Feb 26 2014: Catholic Agency for Overseas Development Condemns anti-LGBT Law in Uganda

The Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) has condemned a new law approved on Monday in Uganda,  which will allow those convicted of homosexuality to be imprisoned for life.

In a statement today (Feb 26, 14) CAFOD said:

“Every human person has a fundamental dignity, as created by God, and each person is precious in God’s eyes. CAFOD therefore opposes all forms of discrimination, whether based on race, religion, gender or sexuality.

"As was made clear by the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in their 1986 letter to Bishops all over the world:

‘It is deplorable that homosexual persons have been and are the object of violent malice in speech or in action. Such treatment deserves condemnation from the Church's pastors wherever it occurs. It reveals a kind of disregard for others which endangers the most fundamental principles of a healthy society. The intrinsic dignity of each person must always be respected in word, in action and in law.’.”

A spokesperson said parts of Ugandan society was already very hostile to homosexuality and she feared the new law will lead to increased violent attacks on people who are gay, or even suspected of being gay.

Gratuitous attacks on LGBT Ugandans are beginning, already. In a screaming front page headline, with photos alongside, a Ugandan tabloid shouted:

"EXPOSED! Uganda's 200 Top Homos Named"

Can physical attacks be far behind?

Governments and NGO's with ties to Ugandan counterparts and rapport with Ugandan government representatives are urged to tell everyone: the new, inhumane law must be rescinded.

Source:

CAFOD condemns Uganda's anti-homsexuality law - ICN, Feb 26 2014

Ugandan tabloid prints list of 'homosexuals' - CNN Feb 25 14

Newspaper Outs 200 ‘Top’ Gays in Uganda After law enacted outlawing homosexuality | TIME WORLD 2/15/2014

Ugandan President Signs Harsh Anti-Gay Bill, Invites “outsiders” to Stop Financial Aid to Uganda - so, Let’s.

The President of Uganda, on Feb 24, 2014, signed  a bill, which mandates life sentences for anyone who “promotes” homosexuality.

In signing the bill into law, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni made the following comments - and has challenged the world to do something about it:

“No study has shown you can be homosexual by nature. That’s why I have agreed to sign the bill." 

“Homosexuals are actually mercenaries. They are heterosexual people but because of money they say they are homosexuals. These are prostitutes because of money.” 

“That is why those mercenaries must be punished and those recruiting them. I have failed to understand that you can fail to be attracted to all these beautiful women and be attracted to a man.” 

“That is a really serious matter. There is something really wrong with you.” 

“Outsiders cannot dictate to us. This is our country. I advise friends from the West not to make this an issue, because if they make it an issue the more they will lose.”  

“If the West does not want to work with us because of homosexuals, then we have enough space to ourselves here.”

Meanwhile, on Feb 12, 2014, the US government announced a new $10 million grant to foster 

“Uganda's nature-based tourism to deliver and improved visitor experience and stewardship of natural resources necessary to sustain Uganda's economic development.”

The decision to send $10 million in new tourism funding to Uganda must be reversed.

You can help by calling or writing USAID Press office:

202-712-4320 

USAIDPressOfficers@usaid.gov

You can also post a message on the USAID-Uganda facebook page:

The message to US AID:

in light of the new-anti LGBT law in Uganda, the USAID/Uganda $10 million “Tourism for Biodiversity Program” should be scrapped.

You can also deliver the same message to the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF), which is the conduit for the new grant:

African Wildlife Foundation

1400 Sixteenth Street, N.W. - Suite 120

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20036, USA

Tel: +1 202 939 3333

Toll free: +1 888 494 5354

africanwildlife@awf.org

Sources:

Draconian Details of Uganda’s Misguided New Anti-Gay Law - 76 Crimes Feb 24, 2014

US $10m earmarked to improve tourism in Uganda - TourismUganda.com/information Feb 12 2014

Also: 

Uganda’s President Signs Antigay Bill - NY Times Feb 24 2014

Reaction to Uganda Antigay Law - The Lede, NY Times, Feb 24 2014

Uganda's president to sign anti-gay bill Monday - AP Feb 24, 2014

Uganda Media Centre Spokesman: President to Sign Anti-Homosexuality Bill at 11am Today (UPDATED) - Paheos Blog Feb 24 2014

Well Played New York Times !!

The New York Times believes in "balance" as we all know.


So, to "balance" President Obama's strong electoral support among women, the nation's newspaper of record went a'hunting.

'Who can we come up with to provide a little bit of balance to Obama?  

'Got it!  

'Let's find a millionaire Barnard graduate and ask her to declare that President Obama demeans women.'

Check.

'We'll have our balancer-millionaire Barnard graduate focus on a Barnard graduation speech - not on substantive policy.' 

Check.

'We'll have our balancer-millionaire Barnard graduate ignore Clinton at the Department of State, Sibelius at HHS, and even Napolitano at Homeland Security.' 

Check.

'Our balancer-millionaire Barnard grad must ignore these women , so as to be able to complain, in our op-ed headline, 

"Obama: 

Stop Condescending to Women"

Check.

