US commits 'cultural terrorism' by sponsoring gay pride event in Pakistan
Just when it seemed relations between the US and Pakistan couldn’t get worse, a new wrinkle has developed, this time over US sponsorship of a gay pride event in Islamabad.
Conservative religious groups in Pakistan have sharply criticized the US Embassy in Islamabad for sponsoring the country’s first ever gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender pride celebration on June 26. They described the event as “cultural terrorism” and the second most dangerous attack on the country by the US after the drone and missile strikes that have that have killed civilians in addition to their intended insurgent targets. Officials at the US Embassy there said in a statement that the event, co-sponsored by Gays and Lesbians in Foreign Affairs Agencies “… demonstrated continued US Embassy support for human rights, including LGBT rights, in Pakistan at a time when those rights are increasingly under attack from extremist elements throughout Pakistani society.”
Deputy Chief of Mission Ambassador Richard Hoagland reaffirmed US commitment to a proclamation signed by President Barack Obama May 31 that, “we rededicate ourselves to the pursuit of equal rights for all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. I want to be clear: the US Embassy is here to support you and stand by your side every step of the way.”
There has been no comment on the event by Pakistan government officials but the flap may fuel public resentment of US dealings in the country. The two governments already are at odds over fallout from the secret US attack in Abbottabad in which Al Qaeda mastermind Osama Bin Laden was killed May 2, and civilian deaths from unmanned Predator drone aircraft and missile attacks in remote areas where Al Qaeda and other insurgents are hiding.
Whether the criticisms over the gay rights celebration will gain traction with the Pakistan public remains to be seen. Already it has generated debate on Internet blogs. Islamist groups held rallies in major cities Monday at which US sponsorship of the event was denounced.
Jamaat-e-Islami, Pakistan’s largest Islamic party, issued a biting statement on behalf of various conservative religious groups.
It said homosexuals “…don’t deserve to be Muslim or Pakistani, and the support and protection announced by the US administration for them is the worst social and cultural terrorism against Pakistan,” according to an Associated Press translation. “Such people are the curse of society and social garbage.”
“We condemn the American conspiracy to encourage bisexualism in our country,” said Mohammad Hussain Mehnati, a leader of Jamaat-e-Islami during one of the rallies.
“They have destroyed us physically, imposed the so-called war on terrorism on us and now they have unleashed cultural terrorism on us,” he said. “This meeting shows cruel America has unleashed a storm of immoral values on our great Islamic values, which we’ll resist at all costs,” Mr. Mehnati said.
Pakistan’s constitution does not deal with homosexuality directly but does say that Islam is the official state religion, and all laws, rules, regulations and other such legislation must be compatible with Islam. Homosexuality is illegal under Sharia laws introduced in the country in 1990, punishable by public flogging or imprisonment.
Nonetheless, the country seems to be softening some of its official treatment homosexuals. Earlier this year Pakistan’s Supreme Court ruled to allow a third gender category on national identity cards.
“Previously, we were having two categories, male and female, for registration,” Brigadier Ehsan ul-Haq, who manages the national database in Karachi, said at the time. “This (homosexual) community agitated for a separate identity of their own. They went to the Supreme Court, the court agreed and we will implement it.”
Pakistan does not, however, recognize marriage or civil unions by homosexuals and homosexually is socially and religiously ostracized in most areas of the country.
The Obama administration’s projection of its philosophy on homosexuality in Pakistan comes at a time when the US itself is wrestling with questions of rights for homosexuals. States are debating whether to recognize same sex marriages and the military is divided on whether homosexuals should be allowed to serve openly in the armed forces.
Seven states and one district currently allow same marriages. Other states recognize same-sex marriages performed elsewhere and some states offer civil unions of same sex couples that afford some of the legal benefits and protections of marriage.
Twenty states outlaw discrimination based on sexual orientation while twelve others prohibit discrimination based on gender identity or expression. Hate crimes based on sexual orientation or gender identity are punishable by federal law.
By Nathaniel Sheppard
Facebook 
Twitter 
Stumbleupon 
Digg 
PRINT
SEND
CONTACT THE EDITOR
Comments
Homosexuality undermines the physiology, complexity and necessity of the opposite sex. It is a perversion. Homosexuals have a hostile agenda - going as far as seeking to exploit children as young as 5 in day cares - telling them that it's ok to aspire to grow up to become homosexuals. They are trying to brainwash them - and this is a fact - it really is happening. I'm not just making this up.
Further, homosexuals continue to use cheap shots as a crutch. All opposers are attacked and slandered, being called bigots, or closet cases, or religious fanatics. They do this to oppress any opposing view, in what amounts to a form of social terrorism.
I am far from perfect. I am a straight man, who has had sex with more women than I can count. That's not right. And I will never go around say that it's right. I've never paid for sex, I'm too proud of a person to ever do that, but I have more respect for a prostitute than I do for the gays, because at least a prostitute can admit that what they do is wrong.
Never bow down to the gays and their cult of perversion.
You have to be absolutely NUTS to provoke pakistanians like that. It's a spit in the face for them. Are USAns crazy or deliberately provoking their only partner in that region?!
Good grief!! Fundamentalists and ultra-orthodox people never seem to understand that it is they who are the plague upon the world. Those of us who truly believe in a loving God will never accept the rantings of angry, belligerent and cruel people who wish to impose their hatred of others by law on societies who do not share their psychopathy. Homosexuality and bisexuality are naturally existing in nature and thus "of God". Who are we to tell God that a terrible mistake has been made, simply to satisfy the narrow interpretation of dubious scriptures written down by men? Homosexuality MOST DEFINITELY exits everywhere. If you are even capable of self examination and introspection please THINK prior to ranting.
