God's Reaction To The Veto Of The Anti-Gay Bill In Arizona (2014)

Though many cheered when Arizona governor Jan Brewer vetoed SB 1062, the bill that would have made it legal for people to refuse to serve LGBT people on religious grounds, there were also some conservative pundits who were not so happy. The biggest complaint was that Brewer was tossing aside the freedoms of Christians. What else did the Michele Bachmann and other members of the Christian Right say? How about God himself (which atheists should get a kick out of)? The Young Turks host Cenk Uygur breaks it down.

Uganda Drafts New Anti-gay Laws

THE GUARDIAN: Politicians want seven-year prison term for ‘promotion’ of homosexuality, according to leaked copy

The Ugandan government could introduce new wide-reaching anti-gay laws before the end of the year, which could see people jailed for up to seven years for “promoting homosexuality”, activists warned on Saturday.

The move comes nearly a year after Ugandan politicians passed legislation that could have imposed life sentences on gays. The bill was struck down by the constitutional court on a technicality.

According to a leaked copy of the new draft law, MPs have instead focused on outlawing the “promotion” of homosexuality – a potentially far more repressive and wide-reaching measure.

Frank Mugisha, a gay-rights activist, said: “People don’t realise that the ‘promotion’ part of it will affect everybody. If newspapers report about homosexuality it could be seen as promotion. My Twitter account could be seen as promotion. All human rights groups that include LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender] rights defence in their activities could be accused of promotion.”

According to the draft, anyone convicted of “promoting” homosexuality would be liable to seven years in prison. “We have confirmed that the draft comes from the cabinet. Their plan is to present it to parliament as soon as possible, before the end of the year,” Mugisha said. » | Chris Johnston and agencies | Saturday, November 08, 2014

Margaret Thatcher's Anti-Gay Speech

"Children are being taught they have an inalienable right to be gay. All of those children are being cheated of a sound start in life." -- Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, October 9, 1987. Conservative Party Conference. Blackpool, United Kingdom.

Inside Story: Uganda Punished Over Anti-gay Law

As the World Bank cuts a loan to Uganda over its new anti-gay law, will this force the government to back down?

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni Signs Anti-gay Bill

BBC: Uganda's president has signed into law a bill toughening penalties for gay people and criminalising those who do not report them.

At the signing of the law, Yoweri Museveni claimed that "since nature is the main cause of homosexuality, then society can do something about it to discourage the trend".

US President Barack Obama has cautioned the bill would be a backward step. (+ BBC video) » | Monday, February 24, 2014

President Signs the Anti-Homosexuality Bill – State House, Entebbe

Related »

Uganda President Signs Anti-gay Law

Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni has signed off a bill
introducing anti-gay laws.

THE GUARDIAN: Yoweri Museveni defies US warning and signs law toughening already strict legislation against homosexuals

Uganda's president has signed a controversial anti-gay bill that has harsh penalties for homosexual sex, saying the bill is necessary because "arrogant and careless western groups" had tried to "recruit" Ugandan children into homosexuality.

President Yoweri Museveni signed the bill at his official residence in an event witnessed by government officials, journalists and a team of Ugandan scientists. The scientists had produced a report saying there was no genetic basis for homosexuality which Museveni has cited as his reason for backing the bill.

"We Africans never seek to impose our view on others. If only they could let us alone," he said, talking of western pressure not to sign.

Government officials applauded after he signed the bill, which was influenced by the preachings of some conservative American evangelicals. In its original form the bill called for the death penalty for some homosexual acts. That was removed from the legislation following an international outcry.

The new law calls for first-time offenders to be sentenced to 14 years in jail. It also sets life imprisonment as the maximum penalty for a category of offences called "aggravated homosexuality," defined as repeated gay sex between consenting adults as well as acts involving a minor, a disabled person or where one partner is infected with HIV. » | AP in Entebbe | Monday, February 24, 2014

Desmond Tutu Condemns Uganda's Proposed New Anti-gay Law

In condemning Uganda's proposed new law, Desmond Tutu
again equated discrimination against gay people with the
horrors of Nazi Germany and apartheid-era South Africa.

THE GUARDIAN: Retired archbishop accuses president of breaking promise in reconsidering law extending penalties against homosexuality

Archbishop Desmond Tutu has condemned Uganda's proposed law against homosexuality, saying there is no scientific or moral basis ever for prejudice and discrimination – and accusing the Ugandan president of breaking a promise not to enact the law. The new law would extend the prohibitions and penalties in a country where homosexuality is already a crime, to include acts such as "suggestive touching" in public.

President Yoweri Museveni had first said that he would not sign the legislation, then that he would do so after seeking scientific advice, and at the weekend that he would delay it pending more advice.

