Ugandan bigots say the darndest things

Nice story from PBS on Uganda. Only quibble is PBS referring to Scott Lively, the head of an officially-declared "hate group," and the man who authored Holocaust revisionism claiming that gays were the masterminds behind the Holocaust, as simply an "evangelical pastor."

Media shouldn't dumb-down hate. You don't have to call it "hate," but at least recognize that a lead anti-gay activist who has been officially declared a "hate group" is more than a simple "evangelical pastor."

When the same story refers to David Kato as a "gay activist" (and the word "activist," and especially phrase "gay activist," is often used by the far-right to brand us as fringe), why isn't Lively an "anti-gay activist"?

Or if you want to keep Lively an evangelical pastor then call Kato a gay human rights advocate.

JOSEPH SERWADDA, Pastor: This is going to be very tough on Africa, because most African nations consider gayism. . .

FRED DE SAM LAZARO: Gayism?

JOSEPH SERWADDA: . . . gayism as a behavior, not as a culture, not as a faith, and definitely not as a way of life.

FRED DE SAM LAZARO: Pastor Joseph Serwadda, who heads an association of Pentecostal and evangelical churches, says Western countries are imposing their values and agenda on sub-Saharan Africa. As proof, he noted that the head of mission at the U.S. Embassy here attended the funeral of gay activist David Kato.

JOSEPH SERWADDA: Many people, thousands of them, die of HIV/AIDS, of other illnesses and ailments. Many people die in road accidents, and we've never seen an ambassador show up at a grave site.

FRED DE SAM LAZARO: Could it be because -- could it be because his picture was on the front page of a magazine that said, "Hang Them?"

JOSEPH SERWADDA: Could also be because America has an agenda for homosexuals in Uganda.

Of course, the irony is that Serwadda who is so worried about white westerners imposing their values on Uganda has no problem letting white western hate groups impose their values on Uganda, values he's channeling. Read the rest of this post...

Uganda's leaders would make Idi Amin proud

This report from AllAfrica isn't to be believed.

The Ugandan government has finally found the "smoking gun" that it thinks will crush the evil gays once and for all.

What is the sinister secret document that the Ugandan government has uncovered?  A strategy memo discussing ways to further gay rights in the country, including raising a budget for the gay rights group, befriending journalists, and working to change public opinion

Ooh, scary.

What Uganda's leaders don't seem to understand is that what they've uncovered isn't a smoking gun of sin. It's simply an example of what happens every day in a normal democracy - citizens try to figure out strategies to influence their government and educate their people.

Only a fool, or a dictator, would think that such a thing is evidence of wrongdoing.

AllAfrica:

The document has reportedly given Rev Simon Lokodo, the minister in charge of Ethics and Integrity, ammunition to go after gay activists with renewed zeal. Shortly before leaving for an official trip abroad last week, an excited Lokodo, upon seeing the document, said he had finally obtained the information he needed to fight homosexuality in Uganda.

"These people are disruptive; they are promoting a negative culture contrary to the laws of this country. They are promoting homosexuality and lesbianism as an acceptable culture, and this is ruining our lives," Lokodo said.

He added: "This is not going to stop. We will support the bill. There is now sufficient evidence to move against these evil people. We'll punish them with a deterrent punishment. We are looking for a day when this law is going to take shape."

As bad as our government can be on some things, we don't hold a candle to the bigots in the Ugandan government. It just sickens me to see people who once were forced to live under the rule of Idi Amin then turn around and act like Idi Amin, oppressing people they don't like.

Have you no shame?

Have you learned nothing from your own history?

The answer is clearly "no."

What's even funnier, if you can call it that, is the Uganda government claims it's launching this pogrom against gays in order to purify the country of evil white western influence.

Yeah, sure.  That's why the Ugandan government seems to be taking its marching orders from white western religious right leaders.  Because they're so concerned about the white man influencing Uganda.

Mugisha and other prominent gay rights campaigners say Bahati's initial bill was introduced directly after a March 2009 conference in Kampala that hosted representatives from the U.S. "ex-gay" movement.

U.S. evangelical pastor Scott Lively, who spoke at the conference, said it focused on the "recovery from homosexuality" and warned Ugandans the gay movement sought to "homosexualize society" and undermine the institution of marriage.

Scott Lively is white, and the founder of a known American "hate group."

