Chief of the Scout Board of Uganda is also the MP who wants to execute gays

[Merlyn_LeRoy 72]

Demonizing gays for years seems to have borne fruit, at least in Uganda. Turns out that David Bahati, the MP that wrote Uganda's proposed anti-homosexuality bill that would execute gays, is also the Chief of the Scout Board of Uganda. WOSM is being urged to disassociate itself from the Uganda scout program.

 

I wonder if the BSA will say anything.

 

 

 

(fix typo)(This message has been edited by Merlyn_LeRoy)

[Huzzar 39]

1) Why would the BSA have anything to say about it.

 

2) I think the Ugandan bill specifies the death penalty for homosexual acts against minors. We'd call that paedophilia, not homosexuality. (Or do you think that they are one and the same?)

[Hal_Crawford 15]

Huzzar:

No, it is for a lot more than that.

 

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/africa/12/08/uganda.anti.gay.bill/index.html

 

Gay sex once,life sentence; gay sex twice, death penalty.

 

I doubt BSA will take a public position on this but I hope the WOSM will.

 

Hal

[Merlyn_LeRoy 72]

Why would the BSA have anything to say about it.

 

They might want to make it clear that they don't support executing homosexuals. Assuming they don't support executing homosexuals.

 

[Scoutfish 16]

Why should BSA say anything?

 

This is not a scouting rule.This is a "propposed law?" in another country. An American youth organazation has nothing to say about foriegn countries laws..even if stupid and wrong in our eyes!

 

What does BSA say about China's laws on the number of children you can have?

 

What does BSA say about the treatment of women in Iraq?

 

What does BSA say about anything that is the result of other countries laws?

 

Nothing! They may not agree, or they may agree, but that's about it!

 

The dude just happens to also be a chief of a scout group, but it's not the scout group making the laws.

 

[CA_Scouter 11]

C'mon M... you are trying to push this onto the BSA?

 

I noticed you did not condemn it... does that mean you support it?

 

Of course not, and neither does the BSA or any other reasonable person.

 

Geez.

 

[Curious 10]

"They might want to make it clear that they don't support executing homosexuals. Assuming they don't support executing homosexuals.

 

To the best of my knowledge, the BSA has never supported executing anyone. In fact, I do not believe they have a stance on the death penalty one way or the other. I could be wrong, of course. But personally, I would find it odd if the BSA had a policy stance on the issue. They do have a Crime Prevention Merit Badge; but it really doesn't address the death penalty issue.

 

All things considered, I'd have to repeat what others have said:

 

"Why would the BSA have anything to say about it?"

[The Blancmange 67]

Why should BSA say anything?

The BSA is a member of the WOSM. One of its more influential members, I presume. The leader of another member organization has taken a position advocating an egregious human rights violation. Does it matter that he took this position outside of a scouting context? I don't think expelling the Ugandan scout program is the appropriate remedy as a first step, but the WOSM needs to demand his resignation, in addition to condemning the legislation.

[NJCubScouter 1389]

I have seen some utterly pointless threads in these forums in my time... and this is one of them.

[evmori 11]

More blather from the usual Scouting hater. Pointless thread.

[OldGreyEagle 5]

And yet the posts continue

[Huzzar 39]

So imperialism is good? We need to teach these damn natives what a good law looks like?

 

Has WOSM said anything to the heads of Muslim Scout Associations that believe the death penalty is an appropriate remedy for conversion to Christianity?

 

Sorry, this one gets another ZZZZzzzzZZZZZzzzz

[Vigil36 10]

I respectfully disagree with those who say that this is not an important topic. I agree with Blancmange that expelling the Ugandan scout program is not necessary, however a public statement denouncing and condemning this law is necessary from the WOSM and as an influential member of the organization, the BSA should lead this motion. Now I know some of you are thinking, why should the BSA make a public statement about this topic? The answer is quite simple, Scouting teaches us to lead, to stand up for what is right, so this is our opportunity to practice what we preach and ask for the Ugandan Scout Board's Chief to resign his position.

 

To address the idea that "this is not a Scout rule, but proposed legislation in another country" While you are correct saying that this is not a scouting rule, it is still a major piece of Ugandan legislation that was created by the Chief of the Scout Board of Uganda. How many Chiefs of Scouting boards in China or Iraq authored laws executing people? I'm quite sure that if Scouting leaders from other countries started drafting discriminatory legislation, the BSA would have something to say. The common link is that the author of this Ugandan law holds a high office in the Ugandan Scouting Movement, asking for his resignation is a fair request.

[GernBlansten 10]

This reminds me of the calls for all Muslim clerics to denounce the acts of the few extremists.

If some leader in the WOSM is doing something so objectionable, shouldn't we hold other WOSM leaders to denounce it publicly also?

[Scoutfish 16]

Vigil36,

No, the chief of a scout board did not propose this law. A high ranking government offical WHO JUST HAPPENS TO BE a chief scout, proposed this law.

 

Do not confuse the two~!

 

Scouts do not make laws for countries.

I am a Sr Field supervisor/ quality Control/ trainer/ installer for my garage door company.

 

Sometimes in my line of work, I have to deal with customers who blatently and very obviously damaged their doors and tried to blame it on us and get a free warranty/repair sevice.

 

I have to call them out on thie lie! I have to argue with them and tell them NO WAY! I have to call them out!

 

I also just happen to be a ADL too. But I am not an ADL that calls people in the public liars!

 

As an ADL, I do not install doors or seperate abusive homeowners from true warranty calls.

 

When I'm on the clock, I am a garage door installer who works withing my companies rules and regulations and under good buisness guidlines, and state and federal laws.. I try to make sure that the quality of work I do is above what I'd want for myself. I treat every customer as if they were the most important customer in the world. But I do not work as an ADL. I leave that for when I'm not working.

 

A "MP" ( I'm thinking it was supposed to be Prime Minister?) Is just that- a prime minister, As great and noble as scouting is... It does not dictate government.

 

Granted, I think it's wrong on so many levels for him to even think what he's proposing. I do not condone it at all ( nor the bias or predjudice either). But that still does not mean BSA has any right, buisnes or calling to say anything. Lest we want any group from any country calling us out...including those who absolutely know it is sinfull fro women to drive, work,, go to school or even show their faces.

Maybe they might tells us how wrong we are for letting some religions even exist in America or tell us that some races have no rigts at all!

 

Do you care what they think? Do you want to listen?

Do you think they should even speak to us?

NOPE!

 

Wouldn't matter if they did!

 

It would matter no more than if I called him and said he better not push that law because my mom said so!

 

Besides, we let our scouting run under "our country's" religious guidelines and suggestions. That's what they are doing too.

 

Not saying I like it or condone it, but I recognize it.

 

So what does BSA have to say to a government offical of another country- when it concerns that countries laws?

 

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!