The United States is finally headed towards national marriage equality! Clearly Mississippi is on the wrong side of history (yet again). As freedom begins to truly reign over our nation's public policy, our people are not progressing as quickly as our laws are. Even one of the most liberal states in the country is home to one of the world's most influential anti-gay activist, Scott Lively.

Who is Scott Lively? The 56 year old Springfield, Massachusetts native is an evangelical pastor, attorney, author, public speaker, missionary, and a self proclaimed human rights activists and God’s voice against "the homosexuals." He’s the type of guy who blames gays for AIDS, and wants to criminalize sexual conduct before marriage. He's best-known for co-writing the thoroughly discredited, Holocaust revisionist book The Pink Swastika: Homosexuality in the Nazi Party (1995), which claims that the Nazi party was full of gay men who, because of their "savagery," were able to carry out the Holocaust. This man not only lives in my hometown, but is also running for governor of the commonwealth. If the first state in the country to legalize gay marriage is going to have anyone represent them, it will most definitely not be the man who has a political mission to take the rainbow back from the gays.

Thankfully, I have enough education up my sleeve to laugh at this man’s bigotry and nonsense that he spews at events across the country. However, what happens when the crazy goes overseas and begins stirring up trouble in a country that already has huge human rights violations? It isn't so funny anymore. The political philosophies proposed by ministers and pastors like Lively are losing in our country, so they hop on planes and preach to a country that is new to the concept of accepting those who are LGBT.

Uganda's Government and Scott Lively, The Tragic Love Story: The extremist addressed thousands of Ugandans at an anti gay conference, titled "Exposing the Truth behind Homosexuality and the Homosexual Agenda," in Uganda. The audience included law enforcement, religious leaders, government officials, and the entire Ugandan parliament. Lively’s now infamous speech lasted 5 hours. The horrifically long and hateful blabbering included the false claims that being molested as a child causes homosexuality, that LGBT people are sexual predators trying to turn children gay by molesting them, and that gay rights activists want to replace marriage with a culture of sexual promiscuity. Oh, don't worry! He didn’t stop he anti-gay train at the conference, he went on Ugandan television shows, held private meetings with Ugandan government officials, and hosted seminars across the African country.

What exactly did Lively accomplish? Exactly one month following the conference, the Ugandan parliament considered legislation that included the death penalty for LGBT people in some instances and life imprisonment for others. The bill was briefly put on pause and shelved by the United Nations when European nations threatened to withdraw aid to Uganda, which heavily relies on millions of dollars from the international community. The nation's parliament passed the bill in December, replacing the death penalty provision with a proposal of life in prison for "aggravated homosexuality." This includes acts in which one person is infected with HIV. President Yoweri Museveni signed the Anti-Homosexuality Bill into law in February of 2014. The United Nations was totally chill with the bill passing because it no longer explicitly included the death penalty, as they preferred life in prison for being a sexual minority. The bill’s preamble included points made by Lively during his many trips to Uganda. America's hardest working anti-gay pastor claims to be disappointed with Uganda and to have had no influence over the bill. 

Have no fear the United Nations will protect basic human rights! ..Right? Introducing newly elected President of the United Nations General Assembly, Sam Kutesa of Uganda! Who wouldn't want an anti-gay minister to hold one of the most prestigious offices in the world?? The position rotates by region, this year was Africa’s turn and Minister Kustesa ran unopposed. There are countless reasons as to why Uganda should not have been allowed to have the position, including the country’s financial corruption of public funds, murders and attacks under military rule, and invasions of neighboring countries which is a violation of the United Nations' cardinal rule- the respect for national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Sanctioning The Bad Boys: Just days after the Anti-Homosexuality Bill went into effect, the Obama Administration announced sanctions against officials responsible for human rights violations in Uganda. (Woo!) The press release stated the following:

“The Department of State is taking measures to prevent entry into the United States by certain Ugandan officials involved in serious human rights abuses, including against LGBT individuals. In addition, the United States will take steps, consistent with current authorities, to prevent entry into the United States by Ugandans who are found responsible for significant public corruption.” 

So... the naughty government officials in Uganda who have threatened the lives of their own people in their own country can’t come to our nation but our extremists and looney tunes can go to their country and be the reason why those lives are being threatened in the first place?? This does not solve the problem. The issue is not rooted in Uganda, it started with us. It started with our fellow Americans. 

Tarso Luís Ramos, the Executive Director of Political Research Associates, explains the situation perfectly,

“The exportation of homophobia and sexism comes from U.S.-based conservatives, and we would like to see the U.S. government take a closer look at American culture warriors like Scott Lively, Rick Warren, Lou Engle, and Sharon Slater, who are just as much responsible for these massive human rights violations against sexual minorities and reproductive autonomy as their African allies are.” 

The American cultural influence on Ugandan homophobia is so powerful that their laws are becoming mirror images of the dreams of extreme-right wing evangelical conservatives. What would never have been taken seriously on American soil is being imposed on the impressionable parliament of a somewhat post civil war country with a terribly long history of abusing human rights, having a vulnerable economy, and a leader with authoritarian tendencies. 

Religion is a huge part of who I am and is something I hold closely to my heart, which is why I find it utterly repulsive when self proclaimed “faith based” leaders use biblical text to impose their beliefs on others to justify their crimes against humanity.

The world I want my future children to live in does not have room for the modern day bigot. Every Catholic, every Christian, every Jew, every Agnostic, every Athiest, every Muslim, every dog lover, every cat lover, every workaholic, and every human being should oppose the Anti-Homosexuality law.