The challenge of being gay and lesbian in Uganda, a highly religious and deeply conservative Christian country, is constant isolation, insults, threats and violence. That’s exactly what a Ugandan tabloid Rolling Stone, an anti-gay newspaper, did when on November 1, 2010 again published pictures of 14 men it identified as the “generals” of the gay movement in Uganda. In its lead article, entitled “Men of shame part II,” the Rolling Stone identified the men by personal details, including names and home towns.
This is not the first time the Rolling Stone, which has no relation to the US magazine, is publishing pictures of people it believed to be gays or lesbians. In its previous publication, the paper also quoted an unnamed religious leader calling for gays to be hanged.
The paper’s Monday publication comes at a time when the Ugandan politicians are debating an anti-gay legislation that would sentence some homosexuals (serial offenders, those who are H.I.V. positive and others) to life in prison or even death. Homosexuality in Uganda is punishable by life imprisonment in some instances.
According to Ugandan and international newspapers, the paper’s Monday edition was motivated by “a cross-section of heartless homosexuals is seriously recruiting and brainwashing unsuspecting kids into gay circles,” wrote Giles Muhame, the editor of the Rolling Stone.
A few months ago, I wrote about the early stages of the conflict in Ukraine through the lens of Sun Tzu’s The Art of War. While it appears likely that the war will carry on into the foreseeable future, enough time has passed for us to make an honest assessment of each side’s relative […]
The Ukrainian Army has made dramatic strides in the last few weeks. Ukraine’s tactical commanders have outfoxed their Russian counterparts, and by issuing a feint towards the south the UA has been able to earn substantial gains in the north of their country. The impact of these efforts have been compounded by the steady stream […]
In mid-May the Irish political party, Sinn Féin, won the plurality of seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly. Many American readers might not fully understand the significance of Sinn Féin’s political victory- but rest assured that subjects of the United Kingdom and a wide range of political movements the world over have heard the message […]
The first wave of the Russian offensive in Ukraine has fallen short of Russian autocrat Vladmir Putin’s ambitions. Most analysts deduced that Putin had hoped to achieve a decapitation strike of the Ukrainian government- taking Kiev and replacing Ukrainian President Vladimir Zolinski with a pro-Kremlin voice. Kiev has been threatened repeatedly through the course of […]
On the weekend of March 26th, the notorious MS-13 gang went on a massive killing spree in El Salvador which left more than 70 people dead by Sunday. Even for a country where powerful gangs hold massive sway, this recent tragedy stands out considering that it was the bloodiest day on record since the civil […]
