By LAURIE GOODSTEIN
Published: March 14, 2012
A Ugandan gay rights group filed suit against an American evangelist,
Scott Lively, in federal court in Massachusetts on Wednesday, accusing
him of violating international law by inciting the persecution of gay
men and lesbians in Uganda.
The lawsuit maintains that beginning in 2002, Mr. Lively conspired
with religious and political leaders in Uganda to whip up anti-gay
hysteria with warnings that gay people would sodomize African children
and corrupt their culture.
The Ugandan legislature considered a bill in 2009, proposed by one of
Mr. Lively's Ugandan contacts, that would have imposed the death
sentence for the "offense of homosexuality." That bill languished
after an outcry from the United States and European nations that are
among major aid donors to Uganda, but was reintroduced last month.
Mr. Lively is being sued by the organization Sexual Minorities Uganda
under the alien tort statute, which allows foreigners to sue in
American courts in situations asserting the violation of international
law. The suit says that Mr. Lively's actions resulted in the
persecution, arrest, torture and murder of gay men and lesbians in
Uganda.
Reached by telephone in Springfield, Mass., where he runs Holy Grounds
Coffee House, a storefront mission and shop, Mr. Lively said he did
not know about the lawsuit. Nevertheless, he said: "That's about as
ridiculous as it gets. I've never done anything in Uganda except
preach the Gospel and speak my opinion about the homosexual issue."
Mr. Lively is the founder and president of Abiding Truth Ministries.
He is also the author of "The Pink Swastika: Homosexuality in the Nazi
Party," which says that Nazism was a movement inspired by homosexuals,
and "Seven Steps to Recruit-Proof Your Child," a guide to prevent what
he calls "pro-homosexual indoctrination."
He has traveled to Uganda, Latvia and Moldova to warn Christian clergy
to defend their countries against what he says is an onslaught by gay
rights advocates based in the West.
Pamela C. Spees, a lawyer for the Ugandan group, works with the Center
for Constitutional Rights, a legal advocacy group based in New York
City. Ms. Spees said that since gay men and lesbians in Uganda have
little support, the suit "brings the fight" to those in the United
States who she says fomented the anti-gay legislation in Uganda. She
says that the suit is targeted at Mr. Lively's actions, not his
beliefs.
"This is not just based on his speech," she said. "It's based on his
conduct. Belief is one thing, but actively trying to harm and deprive
other people of their rights is the definition of persecution."
Mr. Lively is one of many conservative American evangelicals who were
active in Uganda. He and others tried to distance themselves from the
legislation after the international outcry over the death penalty
provision. Ms. Spees said the lawsuit singled him out because "his
role was critical."
Mr. Lively posted a report after his visit to Uganda in 2009
describing how he addressed groups of lawyers, members of Parliament,
universities, secondary schools and Christian leaders about "the 'gay'
agenda," and spoke at a three-day conference.
Frank Mugisha, of Sexual Minorities Uganda, the plaintiff in the
lawsuit, said Wednesday in a conference call that before these events
in 2009, gay men and lesbians were "looked at as different," but that
"no one bothered them."
But after Mr. Lively's speeches, Mr. Mugisha said, "People were being
reported to the police as homosexuals, were thrown out by their
families or thrown out by the church."
The lawsuit names four Ugandan co-conspirators: Stephen Langa and
Martin Ssempa, evangelists active in the anti-gay movement; David
Bahati, the legislator who sponsored the bill; and James Buturo, the
former minister of ethics and a proponent of the legislation.
Informed of the lawsuit against Mr. Lively, Mr. Buturo said Wednesday
in an interview, "I don't know that person at all." Nevertheless, Mr.
Lively said in his report that he had a half-hour meeting with Mr.
Buturo in 2009.
Josh Kron contributed reporting from Kampala, Uganda.
--
Together, we can change the world, one mind at a time.
Have a great day,
Tommy
--
Together, we can change the world, one mind at a time.
Have a great day,
Tommy
--
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