Articles in Politics
Sara’s News Roundup 12/13/09
Human Rights Day and Sullivan’s Hypocrisy
“Many other groups face discrimination to a greater or lesser degree. Some of them are easily definable such as persons with disabilities, stateless people, gays and lesbians, members of particular castes and the elderly. Others may span several different groups and find themselves discriminated against on several different levels as a result.Those who are not discriminated against often find it hard to comprehend the suffering and humiliation that discrimination imposes on their fellow individual human beings. Nor do they always understand the deeply corrosive effect it has on society at large.Discrimination feeds mistrust, resentment, violence, crime and insecurity and makes no economic sense, since it reduces productivity. It has no beneficial aspects for society whatsoever. Yet we continue to practice it – virtually all of us – often as a casual reflex, without even realizing what we are doing.I would therefore like to encourage people everywhere – politicians, officials, businesses leaders, civil society, national human rights institutions, the media, religious leaders, teachers, students, and each and every individual – to honour Human Rights Day 2009 by embracing diversity and resolving to take concrete and lasting actions to help put an end to discrimination.”
Ex-gays inspire Kill the Gays bill in Uganda, CBC & Prevo are silent
American ex-gay leaders, mega-church pastors and conservative senators are behind the push for Uganda’s anti-homosexuality law that will impose life imprisonment for being gay, death by hanging for having gay sex if you’re HIV positive, and up to 3 years in prison for not reporting gay people to the government.
U.S. ex-gays organized a conference in Uganda earlier this year that provided the inspiration and supposed “evidence” to justify the Anti-Homosexuality Law, introduced right after the conference. If gays can be cured by prayer, goes the argument, then those who continue to be gay are just not praying hard enough. In Uganda, being gay is already a crime, and now anyone who isn’t cured will be sent to prison for life or killed.
Is the true intent of the ex-gay industry to eliminate homosexuals – by any means necessary? Do the sponsors of the ex-gay events in Alaska support this? Why haven’t the UAF Campus Bible Club, the Abbott Loop Community Church, and Jerry Prevo spoken out and condemned this death bill?
Rachel Maddow is reporting an on-going series called “Uganda Be Kidding Me” on the U.S. connection to the proposed law. A segment focusing on the ex-gays shows three American groups closely involved with Uganda’s effort to eliminate gays: congressmen connected to The Family, evangelical pastors, and the ex-gays.
Watch Uganda Be Kidding Me: the story behind ‘curing’ gays (Dec 8):
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
The ex-gay methods are dangerous and ineffective, and these groups are exporting a deadly homophobia to countries like Uganda. But the larger goal of The Family is Dominion, a world run by evangelical Christian rule. In other words, sharia, and a return to the Dark Ages.
Frank Schaeffer on the Brad Blog shows that killing gays for Jesus is just part of the larger plan. Bruce Wilson on Talk To Action connects Rick Warren’s purpose driven “reformation” to Uganda’s anti-homosexuality law, and explains the Dominion plan for setting up evangelical Christian governments. Uganda is just the tip of the iceberg.
Box Turtle Bulletin tracks the ex-gay industry and has been following the Uganda bill all year.
For an inside look on African gays, GayUganda is a blog written by a gay Uganda man who is still in the country, writing about the bill and the international response, and questioning whether he and his partner should leave or stay and be martyred. It’s heartbreaking.
So who is going to ask Campus Bible Club, Abbott Loop, and Prevo if they support the Kill the Gays bill?
Sara’s News Roundup 12/6/09
Meditation, Grants, Facebook, Arctic Heat, and lots ‘o news
Anti-Gay Lobby Bullies UA Regents and Students
Bent Alaska and the UA student, staff and faculty group asking the Board of Regents to add sexual orientation to the UA non-discrimination policy both got an unusual Facebook friend request the day after Thanksgiving: from Dave Bronson, of the anti-gay Alaska Family Council.
Why did Bronson ask to friend us three days before the regents meeting at UAA, when it was already public knowledge that the students would make their request again? Did he hope we wouldn’t notice that he’s an employee of the Family Council? Was he that desperate to know what else we might have planned?
Earlier in the week, the Alaska Family Council – a political lobby group unrelated to the university – sent an email blast titled “Don’t Let UA Regents Be Bullied By Homosexual Activists,” denouncing the students who are asking for the policy change (and who mostly happen to be heterosexual):
We have learned that activists in the homosexual movement are attempting to convince the University of Alaska Board of Regents to change the university non-discrimination policy so as to give special recognition to homosexuals. If successful, individuals engaging in homosexual behavior will be afforded the same recognition as members of racial and ethnic minorities.
Of course we want the same recognition as other minority groups. And if we’re asking for the same rights, then they aren’t special rights, they’re equal rights.
The Family Council told their members to email each of the 11 regents and pressure them to reject the students’ request.
