Tick Tock

As some of you may have heard by now, Media24 - the former employer of South Africa's new Ambassador (excuse, me - "High Commissioner") to Uganda - is challenging the constitutionality of section 10 of Act 4 of 2000.

'It's Okay To Say 'Gay = Stupid' - BCCSA

In yet another case in point of human rights and equality laws not being adhered to and misinterpreted according to personal bias - and made to fail those whom they were intended to protect, "The Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa refused to uphold the complaint, saying that "the word gay was not used to refer to homosexuality, but according to widespread current usage of the word amongst young people, to a carefree attitude and unjustifiable statements."

Portent Pending

Unlike quite a lot of people - and in what is practically an entire industry set up around the idea of telling people how "God" wants them to live their lives - I am not qualified to say what God wants - or what God says - and I don't believe anybody else is either. 

 

In fact, all I know is what I feel and what I want and what I need - that is what it is to be human and mortal - and fallible, isn't it? Some people, I think, would do well to realize this and put down their sharpened books, get off their lofty pedestals and stop waving their fingers down at us, as though they are somehow special and have a hot line to any god at all.

There is a disturbing trend developing in parts of the modern world, to connect good morals (called "morality") and Christianity, as if people who are not fundamentalist Christians are somehow automatically exempted from being people of good moral character. 

 

Feminists, even when Christian, are described as "backsliding" or "misled" simply because they believe, somewhat controversially - that women are or should be treated as equal to their male counterparts - and thus disagree with the Patriarchy, which had appointed itself - somewhat arrogantly and presumptuously, as a middle-man between humanity and the divine.

Angus-iety Attack

Did you see the front page of Rapport yesterday? And pg 4,5 and 16, with pictures too - with Angus Buchan plastered all over them, with his "real men" and patriarchy story? I ask you: is this sort of thing news? 

 

Honestly! Is the "Rapport" a newspaper - or a church newsletter? 

 

Given all the fawning attention Rapport (and its parent, News24) lavishes on this right-wing religious extremist figure, it might as well be.

Separate ≠ Equal

A little while ago I received a response from a priest who wrote to me about the subject of marriage equality in South Africa.

I had said in an interview with Behind the Mask - and he quoted me: "'Gay people can marry, but under a separate Act, and also, without a choice of in or out of community of property, and also without the freedom of choice to have a religious ceremony or not - and as Apartheid made us all keenly aware, separate is not equal - but it certainly is separate', Engela said."

Business As Usual

President Jacob Zuma's recent visit to Uganda drew a lot of attention to South African involvement in that country - and also to the revelation that there are many South African companies which have concerns, business interests and a corporate presence in that country. Despite the ongoing human rights violations against the LGBTIQ community in Uganda - and the consistent attempts by human rights organizations to draw attention to the threat against the lives of a minority group - neither the SA government, nor one of these companies has even once taken to speaking out against these devious and sinister practices.

There are quite a few very large SA companies doing business openly in Uganda - and we can be certain that there are many more companies who support the Ugandan regime just by doing business there - and by paying taxes to the Ugandan government. Of course, you are all encouraged to search for more online and to add them to your own lists and ask others to take further action yourself.

Not Otherwise Specified

I was asked a question by a friend the other day. "How does one rid oneself of the shame surrounding sexuality as indoctrinated by church and society, and especially being different and having a secret that one cannot share?"

I think we are all influenced by the very Victorian, conservative religious stereotype while growing up - the whole concept that "sex is dirty and wrong and sinful" - despite it being 100 percent natural, normal and even healthy. 

 

The historical Victorians have often been described as being 'too afraid to see themselves naked for fear it will lead to sinful thoughts'. And while this is an amusing, even flippant thought, ironically, it is this same Victorian stereotype which still haunts former British Colonies with its presence in leftover so-called "morality" laws. Even today, many independent former British colonies are using legal systems which were built upon the preceding colonial laws - laws which regulated the sort of clothing people (especially women) could wear in public for example, or laws which criminalized homosexuality in any form - a stunning intrusion of the imperialist mindset of the former British Empire into the private lives and bedrooms of those still living under these laws in 2010! 
 

There are signs however, that these repressive and backwards leftover colonial-era laws are slowly dying a lingering death. 

 

Die already, for fuck sake!

'Family Policy Institute' - Deciding For You What You Can Or Can't Have Access To

Like me, you might not like porn - I really have other interests, and I wouldn't waste my internet bandwidth on it - but certainly don't place myself in the position where I think I should tell people what they should be allowed to do or watch in private and on their own time - as long as it doesn't hurt anyone, of course. 