'We'll have our balancer-millionaire put words in Obama's mouth - “Behind every great man is a great woman.” - stuff he has never said -

Check 

' . . . and then criticize Obama for the "fake praise" which is "so tired" but which Obama has never uttered.' 

Check. 

'But it's all about the economy, so we gotta find someone who is not above putting in something about noble but struggling women - who do not want any government help. At all.'

Check 

'Got it! 'Let's have our balancer-millionaire refer sympathetically to some of her unnamed but poor-yet-dignified relatives who are said to say: we are in a tough spot but we prefer it that way. No g'vment handouts for us! - our balancer can, say this for them.'

Check. 

 'And there is no need for our balancer millionaire Barnard graduate to point out that her hard-hit relations were hardest hit by George Bush's inattention and his administration's gimicky give-to-the-rich budget numbers, and that Obama is trying to get this fixed.'

Perfect!

'But what if we can't find a female millionaire Barnard grad who will do all this 'balance' for us?'

What to do . . . what to do . . . Prob solved:

'Let's just mosey on over to the Romney campaign and find the wife of a staffer or adviser or whatever - and get her to do it. 

Pluperfect! 

Well played New York Times.


SOURCE:


Campbell Brown: Obama, Condescending to Women 

"Fact-Based" Ad Riddled With Falsehoods | Media Matters for America

According to Fox News' Hannity: 


a new "American Crossroads" anti-Obama ad is effective because it is "fact based" - 

HANNITY: [. . .] Why do you say this is the best one? [. . .] 

LUNTZ: It was fact-based, not assertions.

But according to MediaMatters: the new ad

"Is Actually Overflowing With Falsehoods"

Examples:


The ad asserts: 

80 PERCENT OF GREEN ENERGY MONEY WENT TO 

"JOBS IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES"

&

OBAMA ADMIN. "ADMITTED" $2.3 BILLION OF TAX CREDITS "WENT OVERSEAS"

These statements are distortions. The fact is: 

"The Department of Energy estimated that 82,000 jobs have been created and has acknowledged that as much as 80 percent of some green programs, including $2.3 billion of manufacturing tax credits, went to foreign firms that employed workers primarily in countries including China, South Korea and Spain, rather than in the United States. [The Washington Times, 9/9/10]

SOURCE - Media Matters for America, and the link:


Hannity And Luntz Promote "Fact-Based" Ad That Is Actually Riddled With Falsehoods | Media Matters for America

DREAMING OF ABSTINENCE, NOT SEX, IN AN ELECTION YEAR

"Founded in 1995, Heritage Community Services' programs utilize The Heritage MethodSM, a logic model that addresses the risky behavior of adolescents from the perspective of changing the behavior that is causing the problem rather that dealing with the consequences of the risky actions.

"The Heritage MethodSM is a systemic approach that through the use of our programs is designed to saturate whole communities with effective resources to help young people develop good character, abstain from risky behaviors, and prepare for marriage and family life. This method, which is a character-based systemic approach to risk avoidance, has been developed on a foundation of sound theory and methodology. Our students are 67% less likely to have had sex compared to similar non-program students measured a year after the program is over." (Source with emphasis added, and photo  credit:  The Heritage Method website.

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHH) has quietly listed Heritage Community Services as an "evidenced based" conception-prevention program.

The prob is that there is no evidence that the program is effective. No evidence at all. No peer review. No scientific method. No nothing. So, when Heritage Method asserts that something-or-other is 67% more likely than something else, there is a 100% chance data does not exist to back up this assertion. 

The Heritage Method is all about abstinence. 

School systems that contract with the Heritage Method set up mandatory attendance programs for middle- and high-schoolers, who are asked if they are "virgins" and whose responses then become the "scientific" grounds for later assertions about the effectiveness of the programs.

Condoms? Ignored. 


Instead of dealing with contraception, young men and young women are asked to envision their wedding day. 

For the young man:

“The doors swing open and there stands your bride in her white dress…This is the woman you have waited for (remained abstinent for) who has waited for you…This woman loves you and trusts you with all that she is and all that she has. You want to be strong, respectful and courageous for her. With all your heart, you want to protect her, and by waiting (sexually) you have.” (Heritage Keepers, Student Manual, p. 59)

and for the young woman:

“Everything is just as you have seen it in a million daydreams…” When the bride takes her father's arm: “Your true love stands at the front. This is the man who you have waited for (remained abstinent for) and who has waited for you…This man wants to be strong and courageous for you, to cherish and protect you… You are ready to trust him with all that you have and all that you are, because you have waited (sexually) you have it all to give.” (Heritage Keepers, Student Manual, p. 49)

What are young LGBT kids asked to envision?

Sorry, for Heritage Keepers, you do not exist.

The evidence that abstinence "works" is touted not by scientists in peer reviewed studies but by speakers and presenters at events sponsored by the National Abstinence Education Association. (See, for example the Abstinence Works 2011 REPORT, which is a PDF file you can buy for twenty bucks, but otherwise cannot read.)

