Gambia: President plans to kill all homosexuals

Actually, the headline at Afrik.com, an aggregator of news from Africa, reads President plans to kill off every single homosexual. The sub-head reads

Gambian President Yahya Jammeh says he will "cut off the head" of any homosexual caught in his country.

The Gambia, a former British colony in West Africa, already has made homosexual conduct a felony punishable by imprisonment for a term of 14 years.

Now, Pink News reports,

Gay men and lesbians must leave the country within 24 hours or face "serious consequences," the President of Gambia said on [last] Thursday.

The Daily Observer -- tag-line, "Forward with The Gambia" -- entitled its article:

No room for gays in The Gambia

The bolded sub-head?

President Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh, on Thursday, gave less than 24 hours (until last week Friday) ultimatum to homosexuals, drug dealers, thieves and other criminals, to leave The Gambia or face serious consequences if caught.

The news report continues:

The president equally warned all those who harbour such individuals to kick them out of their compounds, noting that a mass patrol will be conducted on the instructions of the IGP and the director of the Gambia Immigration Department to weed bad elements in society. "Any hotel, lodge or motel that lodges this kind of individuals will be closed down, because this act is unlawful. We are in a Muslim dominated country and I will not and shall never accept such individuals in this country".

Last year, Pink News also reports, President Jammeh "horrified scientists by announcing that he had developed a 'miracle cure' for HIV/AIDS."

Hundreds of Gambians lined up to be "cured" by President Jammeh, who treats his patients by rubbing a mysterious herbal paste into their ribcages and then instructing them to swallow a bitter yellow drink, followed by two bananas. The therapy is administered repeatedly over several weeks.

According to Mr Jammeh, AIDS sufferers are cured within "three to thirty days." The President announced his alleged cure in January to a gathering of perplexed foreign diplomats. "Whatever you do there are bound to be skeptics, but I can tell you my method is foolproof," he said.

President Jammeh's own website claims:

His Excellency President Yahya Jammeh's effective herbal treatment has yet again been manifested in the recent discharge of four HIV/AIDS patients of the 3rd and 4th batch. The President has announces that the period for the treatment of HIV 2 patients have now been reduced to 2 weeks instead of two to three months to allow others to have a first chance.

According to the CIA World Fact Book, The Gamibia's estimated population is only 1,735,464. The country's tourist board website proclaims: Welcome to The Gambia, the smiling coast of Africa.

I suggest that we contact our country's leaders and the candidates for President, urging them to speak out against this threatened pogrom. Companies should be discouraged from doing business with The Gambia. And, the country's tourist spots should be left empty.

The world must tell President Jammeh that it will not tolerate the expulsion of, or violence against, The Gambia's gays and lesbians.

•  Tip jar and call to action.

  by another American on Wed May 21, 2008 at 10:57:10 AM PDT

  •  This is horrible.

    It would be nice if the international community would denounce this. But, sigh, I doubt that would happen and I doubt the Bush gov't would say anything.

    I was under the impression - someone correct me - that The Gambia was one of the more politically stable countries in Africa.

    by psycho liberal on Wed May 21, 2008 at 11:02:55 AM PDT

    •  He made a desert and called it peace.

      According to the CIA World Fact Book:

      The Gambia gained its independence from the UK in 1965. Geographically surrounded by Senegal, it formed a short-lived federation of Senegambia between 1982 and 1989. In 1991 the two nations signed a friendship and cooperation treaty, but tensions have flared up intermittently since then. Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH led a military coup in 1994 that overthrew the president and banned political activity. A new constitution and presidential elections in 1996, followed by parliamentary balloting in 1997, completed a nominal return to civilian rule. JAMMEH has been elected president in all subsequent elections, including most recently in late 2006.

      by another American on Wed May 21, 2008 at 11:05:22 AM PDT

    •  If this was happening to an ethnic group

      it would be called genocide and ethnic cleansing.  But when it happens to people like me, our world 'leaders' start competing on who can thumb suck the hardest.  I am glad that my state now affords us the right to marry, and every other legal right available to everyone else, but much, much work remains to be done for my brothers and sisters across this country and all across the globe.

      by deaniac83 on Wed May 21, 2008 at 11:30:32 AM PDT

      •  well, they have to actually do it first

        someone, I hope, is documenting the atrocities when they occur.

        by coigue on Wed May 21, 2008 at 11:47:44 AM PDT

        •  it'll be too late

          if these threats were issued against an ethnic group or a religious group, world leaders would rightly be up in arms.  Why is it that when it comes to gays, we need to wait until people start getting killed before anyone on the world stage says anything?

          by deaniac83 on Wed May 21, 2008 at 11:51:23 AM PDT

          •  Really? Would the world leaders be up in arms?