 

Now, aside from murder, rape, pedophilia and grand theft, I can't think of any reason why adult porn could be harmful to anyone. 

 

In fact, I'd say that even smoking is more harmful. 

 

However, I do know that opening the door to censorship legislation opens a whole other can of worms that may prevent you from seeing, saying or even doing other things which you take for granted now - and that you may actually WANT to. 

 

And that to me is far more harmful than anything people like Erroll Naidoo spend most of every day bitching about.

Proving Ground

This weekend was far more interesting than I wanted it to be. 

 

The fact that this is becoming a something of a regular occurrence is somewhat disturbing I think. 

 

This morning I discovered that yet again, I had grounds to do an "I told you so dance" - this time because South Africa's government had thumbed it's nose at our pink community - in effect saying to us "fuck you", because they not only ignored all our pleas to speak out against the oppressive regime in Uganda - but also went the extra distance to appoint homophobe Jon Qwelane as its ambassador there. 

 

And it seems Jon was also sneaked into Uganda two weeks ago when JZ went there on his infamous and disgraceful state visit - while he is supposed to be in the Equality Court answering charges of hate speech and incitement to hatred and even violence against the gay community. 

 

In so doing, the ANC has effectively demonstrated that it would even shield a homophobe from facing the just and legal consequences of his incitement to hatred of LGBT people. What else is there to be inferred from this, other than the ANC showing its true, homophobic colors?

Be that as it may, one other interesting event took place over the weekend - the killing of well-known right wing leader Eugene Tereblanche - a 69 year old man who had been recently rebuilding his somewhat impotent white supremacist wannabe terror-group, the AWB with its swastika-like symbol and Nazi ideology and structure. 

Once Upon A Hate-Crime

Come kiddies, gather round - aunty Tina is going to tell you all a story... and I want to share it with you because it made me think. Pay attention in class, because I will be throwing lollipops at anyone I see sleeping - and there will be questions afterwards.

Once upon a time, Mr. Mouse looked through a crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package.

Jacob, Jacob, Wherefore Art Thou?

Why has President Zuma of South Africa, who visited Uganda for a few days this past week, not condemned the Ugandan Genocide Bill?

The bill in question, which is still being debated in the Ugandan Parliament and - if passed, will condemn millions of innocent Ugandans to death simply for being born gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex - and simply for being a favorite scapegoat and target for the hatred of an increasingly virulent homophobic agenda in Uganda. This legislation will also effectively turn many heterosexual people into criminals just for not reporting the existence of GLBTI colleagues, parishioners, neighbors, clients, family and friends to the authorities and for "harboring criminals".

Shock Treatment

I would like to praise the Canadian authorities for apprehending Dr. Aubrey Levin, aka "Dr. Shock" - a man who is believed to have fled to Canada to avoid facing the Truth and Reconcilliation Commission in the 1990's - and for launching an inquiry into his activities in Canada - and also for investigating charges of human rights abuses from when he was in South Africa.

I welcome the fact that all criminal cases in Canada in which this person has participated as an "expert" witness for the prosecution, are currently being reviewed. Who knows, there may be innocent people sitting in prison or mental institutions because of his prejudice. I also applaud the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta for suspending Levin’s license to practice (that's really great - I really, really like that part). I also applaud Canada for the over-all thoroughness evident in the way this sensitive issue is being handled. I can guess how long this would take over here in sunny South Africa.

Please Take Action!

Thanks to all who have taken this up!

Below is a form drawn up to send to the SA govt, Canadian govt and the UN human rights desk.

Thanks again!

Christina

------------------

They Got Him In The End - Or Did They?

Dr Aubrey Levin, aka 'the Dr Mengele of Apartheid South Africa' has finally run foul of the law. 

 

He was arrested in Canada last week for abusing a Canadian man at his practice. It seems that old habits die hard. "Dr Shock" as he was called when he was a military shrink back in the old days, used to torture gay and lesbian military personnel to try and turn them straight. Amazingly enough, the folks at your local friendly neighborhood "ex-gay" ministry have been trying to that for decades too - and haven't been having much success either. 

 

Most intelligent people already know that it is nigh impossible to "straighten" what was made "skew" in the first place, to paraphrase an Afrikanerism. 

 

For those not smart enough to bluff their way out of Levin's grasp, (shouting "Praise the Lord, I'm cured!") he performed forced sex-changes on them - and according to some sources, many of these were intentionally botched.

