Yes, this is in reference to Duck Dynasty and Phil Robertson

There is nothing wrong with being religious. If it gives people hope and strength, purpose and comfort, that is great, wonderful in fact. Religion can be a positive force to many people. But, when it is used as a smokescreen, to allow for bigotry, then it becomes an evil force. When the bible or Quran is used as a justification for homophobic speech, it becomes dangerous. They turn from books of hope to books of pain and discrimination. Furthermore, to say homophobic things and then turn around and say, "These are my Christian values!" reflects poorly on the religion. Worse yet, when people say something like, "But, I'm not for treating people who are gay badly," I can't help but think, "Really? You just said homophobic things based in a complete lack of understanding of human sexuality and relationships, justifying it using your holy book, thus saying things that treat people badly, then turn around and say you are not for treating people badly?" Is this like "Native people are all bums and alcoholics, but I believe in treating them equal." Really? Because a statement like that shows otherwise....and it's basically the same thing. The first one, however, is justified as being a religious view, and therefore, somehow, valid and unquestionable. Religion can be wonderful...but it can also be shockingly terrifying. We are celebrating Jesus' birthday this week. There are a lot of mysteries around him, his existence, who he actually was, BUT, if his mission was to teach peace, love, harmony, respect, understanding and fairness, I think it is fair to say that he would be against homophobia, and probably stand for absolutely NOTHING that Phil Robertson and his many supporters, including Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck seem to stand for which is basically the opposite of what it seems Jesus is all about. 

The Homophobic Madness Continues.

And the madness continues in the wake of President Obama stating support for same sex marriage. Although, lately, it's been a busy time for the issue, given North Carolina's vote to ban SSM, and Joe Biden making his statements in support of SSM. A report on Facebook by CNN International on same sex marriage has garnered the usual flurry of comments. Sadly, once again, many of the most vile and vicious have come from Africa. What is it about Africa and it's extremely horrible issue with homophobia? Anyway, here are some of the comments...

Wright Crown: Once u are get attracted to ur gender...believe me,u are on ur way to hell fire in which u are already in doom as long as u live...gay marriage is purely satanic...indulge in it...God will punish u himself...repent & accept God as ur lord & personal savour...

Chinedu Stanley Elastic: Be the gay u want 2be, but if u get close 2me i'll blow ur brains off......i'll hunt them like ghosts

Savonita Douglas: Mayb gays can't help the way they are, let's work on that. We, that r straight, mus go down on our knees and pray for them..mayb they don't wana b gay, but can't break the chains of it all by themselves..nothing is impossible with God. Let us all pray 2 whom ever we believe in..

Omosalewa Peter: America is sodom and gomorah, I wonder why animals think better than human beings. Can u exist if people in the world was gays and lesbians 200 years ago. Homosexualism is what some people called education, the word of God can never be amended,be prepared for total destruction,it's bitter truth. I don't care if u are a christian or not.

Faith Geh: Usa is not a country to look upto! A country where people sleep with dogs animal of any kind and now man on man and women on women. If God want it so he would not creat a woman from man. God is perfect. The bible is our guide & spirit of God is our witnes.

Kenneth Okereke Kentalky: Obama n same sex. Wonder y he is married. May be his 2 daughters wil get married 2 each other. Lol. End time.

Rasal Mohammed: i ll HATE gay marriage im not a annimel

Muhammad Shamsuddeen M C: Obama that's the end of you, even animals don't do that unless you and your people are worst then animal fool.

Mercie A. Christine: What are the root causes of these unnatural acts? Remember this acts are only physical manifestations of a much deeper problem in the human heart.

Jibril Abbas: Obama u ar a devil 4 sopporting same sex maraige. May Allah destroy u and d people dat ar practicing such devlish act. Insha'Allah u wil lose ur election lyk SAKORZY.l

And it goes on and on and on and on and on like this. It really does scare and repulse me. It saddens me and takes away some of the hope I have for this world. It further undermines my respect towards religion, as most of these people claim to be Christian or Muslim. It saddens me to see that so much of this rhetoric does come out of Africa, although, of course, homophobia exists everywhere, as we continue to see. So, I end this post with a heavy heart and a feeling of anger with my fellow human beings. 

Our Children's Future VS. Sanity and Reality: Challenging the Edmonton Public School Board

Well, you know, I've been a wee bit busy and stuff, and it's distracted me somewhat from becoming enraged enough by something to write a blog about it. But, I just read something that changed that, and here is my blog about it.

What has me so enraged that I actually stopped being so lazy and took to the keyboard? Well, that damn Edmonton Public School Board (EPSB) in Alberta, Canada wishes to create a safe and inclusive environment for all of their students. What BEASTS! What ANIMALS! How could the Edmonton Public School Board wish to create a school system where a diverse range of children can study together and create a bright and better future for all?? Someone REALLY should protest this.

And, alas, thankfully, someone has! Apparently all of this talk of inclusion was far too much for whoever the frick is behind a weird little, seemingly anonymous website titled "Our Children's Future-Standing Up for Moral Standards in Edmonton".The first red flag is always the "moral standards". When this phrase is used, especially in conjunction with anything to do with children, you know bigotry and hatred is what is to follow.

Apparently, the problem this person/these people have is that under a proposal by the Edmonton Public School Board in a policy on sexual orientation and gender identity, sexual "minority" students and same sex parented families will be (among other things, such as being accepted and protected from discrimination) AFFIRMED by the EPSB. Now, this lovely group or person or entity or whatever that is behind this site states:

We agree that all people regardless of sexual orientation have to be treated lovingly and not subjected to bullying however we will not affirm their unique identities, families, cultures or communities.  Affirming this type of sexual orientation violates the basic tenet of our belief systems, which is not a series of man-made rules and evolving human ethical standards, but the Holy Bible which clearly prohibits this type of sexual behaviour in both the Old and New Testaments.

