[MP-Ryan]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/after-anti-gay-law-is-signed-uganda-tabloid-publishes-list-of-the-countrys-top-homosexuals/article17077554/

Just in case anyone missed it.

[General Battuta]

Arizona, Uganda, Nigeria - proud company!

[Rodo]

wow, these guys are a little nuts aren't they?.

[Luis Dias]

The list included prominent Ugandan gay activists such as Pepe Julian Onziema, who has repeatedly warned that Uganda’s new anti-gay law could spark violence against homosexuals. A popular Ugandan hip-hop star and a Catholic priest are also on the list.

Pretty sure this isn't the way the government isn't jailing its opposition /sarcasm

wow, these guys are a little nuts aren't they?.

The right words are "Oppressive", "Totalitarian", "Fascist", etc. Not nuts, just downright evil and machiavellian.

[Dragon]

Nuts. "Conspiracy to commit homosexuality?" Come on, that's just moronic, Machiavelli probably just turned over in his grave . I hate when people make a big deal of sexual preferences. Someone prefers men to women. So what? About half the population does this, so why a few thousand people more or less are a big deal? TBH, as long as noone is getting hurt, I don't mind if someone takes a liking to goats, or maybe is aroused by trains. It's not my business unless I'm trying to hook up with the person in question.

[Luis Dias]

Yeah, but if you square that with the ousting of the "top 200 closeted gays" in the country, I see that more like a power move against the populace.

Don't get on the bad side of the government now. They can squeal to the newspapers you're gay and bam you get thrown in jail.

This is totalitarianism 101.

[MP-Ryan]

Arizona, Uganda, Nigeria - proud company!

Timely:  https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/change-name-arizona-douchelandia/JjMqgwGP

[Goober5000]

This is totalitarianism 101.

totalitarianism - a form of government in which the ruler is an absolute dictator (not restricted by a constitution or laws or opposition etc.)

Actually, this is democracy 101.  The law enjoys widespread popular support.

[Herra Tohtori]

Actually, this is ochlocracy 101, and that tends to develop into totalitarianism (more often than I feel comfortable with, anyway).

Granted the line between ochlocracy and democracy tends to be more rhetoric than anything else in the real world, but I'd say a democracy has enough responsibility to not make discriminating laws, while ochlocracy can do anything to please and agitate the masses as long as it ostensibly needs the crowd's support. Populism is the first step from democracy to ochlocracy. When the leaders in ochlocracy become powerful enough, they no longer need support from anyone else and will act however they please, at which stage the country becomes totalitarian.

At any rate, inventing an enemy class of people is a pretty classic move and for what it's worth I think it might be a good time to cut all official diplomatic ties and economical support to the governments of Nigeria, Uganda and Arizona. If the people in these countries need food, shelter and medication, it should be provided directly by organizations like Red Cross or the like. For governments to associate themselves with this type of discrimination is shameful and disgusting - and clearly, these governments cannot be trusted to deliver the provided assistance equally to all people.

[Luis Dias]

Actually, this is democracy 101.  The law enjoys widespread popular support.

You fail at definitions. Nowhere in "totalitarianism" is stated that the laws aren't to be popular. The totalitarian gist of it does not stem from its unpopularity.

[Familiar]

Don't be a gay in Uganda or Nigeria.
Be a gay somewhere else.
Problem solved.

[The E]

This is not the topic for stupid jokes.

[Familiar]

This is not the topic for stupid jokes.

It's not a joke. It is highly NOT recommended to be a gay in Russia, for example.

[The E]

You do realize that your suggestion is borderline trolling and not actually realistic, right?

The "If you don't like it here, just move away!" "solution" assumes a level of mobility the people whose problems you want to solve may in many cases not possess.

[Familiar]

You do realize that your suggestion is borderline trolling and not actually realistic, right?

The "If you don't like it here, just move away!" "solution" assumes a level of mobility the people whose problems you want to solve may in many cases not possess.

