HRC Responds to GayPatriot Terror Posting

Earlier today, I sent an email to the Human Rights Campaign asking for an official statement on their position on the War on Terror, and specifically on the recent actions in the UK and Iran by Islamists against gay men. (Related story here.)

I received a prompt reply from Matt at HRC (Thanks Matt!) and here it is in full. The letter to Secretary Rice is on the HRC website now here.

Statement to GayPatriot from Human Rights Campaign:

Like all Americans, HRC supports a strong war on terrorism and terrorists like Osama Bin Laden and Al Qeada and we’ve urged past and current Presidential Administrations and Congress to stop firing gay soldiers who want to join the fight against them and protect our country. We saw the same article that I just noticed you have posted on your website (from the link you sent Steven.)

After we heard about this incident last night, we sent a letter to the State Department and to Capitol Hill condemning the actions and asking members of Congress to sign the Human Rights resolution offered by Congressman Lantos of
California. Below is a copy of our letter to Secretary Rice, which was also sent to press agencies along with copies of the original stories and photos reporting on the execution in Iran in an effort to bring attention to this atrocity:

Dear Madam Secretary:

This week, the world learned of a horrific case of brutality against two young Iranians. This crime warrants an immediate and strong condemnation from the Department of State.

This week, two Iranian teenagers were hanged in a public square after being tortured for 14 months, simply for being caught having consensual sex. Pictures of their execution have been published in various newspapers around the world and can be found at the following Internet link:
http://direland.typepad.com/direland/2005/07/iran_executes_2.html

Unfortunately, images like these are all too common in parts of the world where gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals are persecuted and treated with gross injustice by their governments. Just two weeks ago, a Nigerian man was sentenced to be stoned to death for admitting past sexual acts with men.

Atrocities committed by foreign governments against all people must be condemned swiftly and forcefully by the world’s greatest democracy. We urge you to do so.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was signed by the UN General Assembly in 1948, declares that every human should be guaranteed the fundamental right to life, liberty, and security of person and every human should be free from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Tragically, this guarantee of basic human rights does not exist for GLBT individuals in certain regions of the globe.

According to research done by organizations such as the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission and Amnesty International, human rights abuses are perpetrated against the GLBT community in all corners of the globe. As we have seen in recent weeks, the barbarous punishments for sexual acts in these countries run contrary to the letter and the spirit of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. For that reason, these acts must be condemned.

We hope you join us in our belief that every inhabitant of this world, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, has the inherent right to be free from human rights abuses, and will take action to highlight these injustices and condemn those countries that commit such inhumane acts.

Sincerely,
Joe Solmonese
President

(GP Ed. Note: It would have been nice to just make the request without the expected knock on Bush over “gays in the military.” Who said HRC cannot handle more than one issue at a time? LOL. I’m surprised they didn’t figure a way to throw a pro-abortion message in, too. And zero response on the threats to the UK gay leaders. Maybe that will come later?)

-Bruce (GayPatriot) – gaypatriot2004@aol.com