Jessi Angelette, a UAF student leading the effort, did testify at the meeting, saying in part:
I am here today before you once again to urge you to amend the current non-discrimination policy and to add it to the next meeting’s agenda…
The Alaska Family Council has sent out an email stating that you the Regents are being bullied by homosexual extremists. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. We are a representation of the students you have sworn an oath to educate and protect. There are thousands of students who call the campuses home while trying to attain their education. Isn’t it their right to feel protected from being harassed and discriminated against based on their orientation or their perceived orientation where they call home?
After doing research of other college and university non-discrimination policies, we have found that many have sexual orientation included in their polices and some of the schools are in states that do not have laws protecting LBGT citizens, such as Alabama. We have also looked at Tier 4 in the school rankings where UAF is ranked and have found only 1/6 of the schools do not have sexual orientation in their non-discrimination policy. These schools have shown that even though their cities and states may not have laws to protect the LBGT citizens, they have taken it upon themselves to insure the safety of their students.
UAA students John and Heather Aronno also support the policy change. In The Bully on Campus at UAA, they quote the Family Council argument that this policy would limit their freedom to insult us, then respond to Jim Minnery, who signed the email:
…Have you been to UAA Jim? The right-to-life club hands out fliers with a revolver aimed at a fetus. We’re not in any danger zone that threatens the suppression of free speech, nor is anyone impeding the free exercise of religion… Unless it’s hate speech. You’re the one asking people who are otherwise in no way affiliated with UAA to flood board member inboxes and voicemail, and if that doesn’t work, barge into a board meeting and scream bloody murder. Again.
The students also note that the Council email links to a faux-college video called “Indoctrinate U: Our Education, Their Politics” and the page only lists past screenings, not the upcoming ones (to avoid protests?) Don’t be surprised if it shows in Anchorage next year.
So, which group do you think the UA Regents should give priority: UA students and staff, or an unrelated political lobby trying to force their religious bigotry on our public university?
Please take a moment and contact the UA Regents in favor of the student request. If you are a current or former UA student, staff or faculty member, please mention your connection to the university.
And if you moderate a GLBT Alaska Facebook page, please check profiles before you accept friend requests. You never know who will want to be your “friend.”
Sara’s News Roundup 11/29/09
Hate Vigil, Morality, Gospel Show, and a Seat at the Table
Sara’s News Round-up 11/22/09
Action: Support ENDA
A Message from Alaskans Together for Equality
In Alaska, firing a person because of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity is still legal. This is also true in 60% of the United States where gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) citizens are not protected against employment discrimination. Congress is getting ready to vote on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) which would offer protection from discrimination for LGBT citizens, and action on our part is required. If we want the discriminatory status quo to change, it is our responsibility to speak up and ask our Congressman Don Young and our Senators Mark Begich and Lisa Murkowski to vote in support of fairness and basic protections from job discrimination for LGBT Americans.
Neither Representative Young nor Senator Murkowski have made public their support for ENDA. We can help by writing letters to the editors of our local newspapers on the importance of passing this legislation. We can also spread the word among our friends and family to take action in support of this legislation. Most importantly and easy to do – we can email and call all three members of our Congressional delegation. This will only take about 5-10 minutes – isn’t ending discrimination worth that?
Call and email Congressman Young, Senator Murkowski, and Senator Begich today.
Contact Congressman Don Young
at 202-225-5765 and via e-mail.
Contact Senator Murkowski
at 202-224-6665 and via e-mail.
Contact Senator Begich
at 202-224-3004 and via e-mail.
Here is a suggested phone message:
“My name is____________ and I am a proud resident of (your city, Alaska). I am calling in support of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (H.R. 3017 and S. 1584), to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people from job discrimination. Please take swift action to pass ENDA. I can be reached at ________ (provide your phone number). Thank you.”
Sample email message to our Congressional delegation (please personalize):
“Subject: Support the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (H.R. 3017/S. 1584)
Honorable Congressman/Senator______________:
Today, employers in many states including Alaska can still legally fire people because they are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. These hardworking Americans deserve the same protection as their coworkers, and Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) would go a long way to making this a reality.
Please support an inclusive ENDA – the bill that protects lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Americans from losing their jobs simply because of their sexual orientation or their gender identity.
LGBT Americans deserve and need the ability to work — just like every American. Please help by supporting ENDA (H.R. 3017 and S. 1584) and bringing the bill to a vote in the House and Senate soon.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
[Insert Name,
address and phone number]”
We must speak up loudly and clearly! The opponents are flooding Congressional offices with calls and emails – we all need to call in and speak up against discrimination. Our elected officials need to hear that this bill (ENDA) is a top priority of fair-minded Alaskans.
The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act passed because the LGBT community and our many allies spoke up so loudly and clearly – that they even heard us in Washington DC.
We have a real opportunity for positive change!
Change will come, if enough of us act. The more of us who call, the faster full equality for LGBT citizens will arrive!
After you call and write your email, please forward this message or tell your friends and family what is at stake and ask them to contact their Congressional delegation too.
Are you a member of Alaskans Together for Equality yet? You can help by joining our organization and supporting our important advocacy work for LGBT equality across Alaska by becoming a member today.
