My friend and Director of the Center for Vision and Values, Paul Kengor, wrote an analysis of President Obama’s National Prayer Breakfast speech. As I listened to Obama’s speech, I was distracted in a positive way by his reference to Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill. However, I also noted the President’s references to civility and hope he means it as more than rhetoric. And like Paul, I loved the reference to the Imago Dei – seeing the Face of God in each other.
God and Man at the National Prayer Breakfast
By Dr. Paul Kengor
President Obama spoke yesterday at the National Prayer Breakfast. I’ve long studied the sitting president’s remarks at these breakfasts, particularly President George W. Bush, President Bill Clinton, and President Ronald Reagan. I note this to hopefully lend a little credibility in putting my observations into historical context, while also not avoiding the current political climate—as Obama certainly did not. Continue reading “Paul Kengor on President Obama’s National Prayer Breakfast speech”
During the Family Life Network conference on homosexuality in Kampala, questions were asked on a variety of topics. Criminalization came up via a question to Caleb Lee Brundidge. The conference speakers had an opportunity to address the topic via the questions asked, even the subject was not a part of their prepared remarks. Here you can hear the question and Mr. Brundidge’s response.
I am not sure what Mr. Brundidge is recommending here. He seems to laud the Ugandans for having “a standard” but notes that people are afraid to come out. This question might have caught Mr. Brundidge by surprise. His answer seems to come down on the side of criminalization if a person is “caught in the act.” However, much later, his mentor, Richard Cohen said he would not have sent Brundidge to Kampala if he understood the purposes of the conference.
Even though Brundidge notes a possible problem with criminalization, he provided inaccurate and misleading information to his audience. He could have taken a strong position against criminalization and for freedom of conscience. It seems unlikely that Richard Cohen’s letter has c0nnected with Ugandans the way the speakers did in March. I suspect some of those attending came away thinking that criminalization is an appropriate state response – and still may believe that approach is consistent with the teaching they heard from Americans at the Family Life Conference.
For all posts on the Family Life Network conference in March and the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, please click here.
Note: Don Schmierer signed the letter sent by Exodus International to President Museveni which stated opposition to criminalization.
Whether you support health care reform or not, wouldn’t the election of Republican Scott Brown in MA seem like a signal to slow things down?
Apparently Senate Democrats don’t think so. Senator Dick Durbin wants to get the bill signed before Brown can get into town and laid out a couple of ways to do it.
I suspect GOP strategists are torn. They don’t like the health care options but if the Dems ram something through, prospects for the midterm election should improve to an even more optimistic level.
Scroll to the end for updates and audio of President Museveni’s speech and a video report from NTV.
Uganda Talks, the blog of The Independent posted this on Twitter this morning:
Uganda backs off anti-gay bill: Saying that it contradicts Uganda’s foreign policy, President Museveni announced t… http://bit.ly/8z2dZG.
However, the link goes to a page which says the content has been moved or not published yet. I called the Indenpendent to learn that the content has not been published. The headline gives a hint that it involves a statement from President Museveni.
A google news search of Museveni yields this most recent article description:
Saying that it contradicts Uganda’s foreign policy, President Museveni announced that the anti-gay bill will be withdrawn in an announcement at State House.
I have gotten another unconfirmed report that Museveni made these remarks at a meeting of his political party earlier today.
This just in from Katende Bob Roberts at the Independent:
President Museveni has told members of his National Resistance Movement party in a meeting at State House, Entebbe that cabinet will talk to Member of Parliament David Bahati who tabled the Anti Homosexuality Bill 2009, in order to reach a position that will leave both the local and international community satisfied.
The president’s pronouncement attracted wild murmurs from the audience prompting him to repeat his statement. He said ever since the bill was tabled in the last quarter of last year; he has been receiving calls from various international figures including US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to find out updates on the proposed law. Museveni observed that the bill is affecting Uganda’s image abroad. He said although there’s need to protect Uganda’s values, it also necessary to take care of concerns of the international community.
While the earlier report of the bill being withdrawn seems unlikely, this signals a potential to work toward something that will address the issues about which all groups agree.
Museveni said he had been questioned about the bill by several foreign leaders, including the Canadian prime minister, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. He said Clinton called him for over 45 minutes over the issue.
“I told them that this bill was brought up by a private member and I have not even had time to discuss it with him. It is neither the Government nor the NRM party. It is a private member,” Museveni told the NRM meeting at State House Entebbe.
“It is my judgment that our foreign policy is not managed just by some individuals. We have our values and our stand, historically and socially, but we need to know also that our partners we have been working with have their systems,” he added as members murmured in disapproval.
Museveni narrated that the gay community in New York organised a rally and invited then President Bill Clinton.
“In that rally, about 300,000 homosexuals attended. I challenge you. Who of you, MPs, has ever had a rally of 300,000 people, other than me? Even for me, it is not often that I get those numbers,” he said.
The Cabinet, he added, had decided to call Bahati and discuss the bill with him.
“This is a foreign policy issue and we have to discuss it in a manner that does not compromise our principles but also takes care of our foreign policy interest,” he said as the MPs shouted: “No, no, no!”
He said when he talked to Hillary Clinton, he informed her that people come from Europe with money and woo young people into homosexuality.
Museveni warned that those against development in Africa use this opportunity to de-campaign Uganda.
Watch this space. I will put up the details as soon as they are available.
I’ve not been following this because I believe the health care bill will be decided by a conference committee meeting in a smoke filled room. But today Senator Ben Nelson became the 60th vote to move the ball down the court.
Did Nelson use abortion? I don’t know but I found this statement in the Washington Post troubling:
Nelson also secured favors for his home state and to benefit different factions of the health-insurance industry.
The health bill is pretty unpopular and may lead to a 2010 shift in the Congress. I guess I should say, I hope it does.