So, these so-called Uganda leaders are sacrificing their sovereignty, and their humanity, to white western bigots (again, I only raise "race" because they do).  Many a tyrant has tried to deflect the righteous criticism of his people by fabricating an enemy within.  It's all just very sad. Read the rest of this post...

Uganda bans 38 organizations it accuses of helping the gay

Sometimes under-development is a state of mind.

Though, the Russians suffer from the same disease, as do some American faiths and political parties.  The Ugandans aren't alone in being hateful bigots.  They, along with some of their African brethren, simply seem to excel at it more than others.

It seems a number of these African states learned (the wrong) something from all those years of colonial oppression.  Oppression is no longer the exclusive domain of whites - which is ironic, since many African countries like to call homosexuality a "western influence."  In fact, the hatred that countries like Uganda show the minorities among them is a most decidedly western influence, what with the American religious right's, and the Republican party's, huge role in promoting anti-gay bigotry in that continent.

So, in the end, Uganda's leadership, in an effort to eradicate itself of supposed western influences, is doing the bidding of its white overlords in America.  It's almost poetic, if it weren't so criminal. Read the rest of this post...

Ugandan police raid gay rights meeting

Being gay is illegal in Uganda, and they're considering a law that would make it punishable by death.  Lovely place. Read the rest of this post...

CNN: President of Uganda says homosexuality is a western import

CNN's Christiane Amanpour interviews the President of Uganda, who believes that homosexuality is a western import.

"Before we came in touch with the Europeans, we had some few homosexuals.... Africans are by nature discreet people... We never exhibit our sexual acts in public.  I have for instance never kissed my wife in public... The problem is exhibitionism... The second problem is trying to lure young children into homosexuality... Nobody has been killed in Uganda for being gay."

This is the same continent where many thought people with disabilities were possessed by the devil.  So spare me the quack analysis of what causes people to be gay.

Read the rest of this post...

Ugandan LGBT group sues American religious right hate group leader

NYT via Towleroad:

The Center for Constitutional Rights on behalf of LGBT rights group Sexual Minorities Uganda is suing American evangelist Scott Lively "under the alien tort statute, which allows foreigners to sue in American courts in situations alleging the violation of international law," the NYT reports:

The lawsuit alleges that beginning in 2002, Mr. Lively conspired with religious and political leaders in Uganda to whip up anti-gay hysteria with warnings that homosexuals would sodomize African children and corrupt their culture...

It's ironic that Uganda is now trying to pass anti-gay laws that were inspired by white people from the west. This, at the same time that anti-gay Ugandans are claiming that homosexuality is a sin imported from the white west. Now who's the one trying to impose white western values on Ugandans? Read the rest of this post...

Ugandan activist fears for his life

Michelangelo Signorile:

"Every day of my life here in Uganda I have to be careful of what I do," Mugisha said in the radio interview yesterday. "It has reached the point that where I even have to be careful when I'm going to get food in a restaurant, to be sure that the food I'm getting, that I trust the restaurant, because I'm scared I could get poisoned. Even when I want to go shopping I have to call a friend and say can you come with me because my face has been in the newspapers, my face has been in the media. Just two days ago when my face was put in the newspapers I received harassment already. Now it is my fear of stepping out my house. If I want to go and buy food, because I have to eat, what is going to happen to me today?"

Read the rest of this post...

Ugandan gay rights activist wins RFK award

RFK photo via Shutterstock

He's the first gay or trans person to receive the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award.  From AP:

The 29-year-old Mugisha leads an underground group whose members routinely shift locations in Uganda for their safety. Uganda, a conservative East African nation, is one of more than 70 nations that have imposed laws against being gay.

Mugisha blames U.S. evangelical activists in particular for stoking fears and promoting homophobia with a 2009 visit and conference on "rehabilitation" for gays in Uganda. Since then, violence against gays has increased, he said.

After the visit, debate began over a Ugandan bill that would punish gay people with prison or death and would threaten jail time for those who don't report suspected gays to authorities. The bill was recently revived in Uganda's parliament.

"I think they are responsible for the bill," Mugisha said of the evangelical activists. "They held a seminar and openly told Ugandans that they needed to tighten their laws on homosexuality and told Ugandans that homosexuals can be healed."

AP did a great job on this story - it's long - do check it out. Read the rest of this post...

Bachmann’s religious outreach staffer has ties to anti-gay Uganda politicians

Wow. This isn't actually surprising. But, it's very disturbing:

The man running outreach to faith-based communities for Republican Michele Bachmann's nomination campaign has been tied to the key backer of the "Kill the Gays" bill in Uganda.