Only one thing can define such actions to me - intense hatred.

Bloed Skande

"Bloed Skande" - in Afrikaans, literally translated, means "blood scandal" or "blood libel" .

 

To be blunt, I think this applies to the situation I'm talking about here - where what is being done to the dignity, equality and humanity of gay and transgender people - wherever discrimination is being enforced by blood services, is nothing less than scandalous or libelous.

Mistaken Gender Identity

Did you see the article about the woman misidentified as transsexual and thrown into jail for 7 months with men?

I think it should be pointed out that it's not so nice to be treated like us, is it? And therefore it's not nice the way WE are being treated - DESPITE provisions in existing laws that supposedly protect people from this sort of treatment.

In Whose Image?

Elton John was recently reported as having received a death threat for describing Jesus as a "compassionate, super-intelligent gay man who understood human problems" - fine so let's see who is brave enough to send me a death threat for agreeing with him, even just on principle. Come on, let's have it then. Let's see how brave you are.

How To Hoodwink Friends And Influence People

A man called Erroll Naidoo has for years been pushing an anti-human rights agenda in South Africa, with the help of his friends in foreign radical Christian terrorist groups based in the USA (and here in South Africa), who help fund and support his "Family Policy Institute". (Here he is shown meeting with Tony Perkins, leader of the Family Research Council - a recognized hate group in the US and mentor to his FPI). 

 

He is on record in the media as saying he hates gay people and has been closely associated with the ACDP, a fundamentalist "Christian" party, along with similar organizations such as the Cape Town based "Christian Action Network". All these groups and affiliates have been engaged in a bitter battle to oppose and remove all gay rights from the SA Constitution even before the Constitution was finalized - and right up to this very day.

Will The Real Christians Please Stand Up?

I'm sorry if you are a Christian and if you are open-minded and if you take offense to this article, because you may feel this is directed at you. It is. That is, it is directed to you to show you what fundamentalism is and what it does and what it looks like - and why it has to be stopped. Rest assured, I am aware that there are other kinds of Christian - the kind that concern themselves with their own well being - and the well being of their own spirituality. The kind that lives by the words "there, but for the grace of God, go I" - and rightly will not make themselves guilty of passing judgment upon other people - whom they are in no position at all to judge. That is why this article is for you.

No, I don't hate Christians - or Christ - or Christianity. What I stand against is fundamentalism. I will spell it out again - F U N D A M E N T A L I S M.

2010 Sucker World Cup

How about this World Cup Soccer, hey? What a prestigious event for our country! Doesn't it make you feel proud? All the jobs it creates, hiring all those extra under-qualified people to do the jobs of people who already have jobs and aren't doing them?

I mean, suddenly there are people all over the country fixing potholes and rebuilding our road network and being very industrious. Funny, I wonder what they have been doing the past ten years or so, while the roads were quietly allowed to deteriorate to this point? Isn't it great to have an excuse to either reallocate funds to spend on boring necessities such as decent road surfaces instead of political parties? I don't mean parliamentary functions either, but actual parties, like with booze. Or fancy cars for MP's which cost in excess of a million Rand each?

Giving Up, Or Getting Up?

Some people cling to emotional crutches in life because of a personal weakness, something to hold them above water, to prop them up. We all know these crutches, drugs, booze, cigarettes, religion, hobbies, obsessions. They cling to them to keep them afloat, and in the case of religion, they follow the rules, deny all their deepest wishes and needs in the hope that they will somehow score points with Management, and when they are inevitably disappointed and feeling flat, they begin to start questioning things to try and work out why they are the way they are.

Hostile Takeover

Not all Christians behave like totalitarian maniacs bent on "transforming" the world into a Christianist society, with no room for diversity, no room for the other people who believe differently, or live differently. Not all Christians act like literal "God's gifts" to human kind. Not all Christians preach hatred and prejudice and hypocrisy in the name of a God who claims to be a creator-god of love. Not all of them behave like they are judge, jury and executioner - and as though blood could never stain their fair hands.

Some of them, I hope a large (and apparently silent) majority, are in fact good people - standing on the sidelines, while a more vocal minority with acid for blood, jump up and down - hijacking the wagon on the trail, like modern day criminals stealing from the poor to furnish themselves with the illusion of righteousness, authority and affirmation.

There comes a time when this large and silent minority stops being silent, and starts to make a noise, beginning with a low rumble, rising gradually to a roar of outrage and objections. I hope that this time has now finally come.

Will The Real Ruling Party Please Stand Up?

What the hell is going on in South African politics?

