In ancient cultures, a goat, or sometimes a person, was ostracized and forced to suffer undeserved scorn or expulsion in the belief that the community would be better because of their imposed sacrificial suffering. This suffering by one would substitute and replace the deserved suffering of others, and somehow salve the wrath of punitive gods. Today we are witnessing the scapegoating of Uganda on the issue of LGBT discrimination.
There are some in U.S. policy circles who want to make an example of Uganda for their recent descent into radical and repulsive homophobia, in spite of the fact the Uganda is far from alone in this mass homophobic hysteria. What Uganda needs now is enlightened leadership from the West not condemnation. Ironically, withholding much needed aid to Uganda is eerily similar to the fundamentalists’ view that punishment cures all. Treating Uganda as a unique international pariah, is little different from the Ugandan persecution of the LGBT community.
{mosads}There are two wrongs that are involved in this situation. The first is that discrimination, exploitation, and persecution of members of the LGBT community anywhere, in this country, or in the world is wrong and should be fought vigorously. The second wrong is that one country Uganda is being used as the poster child for this abuse that unfortunately is all too common around the world.
Uganda like many countries, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Russia, Kuwait, Kenya, Jamaica, Qatar, China to name a few have laws and customs that through the lens of tolerance and modern humanity are cruel and discriminatory with regards to the LGBT community. In states such as Kentucky, gays can legally be kicked out of their apartments. So what makes Uganda so different that it deserves the special attention and condemnation by the United States? In a world where political inconsistency and hypocrisy are the norm, the singling out of Uganda and Africa stands as an abject example of the worst in political expediency. The U.S. and others are beating up on Uganda and making them the scapegoat on LGBT abuse, simply because they can. The same callous disregard for consistency and principle will not allow the current critics of Uganda to turn their ire on countries that are either too powerful to rattle, or are too close politically in other geo-political matters to risk ruffling.
Americans should not be confused. Yes, discrimination and abuse of the LGBT community are wrong, but when that moral outrage is targeted at the weak and vulnerable and not directed to the rich and powerful, the case can be made that those critics of Uganda are not friends of the LGBT community, but are using Uganda to cleanse their dirty souls. Uganda should change its policies, but so should 78 other nations, and half a dozen states and scores of cities right here in the United States.
So what should we be doing given the specific actions taken by the Ugandan government to persecute the LGBT community? My first recommendation would be to warn our friends around the world that there are religious zealots and fanatics such as anti-gay pastor Scott Lively who can no longer effectively spew their hatred here so they have taken to exporting their views to people more susceptible on another continent.
The United States and our Western allies should apologize to Ugandans, in fact, the apology should be offered to the entire African continent for exporting the worst of our culture and humanity. Make no mistake, we are partly to blame.
After we apologize we need to engage Uganda in real economic and political development. Unfortunately, there has been serious damage done that will take decades to fully undo. A recent poll by Pew Research estimates that anti-gay biases are held by over 90 percent of the Ugandan population. The best antiseptic for ignorance is light.
We must lead by example, not by edict. We are learning in this country that tolerance, acceptance, and embracement of the LGBT makes us a better country. Transparent hypocrisy only confirms for the Ugandans that their discriminatory actions are appropriate and justified. We must resist the understandable urge to react. Not only will it be ineffective, it will be counterproductive.
I do not know about you, but scapegoating Uganda on LGBT abuse does not make me feel any better, and more importantly, it will not work.
McKinney is president and CEO of the Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council.