US Has Yet To Condemn Global Execution Of Gays
 

Gay people can be executed in 7 countries around the world.

In 77 countries “Homosexuality” (however they decide to define it) is illegal and can carry severe punishments, including prison.

This week at the U.N. General Assembly the countries of France and The Netherlands initiated a joint statement calling for the decriminalization of homosexuality. They were able to gather 66 signatures out of the 192 nations. This is a historic first, and I’m glad that we’ve moved forward to this point in our world.

Then, another statement supporting the criminalization of homosexuality — read by Syria and initiated mostly by Arab countries — gathered 60 signatures. These two rival statements clashed for a while, no resolution was ever actually drafted, and nobody truly voted on anything.

This month is the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the world’s most translated document, which the UN General Assembly passed in 1948. It came directly as a result of what happened during WWII. It expresses the rights to which all human beings are inherently entitled.

The statement backed by the European Union said those rights apply equally to all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

They asked states to, "to take all the necessary measures, in particular legislative or administrative, to ensure that sexual orientation or gender identity may under no circumstances be the basis for criminal penalties, in particular executions, arrests or detention."

The opposing measure said this would "delves into matters which fall essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of states". They warned that if this was adopted it would encourage "the social normalization, and possibly the legitimization, of many deplorable acts including pedophilia."

Rick Warren links same-sex couples to pedophilia as well.

Those who want to continue criminalizing homosexuals said, "We note with concern the attempts to create ‘new rights’ or ‘new standards,’ by misinterpreting the Universal Declaration and international treaties to include such notions that were never articulated nor agreed by the general membership." Most of this opposition comes from Muslim countries, where the harshest punishments – including death – are doled out to those perceived to be gay, lesbian, transgendered, or bi-sexual.

Once again, the United States, under the meek and fearful leadership of Republican George Bush, decided NOT to sign either document. Officials said that the EU statement was too “broad” and that it might conflict with U.S. law. They declined to explain this with any further detail.

I’m very embarrassed and angry that our government, because it is controlled by this group of conservative Republicans, has once again refused to step up to the plate and join the civilized nations of the world who understand that gay rights is one of the defining civil rights issues of our generation.

I would urge my government to support any resolution that calls on those countries that make it illegal to practice anything but a state sponsored religion to change. I would likewise urge my country to support any resolution that calls on those countries that criminalize GLBT’s to change.