The ANC has been coming apart at the seams since last year, with the split that resulted in the formation of COPE - something that seems to be continuing today with the threats of the President being removed through internal politics. A blood-feud between the ANC, SACP and COSATU goes beyond threatening to tear their fragile alliance apart - and is actually making good on it. Chaos is a theme these days it appears, with mounting evidence of growing religious conservatism in the halls of government and a generous infusion of religious fundamentalism to boot.

Churches, Always Keep It Real - Remember, I'm Watching You

Have you seen this? Billboards and media coverage all over Johannesburg. Go have a look now - this is what you will see:

"Men be men. Women be women.

Real men are in short supply. Children are missing them. Women are missing them. The city is missing them. And what is a real man anyway? Boozing with the boys, posing at the gym, looking slick in a suit, or sipping herbal tea during a facial? Will the real man please step forward! Drawing from the book of Proverbs, this series will help men be men, women be women."

The participating churches as listed are:

"GODFIRST

KEYSTONE CHURCH

URBAN LIFE

SANDTON CITY CHURCH

JUNCTION CHURCH

CITY LIFE CHURCH

EASTSIDE CHURCH"

Wow, that's really arrogant.

Survival Of The Oldest

What came first? Gay and trans people or religion? Far from setting off another "chicken or the egg" debate, I'm being quite serious. What is the answer? Well, since we are a part of the human species, it is fairly obvious to me that we did, long before some bright, inspired person invented gods and a need to believe in something - or to make up stories to threaten the kids to eat their yak-butter or the Great Glarp would come and steal them away in the darkness.

These days, there are many enemies of human rights, equality and the right of everyone to walk freely as equals together. Of these, there are Pride, Envy, Hatred - but to me, the worst at the present time, is religion - specifically in our case in the West and South - the Christian Church, a sprawling body of mis-matched groups that can often not agree on a single thing - except on who to hate, persecute and oppress.

Us.

Broken Glass

Recently I was asked to write a review of a movie, something which turned out to be far more of a pleasure than a chore. It is something I really enjoyed doing, and I thank Anna from the studio and the director, Gustavo Camelot for the opportunity. With that, here is my review:

Broken Glass, a film by The Seventh Bottle Films, 2009.

It's Our Turn Now

If I can accept into church a straight person who may be a gambler, a closet alcoholic - or a tattoo artist or shellfish salesman, why do some take issues with us for being gay, bi, transgender or intersex?

Did we make ourselves? They believe God made everyone - except us. Somehow, we were supposedly responsible for making ourselves. We are in their eyes, illegitimate - while they see themselves as blessed, righteous and perfect.

Hypocrisy.

I will say it again: HYPOCRISY.

Because they think we will not stand up for ourselves. Because they think nobody else will take our part. Because they have forgotten the church is God's house - and they are NOT God.

Revival of the Fittest

Its not that God isn't a God of love, patience, kindness etc... it's just that some people who claim to follow God aren't - and see fit to single others out - but not themselves.

While I have been a Christian and now consider myself an agnostic and spiritual, I differ personally in my views of the value of the bible as any form of authority as it has been shown to have been manipulated and edited to suit those who use it as an instrument of control. This is of course, a point which is actively disputed by those who happen to agree with points of view which are bolstered and encouraged by these manipulations, mistranslations and other errors in a document which many would use as a rule-book by which to live, run society, judge others, and even condemn people to death.

Let me make it clear in no uncertain terms that that document, while having value as a set of rough guidelines and inspirational verse, is not infallible, inerrant or even an authority.

Shout Louder

In 2008 a journalist working for the Sunday Sun wrote an article which insulted gay people and women, encouraged conservatives to remove the rights of gay people from the SA Constitution, and also thumbed his nose at the Human Rights Commission by saying that he would never be made to apologize. More than two years later, it seems Jon Qwelane has been proved right.

Not only has it taken two years for this man to be charged for his offensive publications, but now that the Human Rights Commission has finally managed to get the process to the point where it can go to court, Mr Qwelane suddenly 'cannot be traced' to be served with notice that he should appear in court - effectively holding up the whole process.

Where, I wonder, is Mr Qwelane? Perhaps the tracers diligently searching for him have been asking in the wrong places. Have they asked the Government?

