I know we all laughed at his view that there are no Gay people in Iran. But, perhaps he was referring, in an underhanded way, to the Iranian governments efforts to exterminate Gays by making homosexuality a capital offense. He was not, perhaps, in denial, but was rather overstating Iran's efficacy in eradicating them. It makes my skin crawl. It does not, however, make welcome the calls from the pro-Israel right to bomb Iran.
We, as international people in solidarity, should find ways to support Iranian Queers. Start by educating yourself about their struggle. To see Gay resistance in Iran in action, watch this CBC piece on the underground Gay rights movement in Iran.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Why Ahmedinejad Thinks There are No Gays in Iran
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Uh... they weren't executed for being gay, by the way:
http://www.thenation.com/docprint.mhtml?i=20050815&s=kim
12:18,
Thanks. The article disputes whether or not they committed said crime, and whether they identified as gay. Fair enough, but it does not change the real point here, that in Iran, homosexual activity is a capital offense.
Will
Not to shift focus off or downplay the reproachable statement made by Ahmedinejad, but some of the more ridiculous statements of the day came from university President Lee Bollinger's hostile speech condemning Ahmedinejad even before he had a chance to speak. Did they air that part on TV or include it in the transcripts?
One report of Bollinger's introduction quoted him as saying something along the lines of "It's ridiculous that you're here." Was he not invited by Bollinger's University?
Exactly! Well, to be technical, the dean of SIPA (Columbia's graduate School of International and Public Affairs)and a professor at the Middle East Institute (also in SIPA) Richard Bulliet, invited him to come to speak.
It's fair enough to point out that homosexuality is a crime that can be punished by death - a reprehensible state of affairs, but no different from other US-friendly idiot-run states such as Saudi Arabia. But in practice, I have not been able to find substantiation that anyone has actually been executed on this specific charge in, say, the last 10 years in Iran. I may be wrong, but I've been looking into the matter and other than this disputed case, no one seems to be able to find a case (although there are plenty of organizations saying that Iran is killing off gays and lesbians - some speakers at Columbia seemed to make it out as a kind of sexual genocide!).
If anyone here has more information on this I'd be happy to hear of it.
a reprehensible state of affairs, but no different from other US-friendly idiot-run states such as Saudi Arabia
And, of course, Kabobfest-friendly idiot-run regions like Palestine.
Haha! Plus Arafat was gay and now one of his "assistants" is also dying of AIDS.
It's funny that you talk about AIDS. Everyone knows Gold Meir died of Aids.
David Ben Gurion was also a known cross dresser, but this was kept a secret as it would not go overall with the religions Jews, who of course condemn homosexuality and belive they should be killed.
You'll deny it, but Golda Meir did die of Aids and Ben Gurion was a cross dresser.
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