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toubab1020
12306 Posts |
 Posted - 26 Jul 2013 : 10:11:34
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Difficult to know where to post this, but maybe its more political than anything else,will this be discussed or will no one bother to post,lets see.
http://www.foroyaa.gm/editorial/13815-preachers-against-homosexuality-while-beggars-have-no-one-to-speak-for-them
Editorial
PREACHERS AGAINST HOMOSEXUALITY WHILE BEGGARS HAVE NO ONE TO SPEAK FOR THEM
Published on Thursday, 25 July 2013 18:13 | Written by Ousman Njie
Foroyaa did alert the poor when the National Assembly proceeded to pass the Bill amending the Criminal Code criminalising begging which stated among other things that: “... any person who wanders abroad or places himself in any street or public place to get or gather alms or encourages children to do so”... is “deemed to be idle and disorderly persons, and are liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding D25,000.0O or imprisonment for a term of five years or both.”
Many beggars came to make inquiries and were asked to consult their associations if they were living with disability so that they could make representation to the Government to explain the impossibility of survival without asking for charity. We told them that they could negotiate with the government to identify certain areas near mosques, churches and other religious centres to be zones for those who are seeking charity to assemble to beg since Muslims and Christians are duty bound to provide for the needy. In fact, those who pray and refuse to provide neighbourly needs are said to be wasting their time.
It is evident to all that poverty is growing and hardship is increasing thus leading many people to go to the street to beg. There is no doubt that if one goes in the street and receives no charity one must give up begging. The reason why beggars receive alms is because they are in need and Gambian culture promotes charitable behaviour. It is very strange that millions are being spent by the President on Charity while a law is created to criminalise begging. Who then will the charity go to if there are no needy people in the country? Government needs to know that poverty is not addressed by coercion.
It is addressed by implementing the right economic policies to eradicate poverty. It is managed in the interim by caring and sharing. Hence preachers should ask the government to provide beggars with options rather than arrest and detain them when they have children to feed. Law enforcement officers should not be given impossible tasks. In the Gambia, preachers are becoming preoccupied with the issue of homosexuality instead of poverty which is the root cause of all social ills.
Out of the 193 Members of the UN, only 14 Countries have approved same sex marriages and out of those 14 Countries most of their citizens are heterosexuals and only a few chose to be part of same sex relationships. In France, clashes still occur between the pro gay and anti gay marriage camps. It is therefore inaccurate to give the impression that Western countries are united to make a country like the Gambia to approve same sex marriage. We challenge the government to indicate which country has demanded for the Gambia to approve same sex marriages. We further challenge the government to show which Gambian gay couples are demanding for Gambian law to be changed to allow them to be married couples.
All Gambians should issue the same challenge to the Government and all preachers. If they do not produce any answers, then it should be clear that the whole issue of raising alarm about gay marriages is to divert the attention of the people from the real issues of concern such as poverty which is causing the breakdown of families, undermining the very foundation of our marital institutions. We need to save the Gambian family from ruin. Government should work on the economy so that the cost of living will be within the means of families. It is important to point out that same sex marriage cannot be considered a conspiracy against African values. Only 9 European parliaments approved it amidst opposition by people like Pope John Paul II, who launched a global campaign saying that "homosexual unions were immoral, unnatural and harmful."
In Spain, Interior Minister Jorge Fernandez Diaz March, remarked that gay marriage should be banned because it doesn't guarantee the "survival of the species." Pope Francis, then known as Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, said when the bill was introduced in Argentina that it is a "destructive attack on God's plan." In fact, what has made same sex relationships a burning issue in developed countries is the wave of asylum seekers who claim that they are being persecuted for their sexual orientation.
To stop the tide, many western governments are prevailing on governments in developing countries not to torture, imprison or kill those who declare themselves to be homosexuals. This is the debate. The issue of same sex marriage is certainly not an issue in the Gambia as of now. Poverty is the biggest evil that should be fought with concerted effort.
Category: Editorial
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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