We knew sending almost 500,000 signatures to Uganda’s parliament wouldn’t have much of an effect on the Kill The Gays bill. For the same reason, international pressure on Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe to include gay rights in the federal constitution.
Mugabe, who’s called gays “worse than pigs and dogs,” and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai (pictured, R-L) have finally found something they agree on after a bitter (and harrowing) battle for the presidency. These two men detest each other, and for months battled over power sharing arrangements, election results, and succession. But they now have some common ground: continuing to discriminate against gay Zimbabweans.
“Why should a man seek to have a relationship with another man when women make up 52 percent of the population?,” Tsvangirai asked yesterday at a delayed International Women’s Day event. “In fact, men are fewer than women.” As for adding gay protections to the constitution, Mugabe remarked, “That issue is not debatable, it’s not up for discussion.”
The same way American lawmakers and executive branch members despite any hint of pressure from international customs and law, so do Zimbabwe’s.
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Brad
They’re all a bunch of primitive and pathetic excuses for human beings. And as if gay rights would only apply to men. There are gay women in the world. Friggin idiots.
Brad
I’d really like to wipe those smug looks off their faces. If I ever have the chance in my life, I will defecate on the graves of all their ancestors.
Taylor Siluwé
Foul responses like ‘defecating on graves’ aside…
Colonial religion is still destroying Africa. Though this is no excuse for doggedly adhering to mindsets of the past – which Mugabe and some African leaders do despite the wisdom of other wise men like Tutu – or their not understanding the simple premise of changing times and the historical advances in the rights of man.
My heart breaks for all African LGBTs to have to live under this sort of TERROR. But we in America have our own troglodytic religious right who feel the same way, though the hide it behind oily smiles and professions of “I’ve nothing against gays, but….” We have to squash that here in America as well as Africa from being spewed from the mouths of leaders once and for all. Imagine if our American President said something like that?
If the vitriol over the Health Care Bill is any indicator, we’ve got our work cut out for us if we hope to change the minds of the people. Mugabe is tyrant and a failure clinging onto power, and you’d think with all the poverty in his country, gays would be small potatos. But rallying the mob often distracts, as Mugabe (and Karl Rove) know so well.
Schteve
If 52% of the population is women, shouldn’t they then support at least 2% becoming lesbians to even things out like they want?
Daniel
The Zimbabwe President and Prime Minister are just looking for scapegoats as usual, the default of all corrupt politicians. The reality is that a new constitution is not going to save Zimbabwe which has fallen to ruin and starvation under their corrupt rule. Mugabe is old. He won’t be around much longer, and Tsvangirai is just as corrupt. They are two cutthroats with proverbial and literal knives at each other’s throats. Also remember that North America isn’t the only region where self-hating homosexuals/bisexuals become outspoken-homophobic/transphobic politicians and religious leaders – Africa has an abundance, and they resent any out and proud gay people. Also Africa has an abundance of heterosexual rapists who rape anything that moves – hetero men, gay men, hetero women, gay women, and gay and hetero children, and then the cultures instead blame gay men when it is large numbers of African hetero-men who believe it is the right of African hetero-men to rape anything they want.
RTM
@Schteve.
If 52% population is women => 48% population is male (ignoring transgenders / transsexuals). Therefore 4% (and not 2%) of the population has to be female lesbian. 😉
paulcanning
Another take on this here > Is Morgan Tsvangirai’s anti-gay talk just political posturing? http://madikazemi.blogspot.com/2010/03/is-morgan-tsvangirais-anti-gay-talk.html