I think the most important in this case, the fact that people in both Uganda and Nigeria have more significant problems, gays or not.
At least here in Russia, we do have 
So... Let's say it's not the worst issue.
And by the way I don't like all that "gay" and "tolerate" stuff.
I don't want my children became gay. But if they eventually will... I will not shoot them. But again, I want less gay propaganda and that's it.

[The E]

I think the most important in this case, the fact that people in both Uganda and Nigeria have more significant problems, gays or not.
At least here in Russia, we do have 
So... Let's say it's not the worst issue.
And by the way I don't like all that "gay" and "tolerate" stuff.
I don't want my children became gay. But if they eventually will... I will not shoot them. But again, I want less gay propaganda and that's it.

Yeah, sorry to tell you this, but that is not going to happen. Tolerance towards homosexuals is not optional around here, and if you believe that you can't do that, then HLP is not the place for you.

[Herra Tohtori]

Like The E said...

Also, if it's not a joke, that makes it even worse. Recommendations are made on things you can make some kind of choice on.

You can't choose your country of birth, and you can't choose your sexual orientation.

Only a very small minority of world's population can choose their country of residence, and even less can choose their nationality.


Your suggestion can be interpreted in two ways: Gay people in Uganda/Nigeria/Russia should stop being gay (which is impossible) or leave their home country (which, for the majority, is also impossible).


So you're making a "suggestion" that is, generally, impossible to comply with. Not only is it not a solution at all, it's basically offensive too. Do you have any other clever insights? Maybe a suggestion that if North Koreans are unhappy with their leader they should leave the country or start an uprising to depose the Kim dynasty?

I think the most important in this case, the fact that people in both Uganda and Nigeria have more significant problems, gays or not.

I disagree. Legal persecution in any form is, or quickly becomes, probably the worst problem any country can possibly have.

At least here in Russia, we do have 
So... Let's say it's not the worst issue.

What, then, do you think are the "worse issues" than legally sanctioned persecution of a particular group of people?

And by the way I don't like all that "gay" and "tolerate" stuff.

No one's saying you have to like things. You just have to accept that homosexuality is a naturally occurring thing in human species. It shouldn't be something to be "tolerated". How does someone being homosexual affect your personal existence negatively?

I don't want my children became gay. But if they eventually will... I will not shoot them.

A person does not "become gay" any more than they "become a male" or "become a female".

If you expect some kind of sympathy points for the noble compromise of not killing someone different, you'll be sorely disappointed.

But again, I want less gay propaganda and that's it.

See, the problem is you don't seem to understand the difference between "propaganda" and "education".

Propaganda is politically motivated and usually aimed to spread false information against a particular ideology or group of people.

Education's aim is to spread correct information so that people can make decisions without being influenced by propaganda and other misinformation.

In this case, for example, I'll educate you of two things:

1. Homosexuality is not a matter of choice, nor is it a "disease you can catch"
2. "gay propaganda" does not cause or spread homosexuality. It's not a mental disease to catch.

[666maslo666]

So... Let's say it's not the worst issue.

Really? Life in prison for gay sex is not the worst issue? I think it is one of the worst issues possible, it is a huge violation of basic human rights.

This is the kind of stuff that if enforced in practice could justify military intervention to stop them, IMHO.

Russia or Arizona have some issues with gay rights but this is on a completely different level.

[Flak]

Knights Templar are back, and they return for more blood!

While I don't agree with gay marriages, you just can't do that and go around killing people. Righteousness must be tempered with compassion. Without compassion, you are going to be more sadistic than communist governments.

[Dragon]

I think the most important in this case, the fact that people in both Uganda and Nigeria have more significant problems, gays or not.
At least here in Russia, we do have 
So... Let's say it's not the worst issue.

I'm gonna agree here. Gay rights are one thing, but those countries have a lot of problems which affect all people, gay or not. What's the point talking about gay rights if they can't even get human rights right? There's also hunger, poverty, government corruption, thinly veiled totalitarianism and enormous crime rates. I'd say, those all take precedence over any equality issues. If you gave a gay man a choice between a law that will give him sexual freedom and a law that will give him bread, I think the choice is obvious. So let's make sure a common Ugandan or Nigerian man has basic freedoms, food and shelter before fighting for minority rights.