We'll have more from Rachel Maddow's interview with anti-gay Ugandan legislator David Bahati tonight, including a look at American support for his work. To me, one of the most amazing things about that conversation is that it's able to happen at all -- that Mr. Bahati's able to say to her, "I think the bottom line, Rachel, is to make sure that we protect the children," and she can say to him, "I think the international community is trying to decide whether or not Uganda is going to become an international pariah, a rogue state, excluded from the community of nations because you're singling out a minority among your population for treatment that frankly is not the direction that the rest of the world is going." They can say those things to each other and then keep talking. It's amazing.Second, the international community really is taking a stand on this. Mr. Bahati really was denied access to the International Consortium of Governmental Financial Management conference because of his legislation. Which means that LGBT people may not be as alone in the world as they used to be or sometimes seem to be even now.Mr. Bahati says he's ready to drop the "Kill" part of his Kill the Gays legislation. After the jump, from Box Turtle Bulletin, a look at that section:
Box Turtle Bulletin excerpts the definition of "aggravated homosexuality" from Mr. Bahati's original legislation:
- (1) A person commits the offense of aggravated homosexuality where the
- (a) person against whom the offence is committed is below the age of 18 years;
- (b) offender is a person living with HIV;
- (c) offender is a parent or guardian of the person against whom the offence is committed;
- (d) offender is a person in authority over the person against whom the offence is committed;
- (e) victim of the offence is a person with disability;
- (f) offender is a serial offender, or
- (g) offender applies, administers or causes to be used by any man or woman any drug, matter or thing with intent to stupefy overpower him or her so as to there by enable any person to have unlawful carnal connection with any person of the same sex,
- (2) A person who commits the offence of aggravated homosexuality shall be liable on conviction to suffer death.
- (3) Where a person is charged with the offence under this section, that person shall undergo a medical examination to ascertain his or her HIV status.
[Box Turtle Bulletin's Uganda coverage][David Bahati on TRMS: Part One, Part Two]