The Atlantic reports that Peter E. Waldron had tried to be coy about his identity when confronted, at first refusing to provide his name, but journalist Garance Franke-Ruta discovered that the evangelical pastor was once imprisoned in Uganda for a supposed terrorism plot.

A film about Waldron's experience is apparently in the works, titled The Ultimate Price: The Peter E. Waldron Story. While Waldron was in Uganda from 2002 to 2006, the Republican political activist was reportedly arrested with a small weapons cache. The details are murky but he spent more than a month in prison.

The surfacing of this name, tied to Uganda, got people wondering. And it turns out Waldron was spotted by happenstance while visiting the church of staunchly antigay, and dangerous, pastor Martin Ssempa. A journalist with The New Republic, Andrew Rice, bumped into them together while researching an article on evangelicals in the country.

Disturbing, but not surprising.

Remember, Bachmann thinks we're akin to Satan. Uganda's First Lady blamed the devil. They are speaking the same language. Are they in cahoots on the "solution," too? Read the rest of this post...

Uganda's "Kill the gays" bill is on the agenda in Parliament today

Earlier today, an AP report indicated that Uganda's "Kill the Gays" bill had "disappeared" from the agenda of Uganda's parliament. Today is the last day of session, so that would have been a significant development. Unfortunately, that report is not accurate. David Bahati's bill is on the agenda.

Jim Burroway from Box Turtle Bulletinis tracking the latest developments on the situation in Uganda. He sent the link to the Parliament's schedule:

There has been enormous pressure put on the leaders of Uganda to prevent this action from becoming law. But, it looks like the bill is moving ahead.

Rachel did a powerful piece on the Uganda bill last night -- again linking C Street to David Bahati:
Read the rest of this post...

C Street golden boy, Senator Ensign's farewell

As Uganda might move forward with the hateful, judgmental and arrogant "Kill the gays" bill, let's not forget the influence the creepy C Street organization "The Family" had on crafting that legislation. Also, it almost went unnoticed that one of their golden boys, Senator Ensign, has had to say goodbye to his Senate career for shtupping his ex-campaign treasurer's wife then, allegedly attempting a payoff and cover-up.

Many once considered Mr. Ensign a rising star in the Republican Party. But the two-term senator announced last month he would resign May 3 amid a widening investigation related to an affair with the wife of a former top aide. He had already announced in March that he would not run for a new term in 2012.

“While I stand behind my firm belief that I have not violated any law, rule, or standard of conduct of the Senate, and I have fought to prove this publicly, I will not continue to subject my family, my constituents, or the Senate to any further rounds of investigation, depositions, drawn out proceedings, or especially public hearings,” he said in a statement on the day he announced his resignation.

“When I first arrived in the Senate, I met some people who were so caught up in their self-importance that arrogance literally dripped from them,” said Mr. Ensign, wearing a dark suit, white shirt and red tie. “Unfortunately I was blind to how arrogant and self-centered I had become.”

Ah, those "Family Values" conservative politicians never cease to amaze us with their arrogant hypocrisy, huh? It is also rich how the article pointed out Ensign hoped his legislative record would speak for him after he was gone. I sincerely doubt it, Senator Ensign, but your influence via C Street is speaking for you in Uganda. Read the rest of this post...

Uganda may be moving ahead with "death to gays" legislation

From Box Turtle:

The Anti-Homosexuality Bill, if passed in its current form, would impose the death penalty for those who are HIV-positive, who is a “repeat offender,” or whose partner is deemed “disabled” regardless of whether the relationship was consensual. It would also impose a lifetime sentence for other cases. The bill would lower the bar for conviction, making mere “touching” for the perceived purpose of homosexual relations a criminal offense. It threatens teachers, doctors, friends, and family members with three years imprisonment if they didn’t report anyone they suspected of being gay to police within twenty-four hours. It also would broadly criminalize all advocacy of homosexuality including, conceivably, lawyers defending accused gay people in court or parliamentarians proposing changes to the law. It even threatens landlords under a “brothel” provision if they knowingly rent to gay people.

And don't forget, it was American anti-gay activists, and hate group members, who got the ball rolling on this.