Lead, Follow Or Get Out Of The Way

Herewith an exclusive special offer - Full Membership of the Methodist Church of South Africa - if you are straight, perfect and sinless - and 2nd Class Membership if you happen to be gay and desperate enough to put up with our hypocritical bullshit to enter the House of God (cough, cough) - but that's just because we can't actually ban you (on account of that annoying Constitution), so we'll just let you in and annoy you, exclude you while seeming to include everybody, keep you at a distance and shame you into eventually going away when you get sick of bashing your head on that well-placed glass ceiling. 

 

Welcome to the Methodist Church of South Africa, where we take the Christ out of Christianity for the sake of our convenience.

The Judas Church

In a shameful turn of events, the Methodist Church of South Africa has today betrayed the trust of all its non heterosexual members and supporters - and its foundational message of inclusive worship - by upholding the guilty verdict handed down at an earlier internal hearing which discontinued the services of Methodist minister Ecclesia de Lange - a Methodist minister who is also a gay woman for daring to marry her partner albeit in another church.

The Methodist Church of South Africa has thus fumbled a perfect opportunity to right past wrongs, to truly show a meaningful welcome to the pink community in its ranks - and has instead chosen to compound them by affirming instead rejection and bigotry.

Now all GLBTI people know that the leadership of the Methodist Church of South Africa is not welcoming and affirming - but is merely tolerant - and only tolerant up to a point of law.

Bonfire Of The Diversities

A few very interesting things have grabbed my attention in the international news this week and I thought I would mention them here.

Right at the top of the list, possibly because I am transgender myself, I want to mention that "France has become the first country in the world to declassify transgenderism as a mental illness. A health minister signaled the change would be made last May and this was confirmed last week by a government decree." And about bloody time too! I can't wait to see which countries will follow this sterling example.

Local Is Lekker

"Where is the other sock?", "how much string is in a sweater?" and "how many homophobes does it take to screw in a light bulb?" Ah, the philosophical questions in life...

The maddening questions are as cryptic as the answers themselves, being: "not with the one you are holding", "all there is" and as for the homophobes, the answer is "two - it is difficult for one to screw by itself - even for a gifted homophobe".

Now that this little matter is all but cleared up, let's look at another. This weekend, our newly crowned Mr Gay South Africa (TM) was crowned Worldwide Mr Gay 2010. That's right, Charl van den Berg is now effectively Mr Gay World.

The South African Dream

South Africa is full of potential and possibility and hope. All we need to do is grasp it and realize it. Sitting on the sidelines will let others achieve their own corrupt desires unopposed - and make our nightmares come true.

These Colors Don't Run

Considering the events of the past few days, weeks and months - it is quite easy for me to feel negative - but I am not going to.

Nope. Not me, not today.

If you're wondering why, I will tell you. Because there are folks out there who want us to fail, they want our community to be complacent and silent and happy with the way things are. They love our apathy and false sense of security. They love it when we sit quietly by and accept every slap in the face and every kick in the butt they deliver. And because being negative will play into their hands, I am inclined to not play along.

I dance to my own tune, folks, I drum my own beat.

The 'M' Word

Are we only gay, bi, trans or intersex when the good times are rolling?

Are we only pink at parties?

You may detect a note of bitterness in my article today, and I apologize for it - but I feel that by just covering it over with pretty wallpaper will just do more harm than good.

So here we go, here beginneth my rant.

We all know the TV series "The 'L' Word"... well today's subject is "the 'M' Word".

Bipolar Opposites

With all the celebrations of the 20th anniversary of the release of Nelson Mandela, who became arguably the most important, if not the best President of South Africa - it occurred to me to look at the similarities and differences between this icon and our current Prez, Jacob Zuma.

Man In White Speak With Forked Tongue

What message are we receiving when religious leaders consciously undermine and criticize human rights protections and equality laws?

This question presented itself to me when I read of the Pope's planned visit to the UK - upon which he has immediately criticized existing UK laws which protect the lives, equality, humanity and dignity of certain groups of people as violating "natural law" and is viewed as an attack on the legal rights granted to women and gay people. It is a de facto defence of faith-based discrimination. Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell has said that Benedict "objects to the fact that religious institutions in the UK can no longer lawfully discriminate at will on the grounds of gender and sexual orientation".

Are we to understand that the Pope feels that women, gay and transgender people should not have rights at all?

Does this example not attempt to completely redefine what it means to be Christian, godly, civilized or human? Does it not paint religion with a fresh coat of hypocrisy, tears and bloodshed?

As Good As It Gets

Some like to claim that marriage equality for gay people will "increase the divorce rate" because "everybody knows" that gay people "cannot commit" and are promiscuous. Ironically, this claim often comes from people who have been divorced themselves, or are themselves in unhappy marriages. That is for them as good as it gets - and so they judge others by their own limited knowledge or jaded standards.

