Sad hypocrisy from Sirleaf Johnson

I want my rights, but I reserve the right to deny those rights to others when I get them. Freedom yes; but for me, not for those other people.

                We have just seen an unapologetic President Johnson Sirleaf (one of my long time personal heroes, by the way) alongside a writhing and uncomfortable Tony Blair, talking about laws on the African continent that criminalizes being born gay. Johnson defiantly reserving certain rights and freedoms for herself and those of the same sexual persuasion as her, Blair sneakily avoiding the subject all together. He disappointed just as much, having a history of support for gay rights. Surprisingly enough. After all, the man belongs to a church that thinks condoms is a far greater threat to humanity than AIDS. Link to video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ut5V-HN2GGk

Homosexuality is not a victimless crime, because it is not a crime. It is also victimless. That’s why it shouldn`t be considered a crime. You really need religion to see a problem with it. You need something written in the Bronze Age to steer your morals, and you need a non-existent God that the “sin” can be done against. Because no person actually suffers from other people being gay. We saw a microcosm example of this in the United States not so long ago. Proposition 8 was put in in California to eliminate gay people’s right to get married, and it was supported 52,3 against 47.7 by voters. Those groups organizing and fundraising for this proposition were overwhelmingly religious, especially Catholic and Mormon (with Jewish religious societies being a positive exception). Another sad fact is that the group that was most in favor of the proposition, is exactly the group that has had to fight hardest for its own rights in that country: African Americans. As a group, they voted 70% for denying rights to another group, far more than any other demographic.

President Johnson, you need to step up to the plate on this one. In these days, people are being burned and beaten to death on streets in Africa for this bogus crime (if you look hard enough, you will find the videos, but I suggest you don`t). In Iraq we have seen a wave of attacks and murders on so called emos; more or less people who like to dress fashionably. That must surely be worth a death sentence, right? In the US, we see an openly homophobic presidential candidate wannabe in Rick Santorum. At least until he is revealed as gay, as happens to so many of his homophobic friends over there. Most of this, in all instances, is driven by religious zealotry. By the way; if God exists, I think he can handle some gayness in this world. The guy created billions of galaxies and millions of species, I fail to see how he could be so preoccupied with this issue that his feelings would be hurt be it. And President Johnson, you are not helping the situation. I heard you say that you like yourself just the way you are, but apparently you don`t. If you did, why criminalize some of yourself for what they/you are?

So if you don`t want to have sex with gay people, don`t. But you see, you won`t “catch the gay” by walking down the street. Neither will your children. It is not a transmittable disease. And there will be no “teaching the gay lifestyle” in schools, turning young boys into small Elton Johns. This is shameful demagogy and bias, and it needs to be stopped. Oh, and do me a favor. Google the word Santorum (as in Rick).

Espen Goffeng