Comments on: State Dept: Ugandan President Promises To Block Anti-Gay Bill http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2009/12/19/18584 News, analysis and fact-checking of anti-gay rhetoric Wed, 22 May 2013 06:37:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: David C. http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2009/12/19/18584/comment-page-1#comment-57539 David C. Mon, 21 Dec 2009 08:18:37 +0000 http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/?p=18584#comment-57539 <blockquote>Uganda comes across as fanatically anti-gay, as if 98% of the population would gladly execute a gay person. My heart trembles for those with no place to turn.<i>—Ray</i></blockquote> Ray, I'm not sure that's really the case though I have no way of really knowing. I suspect it is much like it is here in the US: those that are rabidly anti-gay are in the minority but are nevertheless very loud and constantly in the face of society to manifest their hatred. Hard to say what's happening, but it is curious that the president would allow this legislation to get so far in a legislative body that he allegedly has so much control over while simultaneously taking the position he is advertising. I suspect there is far more going on below the surface than we and the rest of the world are privy to. A blatant attack on human rights like this proposed legislation will have a profound economic impact on Uganda if it goes on to become law. The president would be very wise to kill this bill. His country is surrounded by some other politically unstable countries and it would be to his and his country's advantage to moderate the more strident religo-political forces before they alienate Uganda's economic and humanitarian partners.

Uganda comes across as fanatically anti-gay, as if 98% of the population would gladly execute a gay person. My heart trembles for those with no place to turn.—Ray

Ray, I’m not sure that’s really the case though I have no way of really knowing. I suspect it is much like it is here in the US: those that are rabidly anti-gay are in the minority but are nevertheless very loud and constantly in the face of society to manifest their hatred.

Hard to say what’s happening, but it is curious that the president would allow this legislation to get so far in a legislative body that he allegedly has so much control over while simultaneously taking the position he is advertising. I suspect there is far more going on below the surface than we and the rest of the world are privy to.

A blatant attack on human rights like this proposed legislation will have a profound economic impact on Uganda if it goes on to become law. The president would be very wise to kill this bill. His country is surrounded by some other politically unstable countries and it would be to his and his country’s advantage to moderate the more strident religo-political forces before they alienate Uganda’s economic and humanitarian partners.

]]> By: Ray http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2009/12/19/18584/comment-page-1#comment-57507 Ray Sun, 20 Dec 2009 22:12:19 +0000 http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/?p=18584#comment-57507 I'll believe it when I see it on both the blocking part and the stopping of an override. Uganda comes across as fanatically anti-gay, as if 98% of the population would gladly execute a gay person. My heart trembles for those with no place to turn. I’ll believe it when I see it on both the blocking part and the stopping of an override. Uganda comes across as fanatically anti-gay, as if 98% of the population would gladly execute a gay person. My heart trembles for those with no place to turn.

]]> By: BobbiCW http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2009/12/19/18584/comment-page-1#comment-57501 BobbiCW Sun, 20 Dec 2009 19:57:44 +0000 http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/?p=18584#comment-57501 I don't believe anything any politician promises in private until I hear or see it publicly. I can hope though... I don’t believe anything any politician promises in private until I hear or see it publicly. I can hope though…

]]> By: Martin http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2009/12/19/18584/comment-page-1#comment-57488 Martin Sun, 20 Dec 2009 18:15:02 +0000 http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/?p=18584#comment-57488 If Museveni was already promising to block this legislation back in October, and again earlier this month, why is this the first we've heard of it? If Museveni was already promising to block this legislation back in October, and again earlier this month, why is this the first we’ve heard of it?

]]> By: grantdale http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2009/12/19/18584/comment-page-1#comment-57479 grantdale Sun, 20 Dec 2009 14:14:19 +0000 http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/?p=18584#comment-57479 Uganda's Constitution... oh, puh-lease. Fantasyland. If anyone was taking any notice of Uganda's Constitution this situation wouldn't exist in the first place. A veto by Parliament on a matter like this would be rapidly followed by the sound of a Lear-Jet leaving Kampala for Geneva. Him. Or them. Museveni may veto them. But they may not embarrass him. That's the deal. More likely, the Act would be sent off to quietly die in committee. If he so wishes. Whatever the semblance to democracy, Museveni is riding a tiger. The dismount is always the tricky part. Uganda’s Constitution… oh, puh-lease. Fantasyland.

If anyone was taking any notice of Uganda’s Constitution this situation wouldn’t exist in the first place.

A veto by Parliament on a matter like this would be rapidly followed by the sound of a Lear-Jet leaving Kampala for Geneva.

Him. Or them.

Museveni may veto them. But they may not embarrass him. That’s the deal. More likely, the Act would be sent off to quietly die in committee. If he so wishes.

Whatever the semblance to democracy, Museveni is riding a tiger. The dismount is always the tricky part.

]]> By: Jim Burroway http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2009/12/19/18584/comment-page-1#comment-57468 Jim Burroway Sun, 20 Dec 2009 04:56:40 +0000 http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/?p=18584#comment-57468 Great question. <a href="http://www.ugandaonlinelawlibrary.com/files/constitution/constitution_1995.pdf" rel="nofollow">Uganda's constitution</a> (PDF 460KB/192 pages) allows Parliament to override a Presidential veto with a 2/3rd approval. The National Resistance Movement, which is the President's ruling party, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliament_of_Uganda" rel="nofollow">controls 205</a> of the Parliament's 319 seats. The Ugandan army, which is under the president's command and holds ten more seats, conceivably gives the president a veto-proof majority. I doubt that many, if any, NRM legislators would go against the president and risk losing their job in the 2011 elections. Great question. Uganda’s constitution (PDF 460KB/192 pages) allows Parliament to override a Presidential veto with a 2/3rd approval. The National Resistance Movement, which is the President’s ruling party, controls 205 of the Parliament’s 319 seats. The Ugandan army, which is under the president’s command and holds ten more seats, conceivably gives the president a veto-proof majority. I doubt that many, if any, NRM legislators would go against the president and risk losing their job in the 2011 elections.

]]> By: Burr http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2009/12/19/18584/comment-page-1#comment-57466 Burr Sun, 20 Dec 2009 04:08:41 +0000 http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/?p=18584#comment-57466 I don't know anything about the Ugandan political system. Can they override a veto? I don’t know anything about the Ugandan political system. Can they override a veto?

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