            I am not so sure about that.

            by coigue on Wed May 21, 2008 at 11:53:27 AM PDT

            •  proverbially and verbally

              yes, they would be.  There would be big stinkin' press releases from every corner of the globe.

              by deaniac83 on Wed May 21, 2008 at 11:57:48 AM PDT

              •  perhaps

                but BushCO has weakened the UN to the point that nothing effective is done to thwart genocide anymore, so arm-waving is all we get....unless oil (or Israel) is involved

                by coigue on Wed May 21, 2008 at 12:00:37 PM PDT

              •  dafur

                rwanda...there might be words, but alas the world can be blind to ethnic killings.

                by max stirner on Wed May 21, 2008 at 01:23:32 PM PDT

              •  When I am up against the wall

                facing a firing squad, I hope I have a press release that I can hold to my chest and stop bullets with.

                by Geenius at Wrok on Wed May 21, 2008 at 02:13:50 PM PDT

            •  which world leaders were up in arms?

              About Rwanda?
              Or Congo?
              Or Uganda?
              Or Liberia?
              Or Angola?
              Or Mozambique?

              by ScrewySquirrel on Wed May 21, 2008 at 02:47:25 PM PDT

          •  I'm not so sure

            If there's an outcry over genocide and calls for "humanitarian intervention", I go to the CIA World Factbook and see how much oil is under the place. The answer is usually plenty.

            Gambia has very little, so what I expect is [sounds of crickets chirping].

            by alizard on Wed May 21, 2008 at 12:43:23 PM PDT

            •  So you're saying

              the only way to get a solution to the problem is to convince people there's something valuable there that's not, well, other people? He says, in mock surprise.

              Although there's another way. Eleven per cent of The Gambia's exports come to the United States. That's a pretty hefty chunk of change, don't you think? But where exactly are these exports going? Wikipedia lists soda...  

              by joseph rainmound on Wed May 21, 2008 at 03:13:25 PM PDT

        •  Prevention is more important than intervention

          Are we supposed to wait for the atrocities to get under way? And then what? Wait until there's sufficient documentation to bring a case before some tribunal or another? Until the shit has already dragged on for years, like in Darfur, and just about everyone who might be killed already has been?

          Rwandan Hutus killed 750,000 Tutsis in three months. That's 250,000 a month. That's more than 8,300 a day.

          They had lists, which were helpful.

          by Geenius at Wrok on Wed May 21, 2008 at 02:12:46 PM PDT

          •  I agree with you

            I am just pointing out how it actually appears to work in real life.

            by coigue on Wed May 21, 2008 at 09:34:36 PM PDT

      •  THIS GAMBIAN PRESIDENT IS A SICK BASTARD.

        The man will go to hell for this.

        by Voodoo king on Wed May 21, 2008 at 11:52:25 AM PDT

        •  He is creating hell.

          Who does that make him?

          by coigue on Wed May 21, 2008 at 11:54:02 AM PDT

          •  God?

            More seriously, Yahya Jammeh seems like a real devil.  Threatening genocide of gays + fake AIDS cure = really sick SoB.

            by Quanta on Wed May 21, 2008 at 01:01:59 PM PDT

            •  Fake AIDS cure

              Will kill his WHOLE population within 20 years.  Its a primarily heterosexual disease in Africa, and devastating whole nations

              He's suicidal.

              by ScrewySquirrel on Wed May 21, 2008 at 02:50:19 PM PDT

          •  Bush? n/t

            by buckeye blue on Wed May 21, 2008 at 02:46:22 PM PDT

      •  The other angle on ethnicity

        
        If this was happening to an ethnic group it would be called genocide and ethnic cleansing.
        
