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Opinions of Wednesday, 9 October 2013

Columnist: Bonna, Okyere

USA to Support Ghana on Gay Rights Legislation

:Will Ghana be a Judas?

Is Africa, indeed ready to embrace the Gay- Agenda? Or is just Ghanaian
leaders who are more than ready to sell the conscience of Africa? The
Assistant Secretary of the US Bureau of African Affairs Linda
Thomas-Greenfield - in her interview with Ghana's Daily Graphic newspaper is
noted to have said, United States is working with Ghana on gay rights
legislation. The report went on to say that USA is "prepared as with very
strong values in this area (i.e. LGBT) to work with countries in Africa to
help them develop legislation that will provide human rights to its
people.'(Potts, Andrew October 7, 2013, on Gaystar News) This statement
comes after repeated rejections of Africa to uphold gay rights laws in
various African States. Except for South Africa no African nation has
welcomed the idea of gay rights legislation for cultural issues.

It is now acknowledged that Ghana is the gate way to Africa.
Therefore gay activists and the Obama administration know very well that
once it is able to push the Gay Agenda on Ghana, Africa will be forced to
embrace it. That being the case gay activists will have no problem bribing
any Ghanaian official to condone and connive. But will Ghana be a Judas?.
Especially giving the weak moral values of our current leadership and the
thirst for wealth one can assume the latter, unless the people stand up for
their own beliefs. This could not and would not happen under Late
President's Mills' watch; so why should it happen under President John
Mahama's watch?

It is very unfortunate that the Mahama administration of Ghana
would entertain such proposals. The idea simply disrespects and betrays the
good fight waged by late President Mills. It also ignores and denies the
wishes of Ghanaians; at least the majority. It is pathetic that the
Mahama-led administration would even contemplate a Constitutional Review
Commission on this matter unless some handouts have changed hands and weaken
the moral values of the nation of Ghana.

To pooh-pooh the strong moral stand of Late President Mills and
the people of Ghana and connive with the US to impose LGBT on Ghanaians is
very disappointing to Africa as a whole. The reports strongly suggest the
current administration is playing some underhand games with the morality of
the nation. According to the report, a Constitutional Review Commission was
recommended in July 2012 that the Ghana's Supreme Court should decide the
issue of whether homosexuality should be legalized.

This is contradictory to the facts. There could be no suggestion
or a recommendation by any national authority, when the then President of
Ghana, Prof Atta Mills had come out publicly to strongly condemn and oppose
the practice. at the same time in 2012 when the said Commission purportedly
met.

Unfortunately many think the US is pro-gay. That is false. Only
some few people support the idea. In almost 90 percent of the cases in US it
is the courts that impose LGBT rights on the states. When California of all
places in US wisely rejected Proposition 8 in a referendum, the Gay
activists found a way to bribe the courts to overturn the wishes of the
people. This is not a matter for an elite group that could easily be
corrupted to decide.

The courts have been found to be the best conduit to honor the
wishes of the rich and famous minority in a democracy. Let the people of
Ghana decide in a referendum not a Constitutional Review Commission, if the
government is sincere. There are far more pressing and urgent social and
economic issues that Ghana should be concerned to spend money on and commit
to than this. What about energy issues, education and creation of jobs in
the country?

The only way the people could be sidetracked is when a bribe
has already been taken. Ghana cannot copy United States blindly and allow
the courts to impose their views on the nation. It is highly undesirable for
any government officials to fatten their pockets and fulfill the wishes of
some imperialists against the wishes of the people of Africa in general and
Ghana in particular. The NDC-Mahama-led-government cannot betray Ghana in
the name of the Supreme Court.
For the NDC- Mahama-led-government to suggest using the tax
payers' money to impose what they (the people) abhor and detest is
irresponsible and an affront to our democracy. Where are the principles
here?

According to General News the Assistant Secretary of the US Bureau of
African Affairs has urged African nations to respect the rights of LGBT
people and has offered to assist Ghana in strengthening its commitment to
non-discrimination. It is indeed a noble thing to treat all people equally
irrespective of gender, life style or creed. But it is another thing to
ignore principles and culture for the detriment of all. The reaction of the
people shows that Ghana and for that matter Africa is not ready for this
mess. The opinion polls have labeled the Ghanaian government or officials
fronting this gay agenda as hypocrites. The people of Ghana strongly
believe there are lots of more urgent needs of Ghana (and Africa) that the
United States and the so called big nations can support Ghana (and Africa)
at this time than gay rights legislation. Once again the public opinion has
shown a strong disgust at any collaboration with the US to import LGBT on
Ghanaians. Let the leaders of Ghana listen to the voices of the people NOT
their pockets and stomachs.

Okyere Bonna
Author of A NEW AGENDA FOR GHANA
WWW.OKYEREBONNA.COM
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