It’s a sad day for gay Iraqis. Two of the nation’s five homo safe houses have been forced to shutter themselves for lack of funds. The houses were organized by gay group Iraqi LGBT, whose president Ali Hili had some harsh words for the apathetic international community:
Over 30 gay residents who we cared for in these three safe houses now have to take their chances in a country where religious militia regularly seek out gays and execute them.
…
We feel deserted by the international gay community. Few people seem to care about our fate.
A 29-year old lesbian named Sarah had a similar message: “The world has let us down so badly.” It’s not too late to help rectify the situation – you can still donate to Iraqi LGBT, which holds the US-led invasion responsible for their country’s blood turmoil.
If you want to put a human face to this potentially abstract problem, check out this mini-doc, Queer Fear: Gay Life, Gay Death in Iraq.
Rt. Rev. Dr. RES
I have sent this message out to some Canadian LGBT organisations this morning, and it is hoped that some funds can be sent to assuage our brothers and sisters suffering abroad. Yes, we must all stand in solidarity against those who not only oppress, bash and discriminate, but actually murder us in cold blood or in legalised holocaust.
Andy
Rt. Rev. Dr. RES is so right (as always). OK there are many pressures on that folding stuff in our wallets. But I have this theory … If every gay bar/club in America/Canada/Europe had a “Baghdad Bucket” where we could throw-in our loose change, then all those pennies, cents etc. would soon mount up … and as individuals we would not notice. My local gay pub in small-rown England did this last year and collected around 300 UK pounds (600 US Dollars) in three months! Guess we all could make a great difference if gay bars/clubs did this. Our brothers and sisters in Iraq who literally face death, would then have a refuge in one of the safe houses. I know we has all got “Iraq fatigue”, but … Just a thought!
thegayrecluse
I feel badly for the people on the streets, but I always question the use of the word “community,” which tends to be one of those meaningless feel-good (or here, scapegoat) words that ultimately means nothing. Although money is clearly needed in this case, I think that on a broader scale we need to step back and reassess our fundamental ability to “change” the world into one that reflects our own ideals (and by this I mean U.S. political/economic systems).
Rt. Rev. Dr. RES
You are gay and reclusive, is that right? Well, my dear man, there was a time when even non-observant Jews were exterminated. No one is trying to end Shari’a law or end theocratic Islamic regimes. Iraq signed the Human Rights Accords at the UN sixty years ago, and the new US-supported regime reasserted those rights on paper.
Andy’s idea is brilliant. Wouldn’t Iraqi organisations be gobsmacked to learn that the world does listen and like the Jewish Relief Organisations – someone was always there to do their part in saving one life…for in doing so, you save mankind itself.
If you were a Christian, I would remind you that Christ wanted you to love Him and your neighbour as yourself….but what does this old retired Canadian Anglican bishop know, eh? Oh yes, even the Long Ranger had Tonto….that’s it.
Rt. Rev. Dr. RES
Erratum….(lol)…I had no special knowledge about his penile dimensions….it was the Lone Ranger.