Category: Religion

Florida abstinence group has ties to Martin Ssempa

Andy Kopsa, writing for the Florida Independent, has a story out that links Project SOS to Martin Ssempa.

Project SOS, a Jacksonvile-based abstinence education program, has received more than $6.5 million in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services since 2002 — including $454,000 in September 2010. This despite the fact that the group has been cited for teaching false information about HIV and is a supporter of Ugandan pastor Martin Ssempa, one of the most outspoken advocates of legislation in that country that prescribes the death penalty for homosexuals.

Project SOS’ federal funding came through the Administration of Children and Families, an agency of the Department of Health and Human Services, via grants for Community Based Abstinence Education and a Healthy Marriage Demonstration grant. The abstinence education funding is made available through Title V (.pdf) of the Social Security Act. A provision of Title V requires that states provide a $3 match for every $4 in federal money.

Kopsa asked Director Pam Mullarkey about Ssempa’s support for the Anti-Homosexuality Bill:

In a phone interview with The Florida Independent, Mullarkey said she was unaware of any controversy surrounding Ssempa or his support of the so-called “Kill the Gays” bill. 

The Independent provided Mullarkey with numerous links to news articles and YouTube clips, including video of Ssempa calling for the death penalty for homosexuals (whom he refers to as “pedophiles”) while claiming to ABC News that homosexuals eat feces. 

“I know Martin well enough to know that because of his Christian faith he would never support the death penalty,” Mullarkey said when asked about Ssempa’s support of a bill that would punish “aggravated homosexuality” with death.

Mullarkey went on to praise Ssempa as a “change agent” who took a stand for abstinence education as a way to rid Uganda of HIV/AIDS. “At the university, Martin took a stand — he had them burning condoms as a commitment to abstinence,” she said. 

Discussing the fact that Ssempa lost “almost half his family” to AIDS, Mullarkey told the Independent that homosexuals in Africa “have destroyed people’s lives.”

Mullarkey would not denounce Ssempa’s actions surrounding the anti-gay bill. She later told the Independent she emailed Ssempa and is “waiting for his response” before she “will make a statement” on the issue.

Uganda defends Anti-Homosexuality bill in embassy cables

The Guardian has published cables from the US Embassy regarding Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill. In this, you get an interesting look inside US policy on this issue.

Cable dated:2009-12-24T08:27:00

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 KAMPALA 001413 SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 2019/12/24

TAGS: PHUM, PGOV, PREL, UG

SUBJECT: UGANDA: HOMOPHOBE EXTREMISTS AND HOMOSEXUAL SCAPEGOATS

REF: 09 KAMPALA 01381; 09 KAMPALA 1409; 09 KAMPALA 1396 09 KAMPALA 01024

CLASSIFIED BY: Aaron Sampson, Pol/Econ Chief, State, Pol/Econ; REASON: 1.4(B), (D)

1. (C) Summary: Parliamentary sponsor of the anti-homosexuality bill, David Bahati, told PolOffs on December 15 that he is open to minor changes to his legislation, expressed deep disappointment with Rick Warren and others’ statements against the bill, and said Uganda will not yield to international pressure. On December 18, Bahati and Pastor Martin Ssempa dominated a one-sided “consultative meeting” on the bill organized by the Uganda Human Rights Commission with UN funding. Bahati directly challenged the White House statement against the bill, and said impending oil revenues will soon liberate Uganda from international influence. Members of the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee continue to maintain that the anti-homosexuality bill is not a priority and will not come up for debate in committee until March or April 2011. However, domestic pressure on parliamentarians is growing. XXXXXXXXXXXX 

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Bahati Unrepentant

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2. (C) PolOffs met with Bahati on December 15 to provide recent statements by Rick Warren and others against the anti-homosexuality bill. At Bahati’s request, the meeting occurred at the Anglican Church of Uganda’s headquarters where Bahati said he was reviewing the legislation with Anglican Church leaders. XXXXXXXXXXXX Bahati entered our meeting with a document entitled “The 10 Deadly Sins of Homosexuality”, and launched into a lengthy explanation of the current bill, saying it renders existing law more specific by defining homosexuality and attaching penalties for homosexual “recruitment”. He criticized international donors for short circuiting Uganda’s democratic procedures when it is in their interest, said demands to withdraw the legislation outright are unacceptable, and ridiculed recent threats by Sweden to cut its assistance (ref. A). Bahati attributed international criticism to a misreading of the text and a misunderstanding of the “situation on the ground” in Uganda.

