UK Times: Anti-gay laws in Africa are because of anti-gay Americans

A recent article by the UK Times underlines and emphasizes a point already made about the recent bunch of homophobic laws in Africa. They are because of American religious right figures:

After a 16-month investigation, during which he interviewed scores of witnesses in Uganda, Kenya and Nigeria, Mr(Kapya)Kaoma (an Anglican priest from Zambia who is project director of Political Research Associates — a Massachusetts-based progressive think-tank) concluded that Africa’s anti-gay crackdowns are, at least in part, “made in the USA”.

“Through their extensive communications networks in Africa, social welfare projects, Bible schools and educational materials, US religious conservatives warn of the dangers of homosexuals, and present themselves as the true representatives of US evangelicalism,” he wrote in Globalising the Culture Wars: US Conservatives, African Churches and Homophobia, a damning report on the issue.

He told The Times: “We are not dismissing the fact that some of the money they send for Africa is going to good use. What we are concerned about is that the people who receive it are being trained in a conservative ideology. It will be like, ‘If I give you this, you must dance to my tune’.”

The results are becoming clear. In Malawi, where this week an openly gay couple were sentenced to 14 years in prison with hard labour, and across the continent, gays and lesbians face lives of increasing dread. It is hard to underplay the depth of anti-gay sentiment expressed in Africa. “Everyone is looking over their shoulders,” said Mwangi, a gay man from Nairobi, who did not want his family name published. “People don’t even want to come to this bar now because they know it has a reputation as a meeting place for gays. Before, no one gave a damn. Everyone came here, prostitutes, straights, the lot,” he said.

The article goes on with comments from anti-gays Scott Lively and Richard Cohen, who, in one form or another, ducks and dodges their homophobic influence in African nations.

The reason for me posting this piece is this: too often when points are made about the negative effects of homophobia, these points are left alone when they should be repeated continuously or drilled into everyone's consciousness if you will.

The fact of the matter is that self-righteous American homophobes are responsible for a lot of pain and hatred in African countries

And that's something we must never forget and make sure that no one else forgets either.

Also, something else has been nagging at me regarding this entire situation for a while now.

Just where in the hell has the African-American community been throughout all of this. I can't help but to compare this situation to when apartheid was prevalent in South Africa and there seemed to have been constant attention about it in the black community, especially the black media.

Unfortunately in this situation regarding African-on-African hatred fueled by white outsiders, there seems to be an omission of information. .

I think that's a real shame.