08/23/2007
Tear Gas Used on Mob Wanting "Instant Justice" for Nigerian Gays
Two weeks ago I posted about a group of 18 Nigerian men who faced death after being arrested in a hotel for alleged sodomy after they had traveled to the northeaster Bauchi state to attend a "gay wedding" there.
They had their day at a Bauchi State Sharia court yesterday, but not before an angry mob "surged forward" demanding that the police release them so the mob could inflict "instant justice". They were throwing stones at the policemen, who then dispersed the crowd with tear gas. In response, the mob reportedly smashed several cars.
The good news is that it looks unlikely that the 18 men will face death as the charges were "amended to idleness and possession of female dressings". The bad news is that that charge apparently carries with it a punishment of "a year jail term and 20 strokes of the cane each" if found guilty.
The judge also greed to release the defendants on bail.
Previously
18 Gay Nigerian Men Face Possible Death by Stoning [tr]
Posted 3:00 PM EST by Andy in Gay Rights, News, Nigeria | Permalink
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Posted by: bigggnasty | Aug 23, 2007 3:14:00 PM
Thomas Jefferson, for all his personal faults, had such tremendous insight into humanity that he could have foreseen this kind of tragedy resulting from religious fundamentalism. He said: "Man, once surrendering his reason, has no remaining guard against absurdities the most monstrous, and like a ship without rudder, is the sport of every wind."
If only we could elect a president who was as articulate, passionate, and prescient as Jefferson was. Alas, we're stuck with sound bites, bigoted pandering, and a total lack of will to help improve the lot of GLBT people in other, less-fortunate parts of the world.
Posted by: Brian | Aug 23, 2007 3:46:00 PM
It's very easy to just cluck your tongue at how shocking it all is. The fact is that the West, with its values of tolerance, is present in Nigeria on as an exploiter of the country's natural resources, and is hated as such.
If we expect the country to embrace modern values, it must first become a part of the modern world economically and politically.
Posted by: thin mint | Aug 23, 2007 3:46:59 PM
Wow, maybe Jim Naugle could get a job as mayor there once his term runs out in Ft. Lauderdale. It sounds like they are much more in line with his thinking as it pertains to what to do with dirty, deviant, disease ridden homosexuals.
At least there he won't have to have to deal with a tourism board telling him to shut the hell up.
[end sarcasm]
Posted by: Zeke | Aug 23, 2007 3:46:59 PM
i blame bush. the climate of hate he has fostered has spread to peaceful places in the world. when will the world wake up?
Posted by: Fancy Nancy | Aug 23, 2007 3:57:29 PM
"Thomas Jefferson, for all his personal faults, had such tremendous insight into humanity that he could have foreseen this kind of tragedy resulting from religious fundamentalism. He said: "Man, once surrendering his reason, has no remaining guard against absurdities the most monstrous, and like a ship without rudder, is the sport of every wind."
If only we could elect a president who was as articulate, passionate, and prescient as Jefferson was. Alas, we're stuck with sound bites, bigoted pandering, and a total lack of will to help improve the lot of GLBT people in other, less-fortunate parts of the world. "
Yeah, Jefferson was great...except for that little slavery thing. And I have a feeling that he wouldnt be as open-minded as you think-yeah he wouldnt be throwing rocks and demanding that gays be hanged, but he wouldnt be putting it on the line for gays either.
Posted by: Charles | Aug 23, 2007 4:03:10 PM
Brian, my comment above wasn't a response to you - I agree.
Posted by: thin mint | Aug 23, 2007 4:13:23 PM
Ridiculous!!! And to think that people are willing to find "justice" in stoning people to death simply because they cross dress or whatever the crime was, and their government is actully among the most corrupted in the world...Just amazes me!! I second the person who said that our governments are to blame too! Just recently the Ugandan government was under pressure from the international community for their harsh treatments of gays. I guess Africa is in her Stonewall era now, and it was a long time coming. Unfortunately some lives will be lost along the way but que sera sera.
Posted by: Shabaka | Aug 23, 2007 4:38:20 PM
Zeke : That mob sounds as bad as the "Castrate" sign potbanging mob (with Giovanni and Luke) outside that Duke lacrosse house. Some people are totally beyond civilized standards.
Posted by: Joe T. | Aug 23, 2007 5:12:13 PM
Yeah, Jefferson's slavery-related history is clearly unacceptable by today's standards. This isn't a racial issue, so let's not make it one.
I think that Jefferson would be a strong voice against the merging of religion and politics. It's pretty clear that the perception that God hates homosexuality is the basis for just about all anti-gay animosity, both personal and political. When we eradicate that problem, we'll be much further on the way toward being able to live peacefully with each other.
Posted by: Brian | Aug 23, 2007 5:53:31 PM
Jefferson's standards aren't only unacceptable by today's standards, but by any standards. But, this isn't a racial issue, just a Jefferson one (who happened to have dippped his big toe into that whole slavery thing).
Thomas Jefferson was a great man, but still.
Posted by: Seann | Aug 23, 2007 11:55:53 PM