Rachel Maddow has a stunning report on the murder of David Kato. First, watch it and listen. Having done that, think again about all that crap about how progressive Christians are trying to push their agenda on the Global South. Using smoke and mirrors reactionary Christian groups charge progressives with poisoning the faith well and trying to drag down believers into their agenda of pan-sexual free for all morality, etc. In doing so they hope that we will not focus on their message of hate and their fear mongering.
At the end of this segment Rachel Maddow states that donor nations (and one supposes NGO's) need to make it clear to the people of Uganda that they believe David Kato's murder must be addressed by ending or not instituting anti-gay laws, by protecting all the citizens of Uganda, by promoting tolerance and not bigotry. And, she suggests, the US ought to take the lead, since the anti-gay propaganda machine works from here.
Yesterday ENS announced that our own Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori would be joining his administration as a member of the President's Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.This is quite an honor. It is also an opportunity. Faith-based partnerships are partnerships between the civic and religious "sectors" of our common life. They only work when the faith based communities are willing to abide by, or even exceed, the expectations of the civil community for justice and tolerance both. So the Advisory Committee ought to have some interest in calling those who incite hate and fear to account. The incendiary anti-gay rhetoric puts people in jeopardy both at home and around the world.
Ten days ago, when the Kato story first broke, I posted on another blog (Wounded Bird) "How long before the "reasserters" play the "brought it on his own head" game? Sooner, you can be sure, than Rowan accepts where appeasement leads."
ReplyDeleteNot much joy, dealing with the predictable, is it?
Many also counselled to let the tragic murder not be turned into a Gay hate crime if that was not the case. So it appears.
ReplyDelete"Many also counselled to let the tragic murder not be turned into a Gay hate crime if that was not the case. So it appears."
ReplyDeleteExcept that it was a gay hate crime which local authorities are very transparently trying to cover up because it is so embarrassing to them (and very clumsily changing their story from one week to the next). The evidence of police and government duplicity is piling up.
This crime could torpedo their hopes to distract public attention with a gay scare a few days before national elections.
A lot of American city governments did this kind of thing all the time about 30 years ago. Some still do.
OK. That settles it.
ReplyDeleteKurt
In this fallen world many bad things happen every day.
ReplyDeleteIn this case in far off Uganda, a violent third world country, a Gay activist was murdered by his houseboy after having sex with said houseboy and reneging on the promise to pay him for it. (according to said houseboy's confession.
But this case attracts attention where others don't in the wider world because of political agendas both in the secular world and within the Church.
It's a sordid tale one which highlights nothing more than the sad fallen state of mankind - nothing more. To use it to divide the Church, to take swipes at those you disagree with is to compound the sin.
Pray for David Kato's soul and for the perpetrator.
Pray for the Nation of Uganda and its leaders that life may improve for all citizens of that sad country where violence, illness and early death are common.
Pray for the willfully gullible who believe extremely dubious police reports despite over-whelming evidence of duplicity.
ReplyDeletePray for all of those who think that a "gay panic" excuse somehow lets them off the hook for their part in creating the poisonous atmosphere of violence and hatred that makes life so perilous for sexual minorities everywhere.
Pray that they may find true repentance and come back from a land that is waste and despair into true and happy fellowship with all of their neighbors, and with the Lord who created all people in His image and called them good.
OK. That settles it.
ReplyDeleteKurt.
The scurrilous LIES spread re this holy man's death (and we know they're lies, because we DON'T know what happened) could prompt a Psalm or 150.
ReplyDeleteIf these sort of lies continue, Mark, you simply MUST consider the pain being inflicted upon your LGBT readers. We've heard this kind of BS about our lives (and our martyr's deaths), all of our lives. Must we endure them here, too?
JCF--No, we DO know. It was a Gay hate crime. Counterlight has said so.
ReplyDeleteKurt
reports from Uganda say he was killed because he refused to pay the man who had spent the night with him...a man he had bailed from jail a few days earlier...... tragic
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI viewed the Rachel Maddow clip. Brilliant coverage. Brilliant words by the bishop, removed from office for his support of LBGT persons and still fighting the good fight. Thanks for posting this, Mark.
ReplyDeleteI second JCF's comments,
ReplyDeleteKurt, don't take my word for it. Go walk hand in hand with someone of the same gender down any busy street and watch what happens.
