New Uganda Law: Life Imprisonment for Having Gay Sex

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KAMPALA, Uganda (ChurchMilitant.com) - Yesterday, news broke that Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni signed the Anti-Homosexuality Act, which criminalizes gay sex and confers life imprisonment and the death penalty for so-called aggravated homosexuality.

Annually, the United States provides approximately $1 billion in health and developmental assistance to Uganda. However, this aid may be halted due to Uganda's opposition to the LGBT agenda.

As reports about Uganda's new law circulated globally, President Joe Biden stated, "I have directed my National Security Council to evaluate the implications of this law on all aspects of U.S. engagement with Uganda."

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken echoed this sentiment, asserting in a statement that his department would "consider deploying existing visa restrictions tools against Ugandan officials and other individuals ... ."

Asuman Basalirwa, a member of the Ugandan Parliament, confirmed that Blinken's consideration has materialized. In a recent interview, Basalirwa stated, "Our colleagues in the Western world have indicated and actually actualized their threats. Visas have been canceled. As I speak now, the speaker's visas have been canceled."

The offense of homosexuality, according to the Anti-Homosexuality Act, occurs "if the person performs a sexual act or allows a person of the same sex to perform a sexual act on him or her." The law continues, stating that, "A person who commits the offense of homosexuality is liable, on conviction, to imprisonment for life."

Additionally, committing "aggravated homosexuality" is punishable by death. Aggravated homosexuality includes circumstances such as when the victim is a child, when the offender is a parent, guardian or relative of the victim, when the victim contracts a terminal illness due to the act, or when the offender is a repeat offender.

Democrats and Republicans expressed outrage at this new law, which has been deemed by the New York Times and other news outlets as one of the world's most restrictive anti-gay measures.

In a viral tweet seen by nearly 6 million people, The New York Times claimed the new law "includes the death penalty, enshrining into law an intensifying crackdown against LGBTQ people in the East African nation."

Conservative commentator Michael Knowles pointed out the misleading language used by The New York Times, noting, "What the @nytimes neglects to mention in this viral tweet — a fact that it does mention in the article that few will ever read — is that the death penalty is for raping children."

Besides the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and the European Union condemned Uganda's new law against homosexuality.

Minister Andrew Mitchell, a member of the Conservative Party representing the United Kingdom, claims the new law "will damage Uganda's international reputation." Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the law "appalling and abhorrent." Similarly, the European Union stated, "This law is contrary to international human rights law and to Uganda's obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights."

Although many countries are pulling aid and support from Uganda, President Museveni has not walked back his decision. 

Museveni is on record calling homosexuals "disgusting," and he's even publicly rejected the myth that homosexuals are "born that way," stating that "the proof is not there."

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that homosexual acts are "acts of grave depravity ... intrinsically disordered ... [and] contrary to the natural law."

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