        And no matter what happens, and no matter how bad it is, it will ultimately be blamed on "the poisonous legacy of white colonialism". The all-purpose, all-weather, 24-hour excuse for African misconduct.

        Note also that extreme black African homophobia is by no means limited to the Gambia. Namibia, where certain Western movie star couples go "to get away from it all", (dragging a huge paparazzi corps in their wake), is infamous for having had its founding President, Sam Nujoma, insist that the Namibian police round up and expel from the country any out gays and lesbians they could find.

        --

        by marquer on Wed May 21, 2008 at 12:11:46 PM PDT

        •  An of course, people who point this out...

          ...are accused of trying to enforce "Western Standards" on other countries, as if homophobia is something integral and precious in a society...

          by varro on Wed May 21, 2008 at 02:03:00 PM PDT

          •  integral & precious?

            Integral: almost certainly.  Ingrained for thousands of years.

            Precious: No, its horrifying.

            by ScrewySquirrel on Wed May 21, 2008 at 02:51:18 PM PDT

        •  Straw man much?

          Who attempted to excused a statement as offensive as president Jammeh's in any way? It IS always important to examine the root causes of any situation in order to understand present day events.

          Colonialism led to incalculable and devastating impacts on nearly every aspect of society within a colonized country, including economic, political, social and cultural factors. I'm not suggesting that this type of homophobia is a direct result in any way from their colonial past, but why on earth would you go out of your way to belittle a hugely important historical factor that is often completely ignored by media outlets and foreign policy analysts when dealing with all issues of the developing world?

          Characterizing the legacy of colonialism as

          "The all-purpose, all-weather, 24-hour excuse for African misconduct."

          is downright wrong no matter how deplorable President Jammeh's statement is.

          by Jay Jay on Wed May 21, 2008 at 02:24:47 PM PDT

          •  Especially on this issue

            It's notable that it's generally the former British colonies that have these attitudes--often one of the first things colonial governors did was pass anti-homosexual legislation. So it really is a part of the British legacy, though embroidered with other excuses.
            Here's an article that explains a bit. Doesn't excuse it though.
            And you're right, if the guy had said "everyone from Tribe X has to leave by sundown or be beheaded," yes, I do think there would be action from the other African states, the UN etc.

            by expatyank on Wed May 21, 2008 at 03:11:03 PM PDT

        •  Who has actually said this?

          Has anyone actually said this? When somebody actually says this, then complain about it. Otherwise, your remarks are just feeding a stereotype.

          by klizard on Wed May 21, 2008 at 04:54:13 PM PDT

      •  Jamaica

        the US Administration has been okay with denouncing anti-gay violence (and political mobilization) in Jamaica.  Hell, an HIV-positive Jamaican got a visa waiver (for his HIV+ status) last year because he was targeted for murder on account of being gay and was granted political asylum.  

        by distraught on Wed May 21, 2008 at 12:45:03 PM PDT

        •  Jamaica is insanely

          homophobic.

          by greendem on Wed May 21, 2008 at 01:04:14 PM PDT

          •  I don't get why

            so many West Indian and African nations are so homophobic.  They regard homosexuality as something imported by Europeans, which is bullshit. In sub-Saharan Africa, only South Africa has protections for gays. They even allow marriage equality.

            by TLS66 on Wed May 21, 2008 at 05:14:05 PM PDT

        •  But Jamaica is in our back yard.

          This is Africa.  No one gives a shit about Africa.

          by Quanta on Wed May 21, 2008 at 01:04:43 PM PDT

      •  I would argue that what can be expected as to

        the measures used to carry out this forced expulsion of groups of "undesirable" Gambian nationals, gay citizens being just one group to which the is pogrom directed, would be genocide.

        Article 2
        In the present Convention, genocide means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such:

        (a) Killing members of the group;
        (b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;
        (c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;
        (d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;
        (e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.

