were there other factors, beside the desire to attract the support of Ugandan religious leaders, that may have played a part?

“Evangelicals who promote change as a political exercise will need to really think…”

I think that’s an excellent idea.

Evangelicals who promote change as a political exercise will need to really think through whether the data supports them because real lives are in the balance.

I’d much prefer to see politics kept out of it. Real lives … real change. It’s a hopeful scenario.