There have been peer-reviewed studies of the Heritage Method. Two, in fact. These studies concluded:

…the [Heritage Keepers] Life Skills Education Component did not have significant impacts on 11 of the 12 intermediate outcomes related to sexual abstinence. The one exception is a significant impact among middle school youth on their friends’ support for abstinence.

and:

Findings indicate that the [Heritage Keepers Abstinence Program’s] Life Skills Education Component had little or no impact on sexual abstinence or activity

A third review has concluded differently - but without actually producing a "study."

Instead of reporting findings, the DHH refers us to the Heritage Keepers themselves, and their curriculum.

RH-Reality Chech lays out the problem and asks the pertinent question:

"To date, there is still no published peer-reviewed manuscript to help assess what, if anything, changed for the program to make the list. Was a new study conducted? Did the authors submit new data or simply rework the old?"

Yep. It's an election year.

VATICAN COMMISSION - NO SUCH THING AS A CONSCIENCE

(DISSOCIATED PRESS, Ap 26 12)


The Pontifical Office for Speculative Scientific Evanescence (P.O.S.S.E) announced today that it had concluded there is no such thing as a human conscience.


Pope Benedict XVI is said to have rejoiced in his private apartments, when the news was shouted to him.


The Posse, appointed by Pope Alexander III in 1171, has been working hard in recent centuries. Insiders speculate that the Posse was stimulated to put the finishing touches to its 74-volume report, on the heels of the Pontifical denunciation of US nuns, who, by thinking, have strayed far from the traditional teachings of the church.


The complete report is entitled Potest te credere? Tibi ad. (Can you believe it? You have to.)

The Posse issued a 96-page Digest, which helpfully contained a Preface which reads in its entirety: "Turns out, what everyone thought was a troubled conscience is indigestion. Gas pains!" 

In a touching sidelight, Posse Chairman, Cardinal Putritto Wannabetti, 96, insisted on hand-delivering the report. Wannabetti personally transfered the volumes from his little wagon directly into the Pope's little wagon.


Sadly, the exertion was too much for Wannabetti, who collapsed at volume 52. The Cardinal was carried back to his private apartments over the shoulder of his ever-present assistant, Archbishop Roque Scorto, 29.


The US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) are now likely to revamp their anti-health care Freedom of Religion initiative. 


USCCB head Cardinal Tim Dolan issued a brief statement, under the heading "Problems Solved!"

"It is now clear that the only play is what the religious institution dictates. This applies to whatever social issue you wanna come up with. We will hit a home run on every pitch! 

Abortion? The only choice is whether the woman gets to keep the kid. We will decide that case by case.

Wayward Nuns? It's back to the classroom and the charity ward for every last one of them, except for the ones who lay out our little red slippers.

The terrible social scourge of pedophilia? Boys will be boys!"

Lawyers for priests presently on trial for raping or covering up the rape of minors are expected to move for dismissal on the grounds that since there is no such thing as a conscience, there can be no intent to do anything, good or bad, until Benedict XVI tells everyone what to do. 


A Vatican insider was heard to say, "Too bad the Posse did not finish their work before the Reformation. Luther was wrong about everything except the intrinsic value of farting. This proves it."

"Catholic pupils support gay marriage equality"

Excerpts follow with emphasis added, and also the Source:

Students at a Catholic state school in south London have been shown a presentation on religious opposition to the government’s proposal to allow gay couples to marry in civil ceremonies which, it is claimed, encouraged them to sign the Coalition for Marriage’s petition against the move.

[. . .]

The Catholic Education Service confirmed to PinkNews.co.uk that it had written to at least 359 Catholic state secondary schools in England and Wales last month asking them to draw attention to a letter by senior archbishops which told Catholics of their “duty” to do “all we can to ensure that the true meaning of marriage is not lost for future generations”.

It also asked schools to “draw attention” to the Coalition for Marriage campaign and petition against civil marriage equality, which now has over 460,000 signatures.

Responding on the school’s behalf, the Catholic Education Service said St Philomena’s itself had designed the presentation which is said to have encouraged minors to add their names to that campaign.

It confirmed the presentations for all age groups had consisted of the Archbishops’ letter and ended with a slide displaying the Coalition for Marriage’s website and the words: “Sign the petition”

[. . .]

A sixth form student told PinkNews.co.uk of her experience: 

“In our assembly for the whole Sixth Form you could feel people bristling as she explained parts of the letter and encouraged us to sign the petition.

“She said things about gay marriage and civil partnerships being unnatural. It was just a really out-dated, misjudged and heavily biased presentation.”

She added that students had begun to respond: 

“A few of us in my year are buying Gay Pride badges to pin on our uniform and thought about staging a Stonewall coup by posting the ‘Some people are gay – get over it’ posters around school.”

“Most importantly though, there are several people in my year who aren’t heterosexual – myself included – and I for one was appalled and actually disgusted by what they were encouraging.

“After all, that’s discrimination they were urging impressionable people to engage in, which is unacceptable.”

[. . .]

SOURCES:

Catholic school ‘urged pupils as young as 11 to sign anti-gay marriage petition’

Catholic pupils support gay marriage equality | Queering the Church