3. (U) Bahati described the bill as a “proposal”, solicited recommendations for “improving” the legislation, and appeared moderately open to altering provisions regarding the death penalty and requirements to report homosexual activity to authorities within 24 hours. Bahati said he personally does not believe in the death penalty and that this language was lifted directly from Uganda’s 2007 Defilement Act. He said he is talking with XXXXXXXXXXXX about the bill’s impact on HIV/AIDS programs, but that he does not believe the legislation will negatively impact HIV/AIDS prevention. Although Bahati claimed the bill is intended to further protect minors from sexual predators, he seemed unaware and unconcerned that his bill’s “aggravated homosexuality” provision also condemns to death “serial offenders” twice convicted of the lesser and much more vague infractions of “homosexuality” and “related offenses”.

4. (C) Bahati expressed profound disappointment with Rick Warren’s letter against the billXXXXXXXXXXXX and said Ugandan church leaders are in the process of drafting a response. XXXXXXXXXXXX Bahati hoped Parliament’s Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee will take up the bill in February 2010, but said his overriding goal is to see the bill into law – and he stressed that the bill will become law – by the February 2011 elections.

KAMPALA 00001413 002 OF 004

5. (C) Bahati’s reasoning for introducing the bill alternated between protecting children from sexual predators, eradicating Uganda of homosexuality, and some combination of the two. He claimed to have evidence documenting the homosexual recruitment of children, particularly in same sex schools and churches, and said the bill’s provisions on reporting suspected homosexuality specifically target school masters and religious leaders. When asked to elaborate on evidence of supposed homosexual recruitment, Bahati referred to a XXXXXXXXXXXX pamphlet distributed in Uganda in 2002 that mentioned same-sex attraction, vague activities of unnamed foreign NGOs, and “networking” among foreign diplomats. At the end of the meeting, Bahati noted that he is also the Chairman of the Uganda Boy Scouts and is working on another bill – the second of his short Parliamentary career – updating Uganda’s 1963 Scouts Act. We did not ask if this bill will also target homosexuality.

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One-Sided Human Rights Debate

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6. (C) On December 18, the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) organized – with support from the UN Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights – what turned out to be a one-sided debate on the anti-homosexuality bill. XXXXXXXXXXXX Prior to the debate PolOff received a text message from XXXXXXXXXXXX expressing concerns for the safety of XXXXXXXXXXXX representatives scheduled to attend the event. Bahati’s late arrival delayed the event for more than an hour, and the UHRC failed to seat any representative of those opposed to the legislation at the head table, despite seating Bahati and – for unexplained reasons – Uganda’s most outspoken anti-gay activist Martin Ssempa. A comment by an audience member later prompted the UHRC to correct this imbalance by inviting a clearly hesitant and nervous SMUG leader, David Kato, to sit beside Ssempa on the dais. Ssempa proceeded to shake Kato’s hand while striking absurd poses for the assembled press corps.

7. (C) Bahati’s remarks mirrored his private statements to PolOffs. Bahati also attacked the White House statement opposing the bill, saying that he admires President Obama, that President Obama ran on a platform of change, and that Uganda’s message to him is that “homosexuality is not a change but rather an evil that we must fight.” At this point the room erupted in loud applause, led by Ssempa pounding his hand on the head table, and Bahati observed that oil revenues will free Uganda of foreign entanglements. At other points in Bahati’s tirade against homosexuality, Ssempa registered his support by issuing audible sounds of disgust.

