05-18-2007, 08:46 AM
[img2=left]http://www.gayspeak.com/forum/images/news/pope.jpg[/img2]Pope Benedict XVI, US President George W. Bush and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad have undermined human rights by actively promoting prejudice against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.
Human Rights Watch named them today in its annual âhall of shameâ to mark the International Day Against Homophobia.
On May 17th, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender groups in more than 50 countries will commemorate the International Day Against Homophobia.
The initiative launched in 2005 that commemorates the day in 1990 when the World Health Organisation removed homosexuality from its roster of disorders.
âThis âhall of shameâ does not claim to include the worst offenders, but it highlights leaders who have lent their authority to denying basic human rights,â said Scott Long, director of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Rights Programme at Human Rights Watch.
âPresident Bush and Pope Benedict both speak of human dignity, but their homophobic words and actions undermine families and endanger health.â
Leaders named to the âHall of Shameâ for their actions in the past year are:
1 Pope Benedict XVI: for undermining families. The leader of the Holy See has gone well beyond expressing the Churchâs theological views on homosexuality.
2 US President George W. Bush: for jeopardizing public health. The Presidentâs Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) requires that one-third of HIV-prevention spending go to so-called âabstinence-until-marriageâ programmes.
3 Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: for creating public and private scandals. President Ahmadinejad has overseen a widening campaign to âcounter public immorality,â arbitrarily arresting thousands of Iranians for dressing or behaving differently.
4 Roman Giertych, Polish Minister of Education and Deputy Prime Minister: for endangering children. Part of a right-wing government that has made homophobia a centerpiece of policy.
5 Bienvenido Abante, Member of the Philippine House of Representatives: for trying to force his sexual orientation on others. Representative Abante has urged that homosexuals be âcuredâ and turned into heterosexuals.
âHomophobia endangers basic human rights, and we should all be concerned by it,â said Mr Long.
âGovernments devalue families when they deny any family recognition. They endanger children when they silence any child.â
Human Rights Watch named them today in its annual âhall of shameâ to mark the International Day Against Homophobia.
On May 17th, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender groups in more than 50 countries will commemorate the International Day Against Homophobia.
The initiative launched in 2005 that commemorates the day in 1990 when the World Health Organisation removed homosexuality from its roster of disorders.
âThis âhall of shameâ does not claim to include the worst offenders, but it highlights leaders who have lent their authority to denying basic human rights,â said Scott Long, director of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Rights Programme at Human Rights Watch.
âPresident Bush and Pope Benedict both speak of human dignity, but their homophobic words and actions undermine families and endanger health.â
Leaders named to the âHall of Shameâ for their actions in the past year are:
1 Pope Benedict XVI: for undermining families. The leader of the Holy See has gone well beyond expressing the Churchâs theological views on homosexuality.
2 US President George W. Bush: for jeopardizing public health. The Presidentâs Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) requires that one-third of HIV-prevention spending go to so-called âabstinence-until-marriageâ programmes.
3 Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: for creating public and private scandals. President Ahmadinejad has overseen a widening campaign to âcounter public immorality,â arbitrarily arresting thousands of Iranians for dressing or behaving differently.
4 Roman Giertych, Polish Minister of Education and Deputy Prime Minister: for endangering children. Part of a right-wing government that has made homophobia a centerpiece of policy.
5 Bienvenido Abante, Member of the Philippine House of Representatives: for trying to force his sexual orientation on others. Representative Abante has urged that homosexuals be âcuredâ and turned into heterosexuals.
âHomophobia endangers basic human rights, and we should all be concerned by it,â said Mr Long.
âGovernments devalue families when they deny any family recognition. They endanger children when they silence any child.â
Note: No trees were destroyed in the sending of this contaminant free message. However, I do concede, a significant number of electrons may have been inconvenienced.