Not here, no queers, ain't gonna get used to it

Michael Hadley, a professor at University of Victoria, attempted to make some sense of the anti-homosexuality law stagnating before Ugandan parliament. Hadley stated in a public lecture "Christianity [in Uganda] seems to have bypassed the Enlightenment and the Reformation," implying that while indeed much of Ugandan society has embraced Christendom, little effort has been made towards becoming a moderate and tolerant society. While Hadley did appear to approve the moral claim behind the law, his opinion of the law is shared by many in the western world, in that such a law is a horrible failing of basic human rights. This sentiment is echoed by numerous leaders, to include Barrack Obama. Hadley went so far as to suggest that two conspiracy theories may be at play in Uganda; one that an evangelical group had stated to Ugandans in 2009, that homosexuality is from America and Europe, and must be stopped at all costs, and the other stating that it is homophobia that is the American import to Uganda.

It was in the wake of the evangelical's 2009 "sermon," that this law started in the parliament. One provision of the law boldly states the Uganda will "break ties with other governments that try to interfere with the law." In doing so, Uganda would figuratively shoot itself in the foot, in that many nations that oppose the law will essentially be forced to withdraw aid. Hadley did not fully condemn Uganda, citing a different pursuit in evangelical Christianity, "chastity before marriage and fidelity afterwards." Hadley claims that it has made a 66% reduction in the rate of AIDS in Uganda, although this is unsubstantiated.

In truth, this law would only find support in the US amongst those in the Westboro Baptist Church. In reading about this law before Ugandan Parliment, one image just kept popping into my thoughts: it's Jesus, doing a facepalm, shouting "WHAT IS SO HARD TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT LOVE THY NEIGHBOR AS THYSELF?!"

-Caleb B. Ray