Curiously missing from Hillary Clinton‘s World AIDS Day remarks condemning nations that criminalize homosexuality? Any mention of the word Uganda.
In comments made yesterday ahead of today’s day of remembrance, the secretary of state — after giving a nod to President Bush’s efforts to fight AIDS in Africa — specifically argued America’s PEPFAR funding should not go to countries that persecute queers. But while she managed to name drop South Africa (where she visited a clinic), nowhere was there a mention of Uganda, where LGBTs face the biggest immediate threat of state-sponsored murder.
Later this week, Ambassador Goosby will present the five-year strategy for the future of PEPFAR outlining the important role that PEPFAR will play in transitioning from emergency response to sustainable health systems that help meet the broad medical needs of people with HIV and the communities in which they live. In its next phase, PEPFAR programs will support a comprehensive, whole-of-government approach in many countries to increase awareness, reduce stigma, and get services to people at earlier stages.
Obviously, our efforts are hampered whenever discrimination or marginalization of certain populations results in less effective outreach and treatment. So we will work not only to ensure access for all who need it, but also to combat discrimination more broadly. We have to stand against any efforts to marginalize and criminalize and penalize members of the LGBT community worldwide. It is an unacceptable step backwards – (applause) – on behalf of human rights. But it is also a step that undermines the effectiveness of efforts to fight the disease worldwide.
But the State Department is, supposedly, working behind the scenes:
Many HIV/AIDS activists felt that Goosby’s comments signaled a certain tone-deafness by the Obama administration to the Ugandan issue. But one person who consults regularly with the Department of State said the agency has been heavily engaged with Ugandan officials regarding the fate of the legislation.
“They have been working for several weeks behind the scenes at a senior level within the department to determine what the actual facts are and what the likelihood is of this bill becoming law,” said the person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The source said the diplomatic goal was to strike a forceful tone that stopped short of shaming President Museveni, who has yet to take an official stand on the legislation, which was introduced by a lawmaker in his own party, member of parliament David Bahati.
“They are trying to proceed in a way that gives them some private leverage but also acknowledges that Secretary Clinton has an obligation to speak out on human rights issues in her capacity as our top international diplomat,” said the source. “It’s been a delicate effort with inconclusive results.”
But that premise rests on the premise that President Museveni has not taken a stand on the issue. He doesn’t need to come outright and say he supports the execution of his nation’s gays. This sort of thing does the job just fine.
How about we take this to the next level?
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Jon
Pretty obvious to everyone in that room who she was talking about:
“Obviously, our efforts are hampered whenever discrimination or marginalization of certain populations results in less effective outreach and treatment. So we will work not only to ensure access for all who need it, but also to combat discrimination more broadly. We have to stand against any efforts to marginalize and criminalize and penalize members of the LGBT community worldwide. It is an unacceptable step backwards – (applause) – on behalf of human rights. But it is also a step that undermines the effectiveness of efforts to fight the disease worldwide.”
That said, it’s not just about Uganda. It’s about nearly every middle eastern and african nations.
Cam
Jon,
I see your point, but it’s such a cop out. It’s like when Rosie later tried to say “Oh, gee, everybody KNEW I was gay.” Well no Rosie, they didn’t, you swore you were in love with Tom Cruise and you pretended to get crushes on men so really only gays and lesbians knew that. It’s the same here. Put in just enough language so that gays can grab on and say “Hmm, she must be talking about…..” but don’t put in enough to actually get the point across to any of the perpetrators. Especially ridiculous seeing as how other countries have come out and condemmed Uganda over this.
YCKTR
Hilary is playing word games again…I guess Doug Coe must have been in the audience shaking a finger at her.
!
Peter
Yep….Queerty def has no agenda, right David?
hyhybt
I’m a bit confused about what the problem is. Why would she specifically mention Uganda unless for some reason her speech included a full list?
Jason Moreland
Leave it to Queerty to miss the point of the speech.FAIL.
