Anti-gay sentiment growing in Kenya

[WillParkinson]

Anti-gay sentiment growing in Kenya
By Ruth Schneider, 365gay.com
02.19.2010 11:59am EST

The wave of anti-gay sentiment in Kenya continues to grow. The mob violence on Feb. 12 over the alleged wedding of two gay men has lead to house-to-house searches for gays, attacks on gays in the street and the sacking of an AIDS clinic.

Denis Nzioka, a gay activist in Kenya told Gay City News, “Ever since the outburst of violence in Mtwapa, gay people have had to fear for their lives. Vigilante groups are hunting down gay men, going door to door, and anyone who is overly flamboyant is attacked in the street.”

In late January, rumors of a gay wedding began circulating in Mtwapa. Radio stations reported the unconfirmed story. In early February, religious leaders told their congregations to expose the gays in Mtwapa.

“We shall stand firm to flush out gays who throng this town every weekend from all corners of this country,” the Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya and the National Council of Churches of Kenya said in a joint statement last week, The Daily nation reported.

http://www.365gay.com/news/anti-gay-sentiment-growing-in-kenya/

[jeremyfive]

1. Nice.

Nice. Hey, travel agent! No Kenya, please!

[Zenlitened]

2. Religion. It's the problem.

Imagine no religion... and you imagine a world that's a much safer, saner place for gays and lesbians.

[Toasterlad]

3. Religion Isn't the Problem, It's the Justification.

It's a subtle difference, but it's important. The world would ABSOLUTELY be better off without religion, but that wouldn't eliminate homophobia. Although it WOULD make it harder to get away with.

[Zenlitened]

5. Well, I understand what you're saying, but I think...

... the line between religion and anti-gay bigotry has been blurred to invisibility.

In far, far too many cases, being anti-gay is part and parcel of the religion itself. And in fact, the religion was the "gateway" to the bigotry.

Without their preachers, their priests or their imams, without their "holy" instruction manuals of whatever sort... without being TOLD! that GAWD! wants them to CARE ABOUT! this CALAMITY!... I think many, many folks would be a lot more live-and-let-live in their attitudes.

Absolutely, I agree with you that homophobia would still exist in a world without religion. But in far smaller numbers, IMO.

:hi:

[mitchtv]

4. Mtwapa will become a ghost town on weekends

if there is any justice. Fuck religionists