fox news Archives - TalkAfrique

December 15, 2010January 6, 2011

Homophobic Ugandan MP ordered out of the US

Kampala (Uganda) – Ndorwa West MP, David Bahati, who authored the Anti-Homosexual Bill in Uganda, calling for the death sentence of gays and their allies, has been ordered out of the United States of America. Bahati obtained a single event visa to the USA to attend the International Consortium of Governmental Financial Management conference.

But on Tuesday he was denied entry into the conference venue, despite the fact that other MPs from Uganda had been allowed to participate.

The conference organizers cited the fact that they would not associate themselves with the author of what became known as the Kill Gays Bill, officially The Anti-Homosexual Bill; which Bahati hopes will pass.

Reports from the US state that Bahati, who was taped for Thursday’s Rachel Maddow TV Show, was told to get out of the USA by the authorities Thursday.

Bahati who had planned on staying in the USA and to leave over the weekend, was asked to leave right away by department of State officials.

The US authorities informed Bahati that he was no longer welcome and nor was he legally entitled to remain in the USA. He was put on a plane for Paris and is probably on his way back home.

A large group of activists were planning to protest today – Friday. But now that Bahati has left, the protests have been called off and the activists assert they are happy he is gone.

The Observer (Uganda)

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December 1, 2010January 2, 2011

Religion, Politics and -Phobias

I grew up in a very conservative African community, typical of what I guess most readers know. Church on Sundays was literally a requirement in order to have your laundry done to begin the school week. If I look back, I may be tempted to say that even the non-believers, as we used to call them, were more conservative than regular church goers in some western societies.

Certain word and phrases such as ‘homosexual, lesbian, bisexual and transgender’ were not part of the vocabulary. If you heard somebody read Leviticus 20:13 which says ‘If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads” it actually wouldn’t mean much to you, because as far as you know, such a thing could only happen in Gomorah.

That was then. Today reading the verse quoted above in public, especially by a powerful man or woman, might actually result in death of people, especially if read by a politician or Man of God. A few weeks back, one Ugandan MP proposed the death penalty for gay people. Again, the PM of Kenya on Nov 29 declared a national crackdown on homosexuals and called upon the police to arrest anyone found to be a homosexual.

I understand why African politicians see this as a winning strategy. Homosexual lifestyle is foreign to the African way of life and therefore anyone who promises to root out this tumor from the society is likely to have his approval ratings bump a significant number of points. Again, religious leaders are very powerful in most African communities. An endorsement by a man or woman of God is worth more than a billion-dollar worth of campaign donations. The politicians know this and they’re exploiting it to the fullest. Western religious activist are also pumping resources into Africa to energize greedy politicians to hold the fort.

Christians, Moslems and even traditional African rulers have condemned homosexuality for centuries so that is news. Draconian measures such as execution are just kind of new. Or is it just me?

If you were raised in religious home as I was, I will understand why the practice may be repulsive to you. It is not in my blood either. But who am I to call for someone’s death because he or she chose to live a particular way? From a religious point of view, if I have negative views about homosexuality, ‘prayer and fasting for the lost sheep’ is what Jesus will advise. Death by firing squad? I’m not sure about that.

Another thing that is difficult for me comprehend is a report that in Kenya, some Muslim groups are joining the campaign to crackdown on homosexuals. I’m a Christian but a few weeks ago I presented a strong position against ‘Islam-Phobia ‘ and ridiculed Juan Williams of Fox News and former NPR contributor for his blinkered comment about Moslems.

Just like homophobia, Islam-phobia has become a powerful weapon used by politicians to appeal to defined groups of people. For a Moslem who is constantly fighting against the bigotry and discrimination to join the call for the death of homosexuals is incomprehensible. It’s just like Juan Willians, an African American wresting with black stereotypes to join the chauvinism against Moslems.

Negrophobia, Xenophobia, Bibleophobea/Theophobia, Judeophobia. Which do we support? When politics comes in, it’s whichever the occasion calls for

I’m a chemist and I’ve tried very scary chemical reactions in my career. Politics plus religion is not one of my favorite reactions. The two don’t mix very well, and if they do, the product is always an explosive waste.

October 25, 2010April 16, 2011

Does Civil Rights Equal the Right to Be Scared of Other People?

If like most minorities, you are wrestling with uncomfortable stereotypes, prejudice and bigotry, someone who was once a civil rights activist is making the fight appear fruitless. It is said that if you live in glass house, do not be the first to throw a stone. Juan Williams, a long time respected NPR analyst did not take this with any seriousness. Juan Williams works for both NPR and FOX News. NPR is a public radio station which is listener-supported and has a history of being fair, balanced and accurate. FOX News, in most cases, cannot be described with same adjectives. They want it raw, red-hot and spicy.

Jesus once said it is very difficult to serve two masters and please both equally (especially when the two masters are so opposite as in the case of NPR and FOX News). Mr. Williams gets a pay check from both NPR and FOX. It would perhaps have been manageable if Juan provides commentary for Fox anchor like Shepherd Smith, which I personally like for his fairness, comparatively. Unfortunately, Mr. Williams fell in love with Bill O’Reilly and Sean Hannity, 8 and 9 pm anchors respectively, who are known for making highly outrageous comments.

O’Reilly himself made one of such comments about a week ago on the ABC program The VIEW. He indiscriminately said Muslims killed Americans on September 11, 2001.

O’Reilly, being smart and looking for someone to hold his hand, was able to trick Juan Williams to make a statement that is very uncharacteristic of Juan. This is what he said to O’Reilly

“Look, Bill, I’m not a bigot. You know the kind of books I’ve written about the civil rights movement in this country. But when I get on the plane, I got to tell you, if I see people who are in Muslim garb and I think, you know, they are identifying themselves first and foremost as Muslims, I get worried. I get nervous.”

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Brother, did you just say that? This is not the most outrageous comment ever. It shoud not however be coming from someone who could have been the subject of such stereotypes.

On Wednesday night NPR release the statement. J. Williams “remarks on The O’Reilly Factor this past Monday were inconsistent with our editorial standards and practices, and undermined his credibility as a news analyst with NPR”. He is fired.

It is fair that people will have the same feeling Juan Williams expressed in the above quote, looking back at September 11, 2001 and other episodes. On the other hand, no one will expect such a seasoned journalist to just say it out so bluntly. Imagine someone say “when I’m walking alone and meet a black guy in jeans and sleeveless, I feel very uncomfortable, I feel nervous”. How would you feel, Juan? This is not an arbitrary example. I’ve heard the exact statement before. I guess some of you have similar stories.

First of all, Mr. Williams has written a number of books on civil rights. Juan of course, is an African American who has spoken out against discrimination and bigotry in any form. Why would he just forget all that and just focus on pleasing his anchor and audience for his bi-weekly check?

Dr. King’s ‘Dream’ is still a long way from fulfillment, but such comments by individuals who also describe themselves as comrades on the battlefield makes the war appear to be a lose-lose effort.

Fear of Muslims or islamophobia is on the rise in the US and parts of the world and it is a tool used by some religious groups and politicians to rally their base.