And it's not just in Uganda ...
ReplyDeletehttp://joemygod.blogspot.com/2011/02/north-carolina-arson-destroys-home-of.html
"I second JCF's comments,
ReplyDelete"Kurt, don't take my word for it. Go walk hand in hand with someone of the same gender down any busy street and watch what happens."--Counterlight
That's right, "Kurt". If you lived in NYC as I have for the past 35 years, you would know of dozens of gay murders and hundreds of "incidents" of gay men and lesbians being victimized for holding hands, kissing in public, etc.
Kurt Hill
Brooklyn, NY
http://www.mediacentre.go.ug/details.php?catId=3&item=1215
ReplyDeleteDoesn't seem to have anything to do with walking down the street.
Kurt
The unspoken discomfort about the killers confession arises from the fact that many who oppose GLBT equality DO see this as a justifiable homicide. Let’s not mince words here. Much as they try to waffle and spin and distance themselves from this judgement it’s there in bright shining letters on their foreheads.
ReplyDeleteSo let’s go a bit deeper, shall we? What is the sin involved in creating a society and culture where a human being is unable to form a life-affirming relationship with a person of the same gender which neither picks another person’s pocket, endangers their soul in any way, nor has any real impact whatsoever?
Anonymous and Kurt keep pointing out the Ugandan police story. So what if it is true? Again, what sin has been committed when a man must seek sexual pleasure through payment and ends up with his head bashed in with a hammer? Even if Kato chose to be a sexual libertine are you arguing that he somehow deserved his fate?
This argument reminds me so much of the same tired rhetoric that blames rape victims for being raped because they dressed a certain way or behaved a certain way. Murder is murder. Rape is rape. Sin is sin.
I lived through this disgusting self-righteous filth during the early days of the AIDS crisis when the holiest of the holy (those who aren’t infected) tut-tutted about the wages of sin and all that. Do you actually believe in and advocate for a God who punishes a few minutes of sexual release with hideous, painful, prolonged death? Really?
Let’s be honest here. Sex is being used to somehow justify or at least absolve the far rightwing and evangelicals because we in the church still have a very unhealthy and prurient world view of human sexuality. The equality in TEC and AC of C is very select and exclusive and only applies to those of a chaste, marriage-oriented faith.
Those who do not fit into this nice little “see, they are monogamous, clean people like us” niche that many want to place the GLBT community into to justify defending their equality. Those who don’t conform are sinners of the worst kind and deserve whatever horrors are visited upon them it seems. Even if few have the courage to say so out loud.
We have a long, long, long way to go yet.
May Kato rest in peace and rise in glory and may God forgive his murder and may American Christians develop a healthy appreciation of God’s gift of sexuality.
Amen, Brian. Yours is almost self-righteous in its own sanctimony, I must say. Almost victorian in its unconflicted presentation of gay sex.
ReplyDeleteBut how relevant to the facts are your offensive claims that a) this HAD to be a hate crime, but is manifestly not,and b) people wanting genuine truth "DO see this as a justifiable homicide."
This is a lie. It is fun to tell because it makes you feel morally superior.
But it is false.
This was a tragic death of what appears to be a valiant man who also bought sex from a man he bailed out of prison.
Let's not lie to make up a cause-worthy agenda. Kato ought not to be used to this end.
Figt this battle as you deem proper. But not with cant and rhetoric. It exposes your overreach.
Kurt
who also bought sex from a man he bailed out of prison.
ReplyDeleteOf course there has been no evidence that this occurred presented, there is only the testimony of the murderer that this occurred.
Not to mention how accurate are the details of this police report. Perhaps someone should look at the dates presented.
Brother David--I could not agree more. Let's get to the facts. By whatever means available. Let's avoid sermonising. Let's PLEASE not rob the grave of a man killed with a hammer. Can we not honor Kato by sitting, as Job did, with a hand over our mouth? All this steely assertion of Hate Crime Against Gays has brought this on. Stop it. Ask for God's Truth. Wait for it. Accept it.
ReplyDeleteUntil then, all the self-righteous defense of Kato dishonors him as a real person who was killed with a real hammer, not with blogdom cudgeals.
Kurt
I love how conservatives call us "brother," don't you?
