GOP Congressmen speak out against Ugandan 'Kill the Gays' Bill

by Rhonda J Mangus | December 25, 2009 at 05:46 am

399 views | 38 Recommendations | 9 comments

Amidst reports from the US Department of State that Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni is committed to blocking a harsh anti-gay bill from becoming law in his country and would veto the legislation should it come to his desk, five GOP Republican representatives have written a letter to Ugandan President Museveni asking him to stop the pending legislation. What is striking about this appeal from 'the five' is that their letter invokes the anti-gay 'Manhattan Declaration'.

"Five Republican representatives – Chris Smith, Frank Wolf, Joe Pitts, Trent Franks and Anh 'Joseph' Cao – have written a letter to Ugandan President Yoweri Mouseveni pressing him to stop pending legislation that would severely criminalize homosexuality and sometimes impose the death penalty for homosexual acts. In the letter, which you can read in full here, the men say their religious faith requires them to oppose the legislation because it contradicts the 'foundational Christian belief in the inherent dignity and worth of all men and women.'"

The letter invokes the anti-gay Manhattan Declaration: "As Members of Congress and as men of faith, we support the principles set forth in the declaration and are thankful for the principled position of these faith leaders on a host of issues, from the sanctity of life for the unborn and others, to religious freedom, to human dignity, to the belief that marriage is an institution between one man and one woman."

More on the Manhattan Declaration from Towleroad, which hopes to influence current Congressional debates over health care reform, DOMA, and the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, as well as abortion and stem cell research, here.

Read the Representatives' letter to President Yoweri Museveni

Take Action: Tell Uganda To Respect Human Rights And Dismiss the Anti-Homosexuality Bill

Previously on NowPublic by this Author:

BBC apologises, Ugandan Parliament debates anti-gay bill today (Dec. 18, 2009)
BBC Defends, Ditches Controversial Uganda Gay Execution Poll (Dec. 17, 2009)
White House condemns Uganda's Anti-Gay Bill (Dec. 13, '09)
Uganda to drop death penalty, life imprisonment for gays (Dec. 10, '09)
No visible ties, Christian leaders denounce Uganda anti-gay bill (Dec. 9, '09)
It's not so invisible anymore: 'The Family's' influence in Uganda (Nov. 28, '09)
Brown joins Harper against Uganda's Anti-homosexuality Bill 2009 (Nov. 28, '09)
Harper to raise issue of Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Bill at Summit (Nov. 26, '09)
US fundamentalist group at heart of Uganda's anti-gay law (November 26, '09)
Uganda anti-gay bill has potential to divide Commonwealth leaders (Nov. 25, '09)
Museveni claims European gays are 'recruiting' Ugandan citizens (Nov. 23, '09)
Jefferson Awards winner recognizes genocide looming in Uganda (Oct. 21, '09)
Uganda's Daily Monitor raises its voice on behalf of defenseless (Oct. 20, '09)
Did Exodus conference in Uganda unleash anti-gay vigilantism? (Oct. 19, '09)
Human rights groups blast Uganda's Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2009 (Oct. 18, '09)
Exodus International Holding Bryce Faulkner Hostage? (July 16, '09)

Additional related NowPublic news, here.

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Uwe Paschen

at 05:53 on December 25th, 2009

Thank you for staying on top of this issue Rhonda.

Rhonda J Mangus

at 05:56 on December 25th, 2009

You are very welcome, Paschen! Thank you for continuing to follow this story and for the recommendation. It is deeply appreciated.

It would probably be most helpful if President Museveni made an open statement on the matter.

marianmo

at 06:37 on December 25th, 2009

ty rhonda

Rhonda J Mangus

at 06:39 on December 25th, 2009

You are very welcome, marianmo. Thank you for following this story and for the rec:)!

Susan Marie Kovalinsky

at 06:44 on December 25th, 2009

Thank you for posting this: a very Merry Christmas to you and yours, Rhonda.

Rhonda J Mangus

at 06:55 on December 25th, 2009

You are very welcome, smk! Thank you, too, for the coverage you have provided on this issue. It is very much appreciated!:)

Wishing you and yours a very Happy Holiday, too! Thank you!

Rory Cripps

at 14:54 on December 25th, 2009

OK here goes:

I don't see any inconsistency with the five Republican's sign-off on the "Manhattan Declaration" and what they stated in their "letter to Ugandan President Yoweri Mouseveni pressing him to stop pending legislation that would severely criminalize homosexuality and sometimes impose the death penalty for homosexual acts."

It is possible that the five Republicans hate the sin (sin in their view and by no means my view) and love the sinner. It's one thing to not condone a particular sexual orientation, however it's quite another to condone the brutal and indeed savage treatment of those whose lifestyles don't conform to main-stream Christian biblical interpretations.

I don't know what the motive was for the five Republican's letter--no one other than they, themselves, really does. But perhaps it is what it is and they are truly concerned with the sanctity of human life. If that is the case, my hat is off to them in spite of their strong opposition to gay-rights issues. Indeed, if the five Republicans are willing to go on the record in defense of gays, what more can one ask for?

Rhonda J Mangus

at 18:38 on December 26th, 2009

Hi, Rory. Thank you for reading, commenting, and for the rec. I would like to believe too that 'the five' are truly concerned with the sanctity of human life, and so forth. My problem is that they wrote to President Museveni in their capacity as Republican Executive Committee Members of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission in the U.S. House of Representatives.

You will note that, among others, Tammy Baldwin, is also a member of this committee. A Democrat, Ms. Baldwin is on the LGBT Equality Caucus established in the U.S. House of Representatives in June 2008 by Ms. Baldwin and Rep. Barney Frank, also a Democrat.

My point is that it appears that several members of the committee did not sign the letter. My question then, of course, is "Why?"