An update to the recent outrageous threats issued by a West African dictator who threatened to kill all homosexuals.
Three weeks ago, Yahya Jammeh, the president of The Gambia, ordered all homosexuals to leave the country and promised to "cut off the head" of any gay man remaining in the West African nation. The grandiose dictator, who also claims he can cure HIV/AIDS, also threatened legal action against any hotel, motel or landlord renting to known homosexuals.
New York-based Human Rights Watch criticizes the despicable comments and threats of anti-gay violence. "We urge you to publicly disavow threats and vilification directed against gays and lesbian people in Gambia," says the open letter signed by Scott Long, director of HRW's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights Program. "We ask you to affirm publicly and without equivocation that all people should enjoy their rights regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity," he wrote.
Long also "called on Jammeh to ask police to release all people still detained on charges or under suspicion of homosexual conduct and refrain from such arrests." Reportedly, about two weeks after Jammeh's outrageous public statements, two Spaniards "were arrested and accused of making a homosexual advance to two taxi drivers."
Let's wish for the best for our brothers and sisters in The Gambia and across Africa. The political climate in the States may not be to our liking, but, its a helluva lot better than what these people have to endure.
Rights group urges Gambian leader to disavow threats [AFP]
Some Background ...
Gambian President Threatens to "Cut Off the Head" of Homosexuals [R20]
Gambia: UN Rep Expelled After Doubting President's AIDS "Cure" [R20]
Gambian President Can Cure "HIV" [R20]
Yup!! U got that right! Being gay here in North America won't land you in jail but it may send you to the ICU.
What bothers me so much is that western nations are unbelievably oblivious to the mistreatments of our gay brothers and sisters around the globe.
Why can't all these "civilized" nations issue some sort of arrest warrants against these idiots? Mugabe is currently person non grata and has been prohibited from flying to Europe by the EU. The same should apply to ANY head of state with a record of human rights abuse. I mean seriously!
Posted by: Shabaka | 11 June 2008 at 22:06
If Beyonce ever wants to do a re-make of "The Wiz", she could cast this crazy bitch as Evillene. Yemmeh is a perfect example of what happens when a "queen" never gets no trade--evil forever. I saw some of them back in the 70s...kept my distance.
Posted by: Derrick from Philly | 12 June 2008 at 09:33
Derrick, you kill me! I wonder what trade must have been like...Was it anything close to modern day "DL"?
Posted by: shabaka | 12 June 2008 at 11:31
Hey, SHABAKA,
Actually, you're right: TRADE are simply "down low" guys who don't mind being seen...I mean, CAUGHT in company of a fem or "queen". They can always say that they do the "man thing"--play masculine to the queens' feminine (yeah, everywhere except the bedroom sometimes).
Now from what I've read, heard, seen on TV--today's "down low" guys have a total hatred for feminine males and use fem "queens" as an excuse to condemn the whole concept of "gay" (they also say, "gay is white"). Now, there are always exceptions, but that's my take on the difference.
Of course, proper gay men (the majority) consider TRADE to be street hustlers who'll do anything to get drug money.
It seems that today's "down low" guys have a whole philosophy about how to "do" man-to-man relationships: sexual & emotional. They also seem to have network of secret social connections (so that they can connect). "Discreet" is their favorite word.
On the otherhand, TRADE just wants to "bust a nut", and nowadays, make a few bucks.
Finally, TRADE tends to be young...and, well, a little dumb.
Now, what does this have to do with the dictator of Gambia?...well, Gambian "DLs", TRADE, and Gays (foreign and domestic)--better "lay low" for a while. The Gambian Drag Queens better put away the drag for a while-- if not, they better escape to..well,...to the Canary Islands, I guess.
Posted by: Derrick from Philly | 12 June 2008 at 12:23
Uh-kay...I see. So pretty much most of my brother's "friends" are "TRADE". Gotcha!! Up here we call them HUSTLERS.
They wouldn't make any money off me (lord knows students are the least cash ready individuals), but they sure love sunday afternoon cook outs and free liquor. Only to start grabing everyone's a$$ (my out gay friends and I) after a few drinks.
Good timez!
Posted by: Shabaka | 13 June 2008 at 13:49
LOL, Derrick, you are just too much, you can connect the dots between anything. On the serious tip, this man sounds horrible, like another Mugabe.
Posted by: Robert P | 14 June 2008 at 16:50