ReplyDeleteIt reminds me that Cain must've called Abel brother, at least once.
Let's say, just for an instant, that the Ugandan police actually conducted what a rational person would call an "investigation" and didn't use torture to get the confession they wanted - let's suppose that:
Who created a world in which a man like David Kato might feel the need to buy sex in such a dismal, dangerous situation? Who made his life so dangerous to begin with?
Why his BYE-BUL BELIEVIN' "BROTHERS."
It's pathetic to see them latch on to every tissue-thin tale told by the Ugandan police - robbery, gay-panic, buying sex . . . perhaps, next, we'll hear how the Gay Agenda Cabal sent agents to make a martyr for themselves. The sweaty stink of cover-up is all around.
Deal with facts? Oh, yes. As long as it's the facts conservatives want to hear. Funny how facts go right out the window when confronted with a mythical text's assertions about same-sex relationships, isn't it?
Wash, wash, wash your hands.
The blood cries out from the ground.
Mark B .... so, by your argument, San Francisco must be a very difficult, illiberal place to live - given the no of people paying for partners there?
ReplyDeleteI'd say that you, Anonymous, are as much to blame for that as Uganda.
ReplyDeleteStill trying to duck and weave, to wash the blood that won't come off your hands.
I really don't see that people like George Michael are terribly oppressed and that results in their sometimes reported, sometimes convicted behaviour.....
ReplyDeleteHow typical.
ReplyDeleteJoke to deflect your guilt.
Laugh at murder and degradation while you can. Show everybody how truly low you people are.
'Brother David' -- it happens to be his name, Mr Brunson.
ReplyDeleteDo you believe your rants are entitled?
Kurt
“I love how conservatives call us "brother," don't you?”—Mark Brunson
ReplyDeleteYeah, me too. It let’s us know that the knife in the back (or the hammer on the head) can’t be far behind.
Kurt Hill
Brooklyn, NY
Mark B - it seems you have painted yourself into a corner in terms of your logic..... do you think you are convincing anyone who does not want to come to the conclusion you want to come to? I guess you are a bit disappointed that it has not turned out to be a hate crime? But you can even turn someone being killed by their prostitute into a hate crime of people who would advocate nobody abuses others as prostitutes...when it suits you, that is. If I laugh, it is not at the tragic death of a man you and I didn't know but at your weak logic as you try to use his death to make your own political points. You think you are honouring his memory or helping anyone at all by doing that?
ReplyDeleteRob--well stated.
ReplyDeleteKurt
rob... well said indeed.
ReplyDeleteI have been trying to write something on all this and trust you will look at my latest offering. You are quoted in it.
Thanks for the very thoughtful note.
Rob - agreed that Mr Kato's death is sad..... but are you not displaying some prejudice by sweeping statements about fabricated evidence and not trusting the police in Uganda? Sounds like a prejudiced view.... and I doubt you have any evidence to counter what they are saying.
ReplyDeleteNow, hate crime must be condemned...by us all...by Orombi...certainly. But if a man is killed by someone he was using as a prositute, that is not a hate crime..... how can it be...unless you have EVIDENCE to show hate rather than greed etc was the motive?
CHECK OUT UGANDA, UGANDA MY HEART WEEPS FOR YOU:
ReplyDeleteLINK: http://betweentheraindrops.podomatic.com/entry/2011-01-29T13_39_26-08_00
Every disease, whether physical or spiritual is spread by a host or a carrier. Subsequently, after carefully researching the facts and events which led to this spiritual affliction and infection, we have determined the agents of this heartbreaking virus. Thusly, we name you Scott Lively, Caleb Lee Brundidge, Don Schmierer, Richard Cohen, Rev. Rick Warren and your protégé Dr. Martin Ssempa, as the primary carriers of this blighted philosophy. Moreover, we also name Republican Senator James Inhofe as a secondary enabling agents of this vicious strain of poisonous hatred. But the major blame for being the main delivery system and introducing this toxic madness to the governmental system of Uganda, we lay at the feet of David Bahati (architect of the Bill and Member of the Ugandan Parliament and also African point man of the Washington Right Wing cabal, known as "The Family").
Terry Angel Mason, Global Author
WWW.TERRYANGELMASON.COM