The proposed law has drawn harsh criticism from US president Barack Obama and former president Bill Clinton. The US warned that such a move could "complicate" approximately £240m in annual aid to Uganda. In a statement Tutu said: "When President Museveni and I spoke last month, he gave his word that he would not let the anti-homosexuality bill become law in Uganda. I was therefore very disheartened to hear last week that President Museveni was reconsidering his position."

Tutu equated discrimination against gay people with the horrors of Nazi Germany and apartheid-era South Africa. » | Maev Kennedy | Sunday, February 23, 2014

Arizona Legislature Sends ‘Anti-gay’ Bill to Republican Governor Jan Brewer

It is unclear if Arizona governor Jan Brewer will sign into law
a bill allowing businesses and others to deny service to gays.

THE GUARDIAN: Bill would allow businesses, churches and individuals to cite religion as reason for denying service to gay people

The Arizona legislature gave final approval to legislation that allows business owners asserting their religious beliefs to refuse service to gays, drawing backlash from Democrats who called the proposal “state-sanctioned discrimination” and an embarrassment.

The 33-27 vote by the House Thursday evening sends the legislation to Republican Governor Jan Brewer and puts Arizona back at the forefront of a polarizing piece of legislation four years after the state enacted an immigration crackdown that caused a national furor.

Similar religious protection legislation has been introduced in Ohio, Mississippi, Idaho, South Dakota, Tennessee and Oklahoma, but Arizona’s plan is the only one that has passed. The efforts are stalled in Idaho, Ohio and Kansas.

Republicans stressed that the bill is about protecting religious freedom and not discrimination. They frequently cited the case of a New Mexico photographer who was sued after refusing to take wedding pictures of a gay couple and said Arizona needs a law to protect people in the state from heavy-handed actions by courts and law enforcement. » | Associated Press in Phoenix | Friday, February 21, 2014

THE GUARDIAN: Kansas Republican leaders get cold feet over 'anti-gay' bill: Bill approved by Kansas house would give religious individuals and groups the right to deny services to same-sex couples » | Ed Pilkington in New York | Friday, February 14, 2014

Bernie Ecclestone ‘Completely Agrees’ with Vladimir Putin’s Anti-gay Laws, and So Do ‘90 Per Cent of the World’, Says F1 Boss

THE INDEPENDENT: In an ill-advised move, the Formula One boss gave his support for Russia’s controversial laws ahead of the first Russian Grand Prix this year

Bernie Ecclestone has said that not only does he "completely agree" with Vladimir Putin’s anti-gay propaganda laws, but that he believes "90 per cent of the world" do too.

In an ill-advised move, the Formula One boss lent his support for Russia’s controversial legislation, which prohibits the publicity of what it calls "homosexual behaviour" in the country.

"He [Putin] hasn't said he doesn't agree [with homosexuality] just that he doesn't want these things publicised to an audience under the age of 18," Ecclestone told CNN in an exclusive interview.

"I completely agree with those sentiments and if you took a world census you'd find 90% of the world agree with it as well."

"I've great admiration for him and his courage to say what he says," the 83-year-old added. "[It] may upset a few people but that's how the world is. It's how he sees [the world] and I think he's completely right." » | Jenn Selby | Friday, February 21, 2014

Gay No Go: Kansas Approves Bill Discriminating Against Same-sex Couples

A decision by the Kansas House of Representatives to pass a bill which would have allowed the legal discrimination of gay couples was met with outrage across the U.S. A somewhat embarrassed state Senate now plans to sink the legislation which would have allowed people to use their religious beliefs to openly deny services, care or employment to same-sex couples. RT's Gayane Chichakyan reports.

Britain Must Act over Uganda's Anti-gay Bill or Risk Watching an Exodus

Masked Kenyan supporters of the LGBT community stage a
protest against Uganda's anti-gay bill in front of the Ugandan
High Commission in Nairobi, Kenya

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Activists fear gay Ugandan's will be forced to seek asylum if President Yoweri Museveni fails to veto controversial bill

Uganda is facing an exodus of its gay population if the country presses ahead with a controversial bill that allows life imprisonment for homosexuality.

Gay activists in the country believe that large numbers of Ugandan gays will flee if President Yoweri Museveni fails to veto the bill, which could otherwise become law by the end of next week.

The Ugandan leader has been urged by Britain and other Westerns nations to block the bill, but is under pressure from conservatives in his parliament, which voted by a majority in favour of it in December.

In an interview with The Telegraph, Frank Mugisha, a leading Ugandan gay activist, said that hostility to gays in Uganda had increased since the vote, and that many would leave the country altogether if Mr Museveni failed to exercise his veto. Britain, which ran Ghana as a protectorate until 1962, would be an obvious destination to seek asylum in, both because of its colonial links and its reputation as a liberal country for gays to live in. » | Colin Freeman | Thursday, February 13, 2014