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No. 00296 |
November 15 - 21, 2003 |
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Write to: The Editor, Arusha Times, P.O. Box 212, Arusha. E-mail: arushatimes@habari.co.tz Gay Bishops: Wait, don't stop the traffic!
Archaic views on gays and AIDsDear Editor I read the recent piece in your paper by Mr. Valentine Nkwame entitled "Stop the Traffic, Gay Bishops Are Here" with a mixture of disbelief and worry. (Arusha Times November 8-14). Firstly, I felt that surely no-one alive in 2003 could still be thinking in this way and secondly, I thought, " well what if it is true, what if there still are people in Africa who think like this!" What future does this hold for the continent. Your "journalists" views on homosexuality and the AIDS epidemic are archaic in the first instance and frightening in the second. Has he no idea of the real and horrifying facts of the AIDS epidemic, has he lost no-one to the disease? Does your newspaper agree with his views? How on earth could you possibly print dangerous and damaging information like this. Mr. Nkwame looks like a young man, and I would have thought, an educated one. It is people in his position who should be educating our people not leading them back into the middle ages. Yours sincerely
Not all gay men want to be bishopsDear "Valentine", I have just read your 'article' if you can indeed call it that, in the Arusha Times entitled "Stop the traffic! Gay Bishops are here" November 8-14). It is unbelievable that you can get away with writing such an appalling article in The Arusha Times. First of all, your structure is appalling and if you seriously consider yourself a 'journalist' then you need to go back to school and actually learn how to write articles. Second of all, you make no sense what-so-ever, you write: "the gay fellow will ... Eh ... marry his fellow man and live happily thereafter .... Until one of them becomes a Bishop." What on Earth do you mean by this comment? That one half of all gays in the world aspire to becoming bishops? Are you joking? I think you will find that most gay people, outside of your small town Arusha, don’t even belong to a church as the thinking of churches is generally very backward and archaic- a little like you. So one gay man chooses to become a bishop and now you think that all gay men want to be bishops. Most gay men wouldn't even want to be associated with such backward thinking that is the Church. Also, you state that: "A gay is any male person who has just decided that, women are neither as beautiful nor sexy, as we have always been made to believe." Did you realise that women can also be gay? Thirdly, in a continent such as Africa how you possibly condemn the 'condom' as a fad of American 'pop-culture'. Do you realise the extent of AIDS in Africa? Do you understand how many gay and NON GAY people die of this disease every year? It is very irresponsible to put an anti condom message in a newspaper for all the public to read. Condoms not only prevent the spread of AIDS but also many other sexually transmitted diseases that kill. As a newspaper journalist you have a responsibility to the public to protect and educate. Lastly, if this is the type of article that your newspaper publishes then that is a very sad state of affairs. In 2003, it is sad to think that such blatant prejudice stills exists in the world. Homophobic attitudes such as those of "Valentine" are as bad as racism and sexism and should not be tolerated. Especially by a newspaper with responsibilities. What a backward world you live in!
What an appalling article!Dear Valentine Your article "Stop the traffic! Gay Bishops are here" is appalling! Thankfully, the ill-informed and narrow minded views you express are not shared by the vast majority of your fellow citizens. May I suggest that you stick to reporting on issues such as the introduction of unleaded gasoline and leave the social commentary to those more qualified to do so, i.e. those of us who are living in the real world and have a rudimentary education which you so obviously seem to lack. While your homophobic views are disturbing, it is your assertion that condoms are somehow a bad thing that really has my blood boiling. Do you have any idea how serious the threat of HIV-AIDS is to the lives of millions of people not only in Tanzania but Africa-wide. I'm sure you know people who have or are in the process of dying from this awful virus and the multitude of associated diseases. I have lost a number of close friends and colleagues to HIV-AIDS in the last 10 years. I can't work out from your article if you think you are somehow amusing? You most certainly are not. Everyone that I have shown your article to is as appalled as I am and I will be going to great lengths to ensure that you never have the opportunity to write such an evil piece again.
Gay churchmen not a recent inventionDear Mr Nkwame, It is many years since I was last moved to write to a newspaper. I have today, however, been prompted to action by the article titled “Stop The Traffic! Gay Bishops Are Here” in the c The Arusha Times (November 8-14) . It is seldom that one reads a piece of journalism so amateurish and ill-considered. In fact, I barely know where to begin in examining its appalling mediocrity. Mr Nkwame, you appear to oppose the appointment of homosexual people to religious office. While you have a right to your opinions, it appears that you are of the notion that homosexual churchmen are a recent invention. I assure you that they’ve been around since people invented religions and churches. In fact, if you were to delve more deeply into history than your journalistic ability suggests you are able to, the number of “Gay Bishops” you would unearth would make for an impressive and enlightening roll-call. Not content with humiliating yourself with such a public display of ignorance, you then launch wholeheartedly into a rant concerning the spread of the deadly, agonizing disease known worldwide as HIV-AIDS. The issue raises its head in your article as you mention protests against the Anglican Bishop of Kilimanjaro. You seem to be implying that people protest against this gentleman’s “alleged” promotion of condoms as a way of protecting oneself against sexually transmitted diseases like HIV-AIDS. If this is indeed true, it must be one of the only cases I’ve ever seen where a group of people protest against an individual who is trying to save their lives. Before you make further dangerously remarks about HIV-AIDS and the role of condoms in western pop culture, I suggest that you read a few books on the epidemiology of the HIV-AIDS pandemic. John Stewart
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Last modified:
November 14, 2003. Webmaster: WDJMallya |
