I insist, Mwenda is wrong on gays

By David Bahati

Since I moved the Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2009 on the 14th October 2009, there has been overwhelming support from Ugandans and people who believe in moral values alround the world. There have also been attacks from  the Gay Community and their sympathizers and our donor partners have put a lot of pressure on our government and disrespectfully interfering in our democratic process of law making. Ironically back in their countries and site an example in the USA state of Maine, homosexuality was rejected in a referendum. They have intentionally used the suggested close on aggravated homosexuality which was an import from an already passed Act on defilement to alarm people that the Bill is about killing gays. This is mere distortion of facts.

Unfornately my friend Andrew Mwenda a man in position of influence, whom I hold with high esteem for his contribution in the Ugandan media, writes in defense of homosexuality when he certainly knows it is an absolute perversion. He urges that the Bill seeks to discriminate against the minority (homosexuals). I believe in freedom of speech for all unless the speech causes physical harm and that is why I shall not condemn Andrew but speak about some of the issues he raised. No one knows but whatever transpires from this Bill in Uganda may be the onset of a worldwide battle of values and the defense of traditional heterosexual family.

I appreciate the need to protect the rights and freedoms of the minorities but I have always tried to understand the arguments that pro-gay advance but failed to make meaning out of them. To date some questions remain unanswered; is homosexuality one of the human rights? Is homosexuality an inherent behavior or behavior by conscious choice? The answers to the above questions have generated controversies worldwide. However, In line with this I have examined chapter 4 of our constitution, which is consistent with the UN human bill of rights, over and over again, and I can undoubtedly state that homosexuality is not one of human rights we cherish. I am happy that no single Ugandan or other individuals and organization has come up in clear terms that homosexuality is a right.

Our worries as much as they are for the current generation, are also for the future generation. This battle is about our children who are being lured into this vile and our moral stand as a country. Indeed it true that this bill was driven by our deep fear of God and the e zeal act according to his will but also the need to defend the age old traditional  heterosexual family which is rooted in our  culture as  Ugandans. The vile evil is spreading in schools, churches and NGOs and if we don’t take action now we shall reach a stage whereby it is the homosexuals who shall be tabling bills to criminalize all morals and legalise all manners of perversion.

Let us now look at the “concerns” raised by Andrew Mwenda with reference to his article in the November issue of the Independent Bahati: Dont usurp Gods power .It is key that we note how Mwenda inclined much on the religious aspect of the bill and much of his argument was to justify that the task of judging and consequently punishing sin should be left to God. Societies wouldn’t need law and order if all the tasks of countering sins were to be left for God. I believe that we are doing God’s will who acts through us in instituting some of the corrective measures necessary for harmonious human survival. Theft, murder, adultery, lying and many more are all sins and there are laws that have been made to counter them. It would therefore be absurd if we were to leave it all up to God to work on all these sins like Andrew says. Anarchy and all vile perversions would become the norm and I don’t believe Andrew is advocating for that.

God fearing values teach us how to differiate between right from wrong and I agree with the biblical condemnation of the homosexual lifestyle because homosexuality is not a right, it is not a faith, it is simply wrong. We need to be able to do more than cite Bible or Koran verses. Ugandans let stand up for the values that live in the hearts of all God fearing people and in doing so it does not make us homophobic.

Coming back to the Anti Homosexuality Bill, Mwenda tried to compare the fight against slavery by the abolitionists to that of the homosexuals and their fight for recognition. Here we should be careful since the slavery in America was forced upon the black people who had committed no sin other than being black people, while homosexuality as we have discovered is funded by rich ill intentioned perverts whose sole intention is to spread this  abominable  behavior . The fight for human dignity by the abolitionists should therefore not be compared to the undignified behavior of homosexuality being promoted by perverts.

The other issue Mwenda raised was about similar homosexual tendencies in animals. What Mwenda forgot is that there is a clear distinction between Human beings and animals. Some animals eat their young ones and I wonder whether Mwenda would advocate for child sacrifice or cannibalism .We cannot start comparing our sexuality or any other aspect of Humanity to that of creatures with no morals and I insist that there shouldn’t even be any comparison at all .Human beings are simply Human beings and animals remain animals no matter the scientific arguments. He goes on to compare the wonderful people of God; the Pope and the hierarchy of Catholic Church who sacrificed to serve God and humanity in celibacy with the homosexuals who have chosen to do bad out of their selfish interest of sin. This is an insult to the people of God, Andrew.

Mwenda went ahead to remind us that Homosexuality is as old as life without considering that so are other vile actions in Human existence such as murder, rape and all sorts of abominable crimes which are also as old as life itself. In using age of homosexuality as a justification for its legitimacy would be the same as advocating for Murder or any other age old unlawful behavior as a human right. A wrong cannot be justified by numbers or age.

As the debate rages on, it is important to inform the public; that the Bill is now at the committee stage under the Presidential Affairs Committee and every interested individual or organization is free and welcome to have an input in the bill in order to come up with a fine piece of legislation that sums up the aspirations and values of Ugandans and for Ugandans. The tide is turning for the homosexuals who have tried to black mail people under the guise of minority rights. It is time to resolve this threat to our children and society now before it is too late. I dont want to imagine a world in which my son will invite me to a wedding where he will be marrying Mwenda’s son. It wouldnt  get any worse.