As an aside, if you look at the rest of the article, the Ugandan blog is using the term LGBTI. Okay this is interesting, I just googled it and Open Society Foundation is using the term too. The "I" apparently means "intersex." And according to wikipedia, intersex means, among other things, hermaphrodites.

Huh. Read the rest of this post...

Uganda Bishop 'blamed U.S. Christian evangelical groups Tuesday for fomenting anti-gay hatred'

The Ugandan anti-gay bill is making a come back and a Bishop from Uganda blames the religious right for pushing homophobia in his country:

A leading Anglican bishop who fled Uganda after receiving death threats blamed U.S. Christian evangelical groups Tuesday for fomenting anti-gay hatred in his native country.

"Often these visitors do more harm than good," Christopher Senyonjo told a conference on gay rights in Uganda sponsored by the liberal Center for American Progress.

The Ugandan government is considering legislation that would impose a life sentence in prison or the death penalty on gays and lesbians convicted of having sex and on those diagnosed with HIV.

After signs last year that the government was backing away from the bill amid threats by Western countries to withdraw aid, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni last week told the New Vision, Uganda's leading pro-government newspaper, that he was asking the clergy and African leaders "to guard against Western culture, warning that the continent will end up eaten by homosexuality if they relax."

And, don't forget, the Family Research Council is lobbying against the resolution to condemn the execution of gays in Uganda. That can only mean one thing: FRC supports the death penalty for gays. I have no doubt that they'd support it in the U.S., too, if they could. Because, really, from their perspective, what other "solution" is there for homosexuality? Read the rest of this post...

Ugandan govt. minister says 'It is totally unacceptable' for Obama to criticize anti-gay bill

A Ugandan government official ardently defended his country's perogative to pass the "Kill Gays" legislation -- and took a swipe at Barack Obama for criticizing it:

[Ugandan minister of ethics and integrity James Nsaba] Buturo, one of the main Ugandan proponents of the bill which would further criminalise homosexuality and even gay rights advocacy, vowed that Ugandan MPs would not be swayed by US or any outside criticism.

"We cannot tell the Senate what to do. We cannot tell Congress what to do. So why do they feel that they can tell us what we should do in the interest of our people?" he asked.

"It is totally unacceptable," Buturo added, in reference to any attempt by some of Uganda's partners to reverse the adoption of the bill.

"Members of parliament have a constitutional duty to choose between what the people of Uganda want and what others want, and I am sure they will choose what the people of Uganda want," he said.

This from Uganda's minister for ethics and integrity. Wow. What's "totally unacceptable" is passing a law aimed at killing gays. Read the rest of this post...

At 'The Family' prayer breakfast, Obama condemns Uganda's anti-gay bill

This morning, "The Family" is hosting its annual prayer breakfast at the Washington Hilton. This year, there's been a focus on "The Family" like never before, in part, because of its role in Uganda's "kill gays" bill. The NY Times has an article about it today, which I posted here.

At the breakfast, both the President and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton addressed the "kill gays" bill in Uganda. Here's what Obama said:

We can take different approaches to ending inequality, but surely we can agree on the need to lift our children out of ignorance; to lift our neighbors from poverty. We may disagree about gay marriage, but surely we can agree that it is unconscionable to target gays and lesbians for who they are -- whether it's here in the United States or, as Hillary mentioned, more extremely in odious laws that are being proposed most recently in Uganda.

It is odious. And, it's good that Obama said it to directly to "The Family.

But why did he have to throw in gay marriage? Marriage has no bearing on a bill about murdering gays. And, who is he disagreeing with? The fundamentalists in the room who vehemently oppose marriage? This actually makes Obama sound more pro-gay marriage than he is. Read the rest of this post...

'Kill the Gays' bill author coming to DC to attend Nat'l Prayer Breakfast with Obama

Via Jim Burroway at Box Turtle Bulletin comes the news that the author of the "Kill the Gays" bill in Uganda, David Bahati, is coming to Washington, DC to attend the "National Prayer Breakfast" on February 4th. The prayer breakfast is sponsored by the Fellowship Foundation (also known as "The Family.) Bahati told a Uganda newspaper of his plans:

In February, David Bahati, the mover of the controversial Anti-Homosexuality Bill is expected to attend a prayer breakfast in the American capital of Washington DC.

Mr Bahati, according to reports, may speak at the event where President Barack Obama – a gays-tolerant liberal president, is also expected to attend. On Friday, Mr Bahati said he would attend. The event is organised by The Fellowship- a conservative Christian organisation, which has deep political connections and counts several high-ranking conservative politicians in its membership.

