Thursday, January 27, 2011

President Obama, Secretary of State Clinton condemns murder of gay Ugandan activist

The repercussions of yesterday's awful murder of Ugandan gay activist David Kato have now gotten bigger.

Both President Obama and Secretary of State Hilary Clinton issue statements condemning the murders and showing solidarity with the lgbt community worldwide:

President Obama:

“I am deeply saddened to learn of the murder of David Kato. In Uganda, David showed tremendous courage in speaking out against hate. He was a powerful advocate for fairness and freedom. The United States mourns his murder, and we recommit ourselves to David’s work.

At home and around the world, LGBT persons continue to be subjected to unconscionable bullying, discrimination, and hate. In the weeks preceding David Kato’s murder in Uganda, five members of the LGBT community in Honduras were also murdered. It is essential that the Governments of Uganda and Honduras investigate these killings and hold the perpetrators accountable.

LGBT rights are not special rights; they are human rights. My Administration will continue to strongly support human rights and assistance work on behalf of LGBT persons abroad. We do this because we recognize the threat faced by leaders like David Kato, and we share their commitment to advancing freedom, fairness, and equality for all.”

Secretary of State Hilary Clinton:

We are profoundly saddened by the loss of Ugandan human rights defender David Kato, who was brutally murdered in his home near Kampala yesterday. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and colleagues. We urge Ugandan authorities to quickly and thoroughly investigate and prosecute those responsible for this heinous act. [snip] This crime is a reminder of the heroic generosity of the people who advocate for and defend human rights on behalf of the rest of us -- and the sacrifices they make. And as we reflect on his life, it is also an occasion to reaffirm that human rights apply to everyone, no exceptions, and that the human rights of LGBT individuals cannot be separated from the human rights of all persons. Our ambassadors and diplomats around the world will continue to advance a comprehensive human rights policy, and to stand with those who, with their courage, make the world a more just place where every person can live up to his or her God-given potential. We honor David’s legacy by continuing the important work to which he devoted his life.

And now the pivot gets worse for other Ugandan lgbts:

Fears were growing last night over the safety of Brenda Namigadde who is set to be deported to Uganda, where a leading gay rights activist has been found murdered.

Namigadde was ordered to leave Britain after a judge ruled she was not homosexual.

Campaigners say she could be jailed for 14 years if she returns to the African country, where homosexuality is illegal and there is political pressure to make it punishable by death.

I wonder if Peter Sprigg, Matt Barber, Tony Perkins, Peter LaBarbera,and the rest of the religious right will issue some type of statement here.

Or maybe it would be better for them to shut the @!& up.




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2 comments:

Ahab said...

And I wonder if Scott Lively and Lou Engle will be doing some serious soul-searching in the wake of this horror.

BlackTsunami said...

Are you kidding? LOL