InExile
Obama must have told her not to mention Uganda so Hillary did the best she could. Wish she would run in 2012!
christopher di spirito
The fact is, Queen Hillary, who 75% of gay men see as some sort of surrogate mommy, is a member of ‘The Family’ and ‘The Family’ is in complete agreement with Uganda’s viciously antigay position.
InExile
#8 Show the proof! And not one of those conspiracy theory sites.
Sydney
I’m just gonna stop reading Queerty, if this is what this site is coming to. I stood through all the Adam Lambert and Rachel Maddow luv:3 and the Salahi bs story, but I’m not standing through this.
She didn’t mention ONE FUCKING PLACE and immediately you jump on her? Well, I’m sorry, I’m not going to take this shit anymore from Queerty.
Hopefully one day you’ll write something worth reading and commenting on, and I wish the smart people (there are some…) on here a goodbye, and good luck attempting to stay on Queerty.
Cam
No. 10 · Sydney said…
I’m just gonna stop reading Queerty, if this is what this site is coming to. I stood through all the Adam Lambert and Rachel Maddow luv:3 and the Salahi bs story, but I’m not standing through this.
She didn’t mention ONE FUCKING PLACE and immediately you jump on her?
__________________________________
Well you’ll have to excuse some people for thinking that in a speech she may mention a government who has just come out pushing for a law to execute people who are the very subject of the speech she is giving. Add into that the fact that several other countries have spoken out to condem that country, and the fact that we have influence there. The idea that the U.S. should somehow be one of the only countries to not say anything when we have never shied away from putting in our 2 to everything else going on. This tap dance is getting boring.
InExile
#10, It’s OK, we all know we would not be having all these problems if she was President.
Jason Moreland
#12 You got that right. Hillary Clinton is a real democrat and not some Reagan poseur like Obama.
shea
To be perfectly honest, diplomacy (she is a diplomat after all, pretty much the TOP diplomat at that) requires one to mince words whenever an explosive issue is at hand. When the Ugandan government is all but two seconds away from state sanctioned murder of gays and lesbians, diplomats cannot afford to piss off those country’s leaders and force them into this insular little box. Don’t believe me? Remember North Korea’s leadership? The country of North Korea is one of the most cut off countries in the world, and don’t tell me that the lack of news about HR abuses there means they’re not happening. Secretary Clinton is well aware of this since she’s been dealing with N. Korea for a while now, and *my* guess is that she’s attempting to prevent Uganda from turning into another diplomatic black hole.
That said, I’m just as outraged as anyone else is at this “legislation” in Uganda, and would argue that government should be censured and sanctioned as a genocidal body if it allows this legislation through.
Samuel
She could have mentioned Uganda and Hillary-haters would still find some reason to say she fell short of the mark. When she does something great, Obama gets the credit because she works for him. When she does something bad, obviously it is her fault. When she does not do something at all, she still gets called out for not doing it.
Bitch can’t get a break. This criticism is stupid. Period. It’s not even worth bitching at Queerty about because it’s so stupid.
Jerome
#9. Are you asking for proof that the Family is involved in Ugandan politics, policies, and the drafting of the Kill Gays Bill? Try Rachel Maddow’s reporting over the last few nights, called “Uganda be kidding me” as reported by The Advocate. I’d give you the link, but often sites just delete a comment if it has a link. It’s up right now on the Advocate’s site.
Michael Bussee
She denounced the bill today! “Mrs. Clinton showed a rare flash of passion in discussing the systematic rape of girls and young women in Congo, which she visited in August. She also singled out for criticism Uganda, which is considering a law that would make homosexual conduct a criminal offense.” http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/15/world/15clinton.html?_r=1&ref=us
Michael Bussee
Read about it here: http://www.advocate.com/article.aspx?id=104145&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AdvocatecomDailyNews+%28Advocate.com+Daily+News%29