About Uganda--Political Asylum?

[Lyric]

It seems like if this horrific and vicious law actually passes, then Ugandan gays and lesbians would find it much easier to gain political asylum in nations like the US, Britain, and Canada. When the law of your land is that you get life in prison just for *being* gay and the death penalty if you are unlucky enough to have HIV, then it would be awfully hard for western nations to deny asylum. If the law passes, then maybe we need to rally western communities of straight supporters and gay people to form and fund a "rescue" organization--an underground railroad, so to speak--to bring as many gay Ugandans here as we can. God knows I'd be willing to donate time, talent, and what little money I have towards such an endeavor. I don't know if I could live with myself if I *didn't*, to be honest. What Uganda is proposing is nothing less than an extermination of gay people and straight people who are either falsely accused of being gay or suspected of being gay. Even if the US didn't want to offer political asylum, there would be enormous pressure from the rest of the world for every western nation to do its part to save lives. Honestly, what excuse could the Obama administration possibly give for saying "No" that wouldn't leave us looking like dirt on the international stage--the exact opposite of what he wants to accomplish?

Our conservative shitbag fundies are the reason this is happening to begin with; this would be something we could *do* rather than sitting here grieving, horrified, and helpless. Plus I'm sure it would royally piss off the fundies. They expected to start a slaughter of gays over *there*, after all, not a mass immigration of gays coming *here*. I'd even volunteer to shelter and sponsor one or two of my Ugandan brethren if that's what's needed. We don't have much, but then again, I highly doubt that any of them are used to opulence, so it should be okay.

What do you guys think? Is there a chance that this might work out?

[tblue]

1. Absolutely!!! Count me in.

I volunteer at International Rescue Committee. We work with new refugees and asylees from around the world, people who would be in danger if they returned to their home country. We help them with ESL and job searches and in other ways to become acclimated to living in the US. You can read about the org online. Anyway, I'm going there this morning in fact, and I'll ask about how to get this started. I would love to stay in touch with you on this, ok?

I was just watching Rachel's interview with Richard Cohen (ugh!), and I've been following her reports on this story (the only reports on it anywhere). It's breaking my heart. This is pure Nazi-style extermination, and there must be a worldwide outcry and condemnation of this abominable law before takes effect. One death or imprisonment for being gay is one too many.

[Lyric]

4. Please do stay in touch.

Let me know how I can help organize.

[AndyA]

2. If the U.S. is sending any money to Uganda, it needs to stop.

If the right wingers can say they don't want their tax dollars going to fund abortions, I can say I don't want my tax dollars going to support imprisonment or murder of people because they're gay.

Uganda = stone age policies

[sui generis]

3. About Uganda, Dear Hillary: any thoughts? crickets?

anyone else at the state department?

more crickets?

The sound of crickets is deafening.

[mitchtv]

5. it was done before with the "Marielitos"

from Cuba. many, many, gays. The Gay community in SF stepped foward and opened their hearts and homes to thse refugees. Surely we will do it again and sponsor as many as they evict. The grounds for political asylum seem clear cut to me