Gotcha. And your narrow minded beliefs should come first and foremost, is that correct? That appears to be the belief, and they are calling on other like (narrow) minded people to do their duty and write to school board members to tell them that they shouldn't be treating these gays and lesbians and such with the dignity and respect they deserve because it goes against their beliefs. Look, telling people that your beliefs (religious) trump THEIR reality (sexual orientation) is NOT treating them lovingly. It is discriminatory. Telling someone that you will not accept them based on their sexual orientation is pretty mean and low. I always question the moral standards of someone who says something like that. We clearly do NOT share the same morals, and for that I am very glad.

So, here is what the proposal by the Edmonton Public School Board looks like and I think it looks not too bad at all:
http://www.epsb.ca/policy/aaadraft_ifa.bp.shtml

If you go to http://www.ourchildrensfuture.ca/ you will see that the site's creator(s) have done a fine job of listing all of the school board members which they are asking other bigots to write to and explain why the school board members should listen to bigots and not give GLBT (etc) students and their families the support and recognition they deserve.You may wish to contact them regarding the issue as well, what the heck. There is also a survey you can take, apparently, to give your views on the EPSB's proposal at this survey link. May as well plug in your answers there, too!

I hope that if you are reading my blog, you feel the same way as I do. I think this is a positive inititative by the Edmonton Public School Board and I want to see it put in place, not only in Edmonton, but across the country. I want to see kids feel at home at school, not as outcasts, and definitely not as being immoral just because of their sexual orientation. And I don't want to see people that believe discrimination and bigotry constitute "moral standards" from hijacking public school systems.

Murdering in the Name of God: Uganda

Wow. I don't even know what to say when I read an opinion piece like this. Here is a posting in the Nile Times from Uganda (http://www.thenltimes.com/apps/blog/show/2536769-homo-practice-is-unnatural-in-uganda). It is completely unedited.

What can be said? I cannot wrap my head around this way of thinking. This is a horrid interpretation of the bible, promoting murder in the name of god...and ignorance. And, even worse, it's sanctioned by the state who is pushing for an anti-homosexuality bill, dubbed the "Kill the Gays" bill by some. Fortunately, the outrage shown by the world may be at least helping to soften the bill.

Homo Practice is Unnatural in Uganda
Posted by niletimes at 12:45 AM on January 09, 2010

In Uganda and world over, there has been a lot of contentious deliberatations on the proposed Anti Gay Bill currently under scrutiny by Parliament of Uganda.

Biblically, Genesis 19: 4-11 naturally outlaws any carnal knowledge of any person against the order of nature. In the above verses, the men who had sex with fellow men were made blind by God.

Also Genesis 2:24 is to the effect that a man will leave his father and mother and is joined to his wife. And in that way, two people become one.

From the above Biblical analysis, it is a fact beyond any reasonable doubt that naturally a man goes with a woman, a bull goes with a cow, a cock goes with a hen and that is the order of nature.

In Uganda at the moment, homosexuality is outlawed by Section 145 of the Penal Code Act, Cap.120 under Unnatural Offences. This Section provides “Any person who has carnal knowledge of any person against the order of nature; has carnal knowledge of an animal; or permits a male person to have carnal knowledge of him or her against the order of nature, commits an offence and is liable to imprisonment for life”.

Therefore, the proposed Anti Gay Bill is meant to strengthen and widen the framework for implementing the already existing legislation. This is a defining Bill for our country, for our generation and for enhancing moral integrity. The Bill is by Ugandans and for Ugandans.

To fellow Africans, the choices, actions and agreements made now will determine which future becomes a reality for the young generation. It is our role to speak on moral and unnatural issues affecting our Continent.

I applaud the authority in Malawi for arresting two men last week on charges of Public indecency after becoming the first gay couple to marry in a country where homosexuality is illegal. I am reliably informed that a court in Malawi has equally denied the two bail for their own protection.

Magistrate Nyakwawa Usiwausiwa told a packed court in Malawi that he could not grant the couple a bail, saying the ruling was for their own protection. “The public out there is angry with them”. Usiwausiwa said.

Tiwonge Chimbalanga and Stephen Monjeza committed to marriage in a symbolic ceremony in southern Malawi last month, attracting hundreds of angry onlookers.

It is also recalled that barely two weeks ago, Gambian President Yahya Jammeh said Gambia is a country of believers and that such sinful and immoral practices as homosexuality will not be tolerated in the country.

President Jammeh vowed to “cut off the head” of any homosexual found in his country and also said that a legislation will be introduced, which will be “stricker than those in Iran”, with regards to such acts.

These are examples that should be emulated by all African countries to forthwith stop this moral vice that is invading our society. I cannot imagine how a man can kiss and sleep with a fellow man. This is extremely satanic! In Genesis 1:27, the purpose of God creating mankind (male and female) was for procreation and companionship among others. Can a man have children with a fellow man? What has gone wrong with the world?

As a Ugandan legislator, I support the criminalization of homosexuality because it is unnatural, unchristian, a moral and social evil. As a Parliament, we may consider revising the proposed Bill to limit maximum penalty for offenders to life imprisonment rather than execution, because it gives room for offenders to be rehabilitated.

I call upon other Members of Parliament to support this proposed Anti Gay Bill for the moral good of our society and young Ugandans.

The writer is Youth MP - Northern Region

obuason@yahoo.com