“I intend to attend the prayer breakfast,” said Mr Bahati - himself a part organiser of the Ugandan equivalent of the national prayer breakfast. This week, citing international pressure, President Yoweri Museveni advised his party’s National Executive Committee, his cabinet and the NRM parliamentary caucus to “go slow” on the Bill.

The prayer breakfast is held at the Washington Hilton, which is around the corner from my place. The President attends as do Cabinet Secretaries and members of Congress. If the Fellowship Foundation/The Family wants Bahati as its guest, then Barack Obama, his cabinet and our allies on Capitol Hill can't go. It's that simple.

The organizers of the prayer breakfast know what kind of message Bahati's presence sends. And, they must want to send that message. As Rachel Maddow has reported, there are long-standing ties between the Family and the "Kill the Gays" supporters in Uganda. Obama can't endorse that message with his presence.

Jim Burroway has an idea:

I think it’s a good time to convene a special session of the rainbow welcoming committee.

The Democratic National Committee Winter Meeting also begins on February 4th. If Obama and other Democratic leaders attend the prayer breakfast with Mahati, the welcoming committee should visit the DNC meeting, too. Read the rest of this post...

Sen. Wyden: Revoke Uganda's duty-free status if anti-gay bill passes

Last week, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said he'd check on whether the United States would consider suspending aid to Uganda if the "kill gays" bill passed. (You'd think it would be a no-brainer, but, no. Nothing LGBT-related ever is.)

Maybe Gibbs should check in with Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR). Today, Wyden, who is the new chairman of the International Trade Subcommittee on the Senate Finance Committee, asked the Obama foreign relations team (U.S. Trade Rep. Ron Kirk and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton) to let Uganda know that the country will lose its duty-free status if the homophobic law passes. From Wyden's letter:

I write today out of grave concern about the Anti-Homosexuality Bill being considered by Ugandan Parliament. The proposed legislation would incarcerate or sentence to death lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Ugandans for engaging in private sexual acts, as well as those citizens who provide emotional, financial, or medical assistance for LGBT Ugandans. There are few words that could adequately express the barbarity of the Ugandan proposal. Secretary Clinton, you made it clear in your December 14th, 2009, speech at Georgetown University on the Human Rights Agenda for the 21st Century, that “we think it’s important for the United States to stand against” violence and discrimination against LGBT persons. You identified the persecution of LGBT persons around the world as “a new frontier in the minds of many people about how we protect the LGBT community.” Before us is a concrete opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to ending violence and discrimination against LGBT persons worldwide. (emphasis added)

As you know, Uganda is a beneficiary of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which was signed in to law in 2000. AGOA provides duty-free treatment to imports originating from beneficiary African countries. Beneficiaries of AGOA must meet certain eligibility criteria, one of which is to not engage in “gross violations of internationally recognized human rights,” and the jurisprudence in the area of international human rights supports respect of sexual orientation and gender identity as human rights. I strongly urge you to communicate immediately to the Ugandan government, and President Yoweri Museveni directly, that Uganda’s beneficiary status under AGOA will be revoked should the proposed legislation be enacted. (my emphasis again) President Museveni was an early and active proponent of AGOA and knows first-hand the significance of the legislation and the seriousness that Congress employed in shaping it. The significance of Uganda losing its AGOA beneficiary status will not be lost on President Museveni and other leaders in sub-Saharan Africa. Additionally, my understanding is that Uganda benefits from a regime similar to AGOA that is implemented by the European Union (EU): the Everything But Arms (EBA) agreement. I ask that the EU be consulted to determine whether Uganda also risks its EBA benefits should it enact the proposed Anti-Homosexuality Bill.

I don't expect the Ugandan government to all of the sudden become accepting. But, the President and his fellow leaders have to understand that there will be consequences if the bill passes.

Maybe next time Gibbs gets a question about Uganda, he can at least mention the AGOA and Uganda's responsibilities under that agreement. Read the rest of this post...

Gibbs to check on whether U.S. would send aid to Uganda if 'kill gays' bill passes

At the White House briefing today, Kerry Eleveld asked Robert Gibbs about the "kill the gays" bill. From the transcript:

Q Thanks, Robert. The New York Times and The Washington Post have both editorialized about a bill in Uganda that would impose a death penalty for certain acts of homosexuality. The New York Times suggested that the U.S. should stop funding to Uganda if the bill becomes law, as some other countries have already done. If the law passes in Uganda, will the administration continue to send foreign aid to a country that sanctions the murder of people who are gay?