8. (C) Kato delivered a well-written speech defending the rights of gay and lesbians in Uganda. However, his words were nearly indecipherable due to his evident nervousness. Throughout Kato’s speech, XXXXXXXXXXXX UHRCXXXXXXXXXXXX openly joked and snickered with Bahati and Ssempa XXXXXXXXXXXX. XXXXXXXXXXXX representatives left shortly after Kato’s speech, fearing that Bahati had instructed the Inspector General of Police to arrest Kato. After a break, Ssempa showed graphic x-rated photos of what he described as gay sex, and several audience members rose to ask why authorities did not arrest Ugandan homosexuals when they had the chance. XXXXXXXXXXXX

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Buturo – He’s Back

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KAMPALA 00001413 003 OF 004

9. XXXXXXXXXXXX

——————————————— —-

Parliamentary Debate in March or April

——————————————— —-

10. (C) XXXXXXXXXXXX reaffirmed that Bahati’s bill is not a priority and that debate on the legislation will likely not begin until March or April 2011 (ref. C). Key bills on election reform, political party funding, and the International Criminal Court are already pending before XXXXXXXXXXX. XXXXXXXXXXXX said pressure to move the anti-homosexuality bill to the front of the line is “disturbing” committee members, but XXXXXXXXXXXX and take a skeptical view of anti-homosexuality legislation.

11. (C) Bahati tried to shift the bill from the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee to the more favorable Presidential and Foreign Affairs Committee on December 15 but failed as there is no provision in Parliament to re-assign legislation from one committee to another. XXXXXXXXXXXX said the bill “has no place in our modern world”, and XXXXXXXXXXXX

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Opposition Concerns

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12. (C) XXXXXXXXXXXX told PolOff XXXXXXXXXXXX. In September, Otunnu accused state security services of running a smear campaign about his sexual orientation and HIV status to discredit a potential presidential bid (ref. D). XXXXXXXXXXXX speculated that Uganda could run a similar smear campaign against Besigye, forcing him to curtail presidential campaign activities.

KAMPALA 00001413 004 OF 004 

13. (SBU) XXXXXXXXXXXX said the opposition FDC fears Uganda will use the anti-homosexuality legislation against Besigye, and recalled government efforts to hobble Besigye’s 2006 presidential campaign by arresting him on spurious charges of rape, terrorism, and treason. XXXXXXXXXXXX speculated that Uganda could disrupt Besigye’s 2011 campaign with phony homosexuality allegations.

——————————————— –

Comment: Homophobic Demagogues

——————————————— –

14. (C) Recent condemnations by Warren and other U.S. based individuals have further isolated Bahati. His homophobia, however, is blinding and incurable. Bahati, Buturo, and particularly Ssempa’s ability to channel popular anger over Uganda’s socio-political failings into violent hatred of a previously unpopular but tolerated minority is chilling. XXXXXXXXXXXX described Ssempa as an anti-homosexuality “extremist.” XXXXXXXXXXXX said he opposes the legislation not because he favors homosexuality, but because legalizing persecution of homosexuals is the first step toward state sponsored persecution of other minority groups. On December 22, XXXXXXXXXXXX asked PolOff if the U.S. could provide an expert speaker to reinforce arguments exposing the human rights ramifications of Bahati’s legislation in advance of parliamentary hearings. Helping those attempting to counter Bahati, Buturo, and Ssempa to better craft their arguments – perhaps through a digital video conference or some other venue – is worth pursuing.

LANIER

Bahati sidesteps questions about threats to BBC reporter

Last week, BBC reporter Scott Mills said he felt threatened by Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill author, David Bahati. Mills interviewed Bahati in Uganda for the program, The World’s Worst Places to be Gay. After the interview, Mills says he revealed his gay orienation to Bahati and then according to Mills:

The 36-year-old was filming a show called The World’s Worst Place to be Gay? (on BBC3, of course), when he confessed his sexual orientation to British-educated politician David Bahati – who Scott said “went mental”.

He explained: “He was scary. He ordered us to cut the cameras then brought a security guard.

“We ran off and he rang one of our guys saying, ‘Where are they staying? What are the registration plates? I want them arrested. They won’t get far’.”

Fortunately Scott’s colleague lied about their location, and armed police arrived at the Sheraton – where they had been falsely told the team were staying.