The fun part is where I get to point out the old gay couple living in my area who have been together for 40 years, and although they have not married, I have to wonder how many heterosexual marriages their relationship has outlasted?

Mob Rule

Unfortunately, it is human nature for people to hate and despise what they don't understand, and to torture and kill those whom they don't want to understand. When such groups of people are presented to larger groups as a threat, or a scapegoat, they often seize the opportunity to point out that "there are more of us, so you must be wrong, unnatural and evil". It also needs to be said that such people, when placed in control of a government - certainly don't need to understand. They just need someone to blame.

Enough Is Enough

Dear Mr Ssempe lays it all on the line for SA - send Jon to Uganda - or else face protests and a boycott of SA businesses in Uganda.

"We take this letter to remind you that South Africa has vast strategic economic interests in Uganda in the areas of communications, energy, banking, food and mineral sectors. These include household names such as MTN, Eskom, Stanbic, Nandos, and many others. The de-selection of Mr. Jon Qwelane and sending to Uganda someone who pleases the homosexual groups in South Africa threatens the good social standing of these companies in light of our nations values. You need to carefully weigh what is South Africa’s strategic interest in our nation and region. Is it business or sodomy?" "Cancelling Mr. Jon Qwelane appointment and sending someone else due to the pressure of the homosexuals will trigger a widespread civil society protest which stands to affect the South African businesses in Uganda."

A big, burning question I would like answered is: Why is SA even trading with those fascists in the first place - and why is SA still - after two years - refusing to speak out against Uganda's laws which abuse human rights?

Friendly Advice

I find the older one gets, the harder it is to find and make true friends. 

 

Some time ago I had many real life friends, some with whom I had kept relationships going since junior school, people that I shared and did everything with - even until long after high school. And then one day, about ten years ago - I lost every single one of them, every single one - including a best friend I had known 14 years.

Hiding In Plain Sight

I sincerely hope Mr Shapiro doesn't mind my including his brilliant cartoon of this issue with my article, it is remarkably apt and fitting to the situation, it puts in one picture all the words I could write a hundred articles about this subject! Kudos to him!

Last week, the storm around the appointment of the homophobic News24 columnist Jon Qwelane broke mainstream news. Immediately, there was an outcry by human rights organizations, specifically from the Pink Community, even resulting in some advocacy bodies in other countries lodging objections. Why did they object?

Mentally Ill

Assume for a moment that I were to commit a crime of passion - say in true Colombine fashion I were to walk into a shopping mall or a high school carrying a shotgun, and start pumping - or if I were to start playing "Carmageddon" for real. Would I be considered "sane"? What do you think, huh? Would I make a good case for a shrink to make his career with? Would I be justified in making an insanity plea in court?

Would I?

What do you think my chances are?

On The Spot

This morning I lost my virginity... my TV interview virginity, that is.

Those who know me, know me as a fairly quiet person, so the last place they would expect to see me is on a live TV broadcast on ETV morning news, talking about international matters. Come to think of it, that's the last place I would expect to see me. Never the less, I found myself there this morning, a bundle of nerves, like a lamb being led to the slaughter.

Immoral Support

Like others in South Africa over the past few years, I have long been asking the South African government for an explanation for not signing the UN Statement to Decriminalize Homosexuality in 2008 and what they meant when they said they did so on the grounds of "having principles". It seems they have been answering my question in increments.

Right, Wrong and Justified

I don't know why some people just seem to get their jollies on hate speech, I really don't - and add to the insult and injury caused to those who are targeted by these people, they seem to lack the courage of their convictions - or at the very least, courage - to post their hatred to Face book groups or newspaper websites under their real names. No, "Witwolf" or "Boerseun" sounds far more impressive. And a lot less likely to carry consequences.

Aside from that, it also tends to taint good, decent Afrikaans people with that horrible shade of bigotry reminiscent of the bad old days in this country. Indeed, when I see posts like that, I have to wonder how far have we come in the last 15 years - and how far we still have to go before we live up to claims of being a "true" democracy.

Cross Purposes

The issue of same-gender marriage is a hot topic at present around the world. The USA, the "bastion" of liberal society - at least in theory - is watching closely the current legal review of the Constitutional validity of the Proposition 8 vote which rescinded marriage equality for same-gender couples in California in December 2008. Proponents of Proposition 8 also pushed for the Defense Of Marriage Act (DOMA) to redefine the legal concept of marriage to mean "one man, one woman".