I know there are all kinds of formalities when it comes to international relations, but Gibbs answer sure doesn't sound all that tough:

MR. GIBBS: I will check on, prospectively, in the event that something like that passes, I would say that that type of -- that type of legislation would certainly not live up to any record of universal rights and universal values that I think anybody would see in this country.

Um, yeah, we realize it wouldn't happen here. And, good to know he's going to check on it.

As press secretary to the President, Robert Gibbs always gives weak, squishy answers to LGBT-related questions. It's odd and annoying. Read the rest of this post...

Hero of the Month: Rachel Maddow

NOTE FROM JOHN: We are pleased to welcome Liz Newcomb as a new writer on AMERICAblog Gay. I'll let Liz's bio speak for itself. She'll be writing a monthly LGBT Hero of the Month piece, and hopefully other post as often as she can (she does have a pesky law job that apparently she has to give some time to each day).

Liz Newcomb is an attorney by day and committed LGBT activist by night and weekend. She lives in West Hollywood with her wife Lynne. They are one of the 18,000 California same-sex couples who got married during the summer before proposition 8 passed. Liz has lived in California for over 20 years and brings a left coast perspective to AMERICAblog.

__________________

Hero of the Month: Rachel Maddow
by Liz Newcomb

Google “Katie Couric” “Uganda” and “gay.” Just try to find a story Couric has done on the "Kill the Gays" bill in that African country. Any luck? Me neither. Try searching under “Uganda” on the homepage for ABC World News. What do you get? Some AP print stories. And, now the New York Times has weighed in. Has NBC’s anchor, Brian Williams, done a piece on the Uganda legislation? Not to my knowledge.

But when you search the NBC Nightly News website, a funny thing happens. There you will get many hits to video clips – 16 at last count. But it was not Brian Williams who covered the story. They all link to pieces by Rachel Maddow, from the month of December. And that is why Rachel Maddow is the hero of the month.

Pogroms against LGBTs have barely registered a blip in mainstream news coverage. Take the recent atrocities against gay men in Iraq. When I started reading about Iraq on the gay blogs, I was glad the story was getting attention, even though the reports were horrifying to read. When it got picked up by the AP, it perversely felt like a major triumph. Progress! We are moving forward! A pogrom against people like us merits an AP story!

Rachel Maddow is helping to change this. Maybe not single-handedly (thank you, bloggers), but she has been bold in her coverage like no other. And she has expanded our understanding of what is possible in the mainstream media’s coverage of LGBT issues.

When I first saw that Rachel was covering Uganda in a seven minute lead story, "Uganda Be Kidding Me," I was worried. No one else on TV was touching it, and yet she was hammering it, night after night. Even though I consider myself a fire-breathing LGBT activist, I thought Rachel might be going too far out on a limb. I thought she might lose her show for focusing on an LGBT story. I allowed my own internalized homophobia to rear its ugly head. I was wrong. I should have trusted Rachel's instincts. Her ratings are up 14% over 2008 according to a recent LA Times report.

Night after night she continued covering new angles to the story, showing how the American religious right had their handprints all over the legislation. She took on Rick Warren. She took on an "ex-gay" minister. She took on "the Family." And guess what? Rick Warren finally denounced the legislation, as has Iowa Senator and Family member, Chuck Grassley. Five Republican members of Congress have issued a statement against it. And now, finally, the New York Times is on the story. Who knows, Katie Couric may not be far behind.

I'm convinced we have Rachel Maddow, and a handful of LGBT bloggers, to thank for this. The tide might be turning now in Uganda itself, as international attention has forced their own politicians to start to backtrack. Let’s hope so.

I hope Rachel wins an Emmy for her ground-breaking defense of LGBT civil rights. Take note, Anderson Cooper.
Read the rest of this post...

Rachel on Rick Warren's role in Uganda

First, Rachel reminds us of Rick Warren's role in Prop. 8 (and how he lied about his involvement in that campaign.) Then, she gets into his "intensive involvement" in Uganda and his "better, late than never" statement on the "kill gays" legislation. Rachel also said she is happy to host Rick Warren on her show:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Rachel always shines. But, on this Uganda issue, she has soared. Read the rest of this post...