Kill The Pig Poachers of Palestine
(Al-Jihad {holy fighting} in Allah’s Cause (with full force of numbers and weaponry) is given the utmost importance in Islam and is one of the pillars (on which it stands). By Jihad Islam is established, Allah’s Word is made superior, (His Word being La ilaha illallah which means none has the right to be worshipped but Allah), and His Religion (Islam) is propagated. By abandoning Jihad (may Allah protect us from that) Islam is destroyed and the Muslims fall into an inferior position; their honour is lost, their lands are stolen, their rule and authority vanish. Jihad is an obligatory duty in Islam on every Muslim, and he who tries to escape from this duty, or does not in his innermost heart wish to fulfill this duty, dies with one of the qualities of a hypocrite.)
(The Jews say: “Allah’s Hand is tied up [i.e. He does not give and spend of His Bounty].” Be their hands tied up and be they accursed for what they uttered. Nay, both His Hands are widely outstretched. He spends [of His Bounty] as He wills. Verily, the Revelation that has come to you from your Lord (Allah) increases in most of them their obstinate rebellion and disbelief. We have put enmity and hatred amongst them till the Day of Resurrection. Every time they kindled the fire of war, Allah extinguished it; and they ever strive to make mischief on the earth. And Allah does not like the Mufsidun [mischief-makers].)
(And you see many of them [Jews] hurrying towards sin and transgression, and eating illegal things [as bribes and Riba (usury). Evil indeed is that which they have been doing.)
(And they have invented a kinship between Him and the jinn, but the jinn know well that they have indeed to appear [before Him] [i.e. they will be called to account].)
(He [Isa-Jesus] was not more than a slave. We granted Our Favour to him, and We made him an example for the Children of Israel [i.e. his creation without a father].)
(And (remember) when We sent towards you (Muhammad [PBUH]) a group of (three to ten persons) of the jinn, (quietly) listening to the Qur’an. When they stood in the presence thereof, they said: “Listen in silence!” And when it was finished, they returned to their people, as warners.)
(They said: “O our people! Verily, we have heard a Book (this Qur’an) sent down after Musa (Moses), confirming what came before it: it guides to the truth and to a Straight Path (i.e. Islam).)
(And indeed Musa [Moses] came to you with clear proofs, yet you worshipped the calf after he left, and you were Zalimun [polytheists and wrong-doers.]
(Verily, We took the covenant of the Children of Israel and sent Messengers to them. Whenever there came to them a Messenger with what they themselves desired not, a group of them they called liars and others among them they killed.)
(And they set up rivals to Allah, to mislead men from His Path! Say: “Enjoy your brief life! But certainly, your destination is the [Hell] Fire!”)
(Is it not [the case] that every time they make a covenant, some party among them throw it aside? Nay [the truth is:] most of them believe not.)
(They fight not against you even together, except in fortified townships, or from behind walls. Their enmity among themselves is very great. You would think they were united, but their hearts are divided. That is because they are a people who understand not.)
(They are like their immediate predecessors [the Jews of Banu Qainuqa, who suffered); they tasted the evil result of their conduct, and [in the Hereafter, there is] for them a painful torment.)
(And kill them wherever you find them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out. And Al-Fitnah is worse than killing. And fight not with them at Al-Masjid-Al-Haram (the sanctuary at Makkah), unless they (first) fight you there. But if they attack you, then kill them. Such is the recompense of the disbelievers.)
Verses of the Qur’an Compiled by:
Jameela
Messenger of Allah
American tumor has malignant intentions; the war on terror is the action or process of looting Iraqi oil, plundering of Silver from the mountains of Pakistan, stealing the Gold from Afghanistan. Both US and UI (Unaccepted Israel) have a malignant disease that they are uncontrollable and likely to be destroyed. And we truly believe the day will come when US will be separated into small states and Israel will be eliminated from Middle East to somewhere into the hell. Americans and Westerners are the slaves of Zionist Jews; they have to work very hard for the protection of Jews and for the destruction of Muslims because they are strongly influenced by Zionist Jew of Unaccepted Israel.
In USA, more than a million women are sexually assaulted or raped on each passing year. The culture of sexual violence against women that is allowed to exist in USA is out of control. When almost a third of all women are raped, and over two thirds sexually assaulted, this problem is rampant and systemic. Countless women are raped and sexually assaulted in USA, as many don’t report it because of fear retaliation. They are the Americans (who are fundamentally Cross Worshippers and technically Jew Worshippers). Americans claim to have drunk the cup of fornication by accepting falsehood, promiscuity, homosexuality, deception, intoxicants, gambling, usury, pornography, bestially, fornication and its immoral acts of fornication such as fellatio and cunnilingus.
Bill, I don't agree with you. Actually, nobody deserves to be Christian or American. Everyone deserves better than that oppressive Trinity which is a polytheist faith of tyranny has an affinity and that Criminal Insurgency of America (CIA).
Damn the yanks really need to leave Pakistan, let a country be homo free
"Jamaat-e-Islami, Pakistan’s largest Islamic party, issued a biting statement on behalf of various conservative religious groups. It said homosexuals “…don’t deserve to be Muslim or Pakistani, "
I couldn't agree more. Actually, *nobody* deserves to be Muslim or Pakistani. Everyone deserves better than that oppressive religion and that criminally corrupt government.
Post new comment