the_archfiend | Uganda: In the words of Hunter S. Thompson, "The Scum also Rises"

Some of you may have noted the murder of Ugandan gay activist David Kato; I sure did, especially in the wake of the attempting passage of a ridiculous law I previously mentioned when I noticed a MSNBC piece that included one of the more vile rationales I've seen for this type of murder in a while. That piece seems to have disappeared as a consequence of the article being updated, But the BBC News online edition did me a favor by repeating the words of Giles Muhame, editor of Ugandan tabloid Rolling Stone and the chief turd responsible for the infamous "Homo list" (shown here):

"We want the government to hang people who promote homosexuality, not for the public to attack them”

What the fuck?

Anyone strongly opposed to the death penalty must be salivating at the chance to pick apart the pretzel logic inherent in that sentence: in Muhame's mind, it's perfectly legitimate for the Ugandan government to murder people for their sexual orientation but not a vigilante or a mob. Pardon me if I fail to see the difference.

Likewise, pardon me if I shake my head at the following:

Anglican priest Thomas Musoke told mourners that homosexuality was "evil".

Many members of the lesbian and gay community wore T-shirts with Mr Kato's portrait on the front and the words "La luta continua [the struggle continues]" printed on the back.

They were shocked when the priest started condemning homosexuals.

"You must repent. Even the animals know the difference between a male and a female," he said, before warning that they would face the fate of residents in Sodom and Gomorrah, the biblical cities destroyed by God.

Gay rights activists then stormed the pulpit and prevented the priest from continuing.

An excommunicated priest who has in the past called for people to respect the rights of homosexuals then presided over the rest of the service.

What makes all of this especially revolting is what the ultimate source of most African laws criminalizing homosexuaiity actually is:

Homosexuality is illegal in most countries in Africa, where sodomy laws were introduced during colonialism (emphasis mine).

In a way, nothing is more sickening than a government of former imperial subjects resorting to the same outdated laws that they chafed under in order to oppress someone else. And this is certainly the most revolting proof imaginable.