The DJ continued: “I’d heard horror stories about people getting arrested and roughed up and who knows what. I was scared.”

I wrote David Bahati and asked for his version of the events and he sent back the following message:

…the most important thing to me at the moment is to ensure that my president and party win elections on 18th feb but not to engage in immaterial issues of a journalist trying to make ends meet.

In this interview (click the link), Bahati says he would not have done the interview for the documentary if he knew Mills was gay.

On one other occasion, MP Bahati scared a gay BBC journalist who was filming a documentary. While I cannot reveal the identity of the journalist, I have independent confirmation of the fact that Bahati considered police intervention when a reporter revealed his sexual orientation.

Here is a brief clip of Mills with Solomon Male.

 

And then his witchdoctor treatment:

As Bahati noted, Ugandan elections are this coming Friday. The Anti-Homosexuality Bill is one of many bills slated to be considered after the elections.

AFA removes article at odds with Bryan Fischer on Native Americans; Update: Original article also removed

I have written a couple of posts about Bryan Fischer’s supremacist views relating to Native Americans. As far as I can tell, I am only one of two conservatives to respond negatively to it. The other one, however, is noteworthy in that he did so on the website of the American Family Association.

One of AFA’s other columnists, 17 year old Elijah Friedeman posted a column criticizing Fischer’s views.  However, you’ll have to read it on Friedeman’s blog since it has been removed from AFA’s. Here is how he started it:

Native Americans were so immoral that they deserved what happened to them? I find the idea repulsive.

Yesterday, Bryan Fischer posted a blog about how American indians disqualified themselves from any claim to land in America by their sexual immorality and violence. I want to officially reject and distance myself from that viewpoint.

His other columns are still available and you can find the link to his rebuttal in the search engine but when you click the link, it fails to appear.

UPDATE: Bryan Fischer’s article has now been removed from the AFA website. However, you can read it in the Google cache for now and here permanently. I wonder if he will explain why it was taken down.

Native American group: Bryan Fischer’s article “not worth dignifying”

Curious to learn how some Native American groups viewed the anti-Native American article penned Tuesday (now here) by the American Family Association’s Bryan Fischer, I contacted the Native American Rights Fund.  NARF advocates for Native American interests and is described on their website as

…the oldest and largest nonprofit law firm dedicated to asserting and defending the rights of Indian tribes, organizations and individuals nationwide.

In his article, Fischer suggested that Native Americans were “morally disqualified” from maintaining their land due to depravity and failure to convert to Christianity. After reviewing the article, NARF’s spokesman, Ray Ramirez, sent this response.

NARF declines to comment because the article is not worth dignifying with a reply.

Of course, this is more than a “no comment.” On one hand it is not worth dignifying with a reply. Fischer’s article is historically challenged and uber-offensive. One of AFA’s other columnists, 17 year old Elijah Friedeman posted a column criticizing Fischer’s views (you’ll have to read it on Friedeman’s blog since it has been removed from AFA’s).

Native Americans were so immoral that they deserved what happened to them? I find the idea repulsive.

Yesterday, Bryan Fischer posted a blog about how American indians disqualified themselves from any claim to land in America by their sexual immorality and violence. I want to officially reject and distance myself from that viewpoint.

On the other hand, the source of these views is what has raised the profile. Another Native American leader who did not want to be quoted expressed hope that Mr. Fischer’s views are not true of most Christians. However, what is stunning is that we are here dealing with an organization in the AFA that is considered mainstream by so many GOP politicians and which is making a serious bid to split the conservative world.

…

You can watch Fischer in action here appealing to Jefferson, Washington and the Old Testament for his supremacist views. Obviously, the Founders got a lot right, but they were fallible men and were wrong at times.

UPDATE: Fischer’s article has been removed from the AFA website (2/10) and another website where he blogs. However, you can read it in the Google cache for now and here permanently. I wonder if he will explain why it was taken down.

The response even on the AFA website was intense and negative. I did not get a copy of all of the comments, but this blogger did. AFA must have taken the column down quietly with hope it would all go away. Taking it down just looks like damage control unless they actually say something about it.