        Also, given the propensity of this part of the world for out breaks of "koro disease"  or Penis Panic hysteria as early as last month
        black magic penis shrinking or outright theft, any number of individuals will be rounded up, alleged to be gay and murdered justifiably.

        by duckhunter on Wed May 21, 2008 at 12:59:54 PM PDT

      •  The reason he is doing this is..

        he is trying to distract people from food riots. It's the oldest story in the book. When faced with a financial/political crisis, find a scape goat. Gambia also has a major issue in that it has become one of the 3-4 major transhipment ports for cocaine to Europe, this is behind the "crime" crisis he mentioned. I'm sorry that he is abusing gays because he can't deal with these issues.

        His AIDS "cure" on the other hand, is just madness.

        by dopper0189 on Wed May 21, 2008 at 01:28:42 PM PDT

      •  WHERE R THE WORLD LEADERS?

        Where is the outrage?
        Is anyone even trying to do something about this?

        by newyorknewyork on Wed May 21, 2008 at 02:47:11 PM PDT

      •  This mad man

        has been slaughtering our people since 1994. The world has turn a blind eye to murderous dictators like him who occasionally organize sham elections. They call the elections democracy while poor people are murdered by his ilk.

        by kekuta on Wed May 21, 2008 at 04:22:33 PM PDT

  •  Let them come to CA, become citizens, and vote.

    Gay men and lesbians must leave the country within 24 hours or face "serious consequences," the President of Gambia said on [last] Thursday.

    by coigue on Wed May 21, 2008 at 11:40:18 AM PDT

    •  US

      should offer political asylum.

      by srkp23 on Wed May 21, 2008 at 12:03:56 PM PDT

      •  Maybe California should lobby for it

        then invite them specifically here through a US program.

        by coigue on Wed May 21, 2008 at 12:09:07 PM PDT

    •  What a great idea

      I remember reading of the way the world turned a blind eye to Hitler and the Nazi treatment of the Jews. It was a German problem and not our problem, etc. It was a mix of hatred and anti-semitism and just plain ignorance.

      I think it would be great to take in as many people who are being persecuted as possible.

      All of the cost could be defrayed by seizing Gambian assets and all U.S. Aid to Gambia could be made available to California. A one-time assesment on all religious institutions that currently pay no tax could make up any difference. What you do to the least of my brothers and all that...so I am sure even though some Christians do not approve of the lifestyle they wouldn't stand by an let the people be murdered. Especially innocent people because there is no way that we could separate the practicing and non-practicing homosexuals.

      We could also use money that currently goes into the faith-based initiatives of GW Bush.

      An area like Orange County is affluent enough that they could provide housing for the first two years while these folks get on their feet and apply for citizenship.

      by Bill Section 147 on Wed May 21, 2008 at 01:30:33 PM PDT

  •  Time to look at the International Aid packages

    Again quoting from the CIA World Factbook:

    Unemployment and underemployment rates remain extremely high; short-run economic progress depends on sustained bilateral and multilateral aid, on responsible government economic management, on continued technical assistance from the IMF and bilateral donors, and on expected growth in the construction sector.

    Any nation that relies heavily on foreign aid should also be vulnerable to pressure from civilized foreign states.  Time to find out who's paying their bills and lean on them to lay down the law.

    by STEVEinMI on Wed May 21, 2008 at 11:59:00 AM PDT

  •  Thank you

    for bringing this story to our attention. This is truly horrible.

    by Frances Nicole on Wed May 21, 2008 at 12:13:37 PM PDT

  •  www.aidstruth.org

    a network of scientists and mostly South African activists, who collaborate to fight back against "AIDS denialism"

    if you go to this old version of their website and look for the news from March-May 2007, there are a few good news stories there about Jammeh's quackery (caution some articles available only as PDF)

    by distraught on Wed May 21, 2008 at 12:39:51 PM PDT

  •  We'll take their homosexuals

    if they'll take Bill O and the Wingnuts.

    by mkfarkus on Wed May 21, 2008 at 01:23:22 PM PDT

  •  wrote to their tourist board n/t

    by foldingBicycle on Wed May 21, 2008 at 02:35:33 PM PDT

•  Great. Just Great.

  Another asshole leader picking on minorities to gin up support instead of dealing with problems.

  by dnamj on Wed May 21, 2008 at 10:58:54 AM PDT

  •  No kidding.

    Why is it so easy to stir up crap like this instead of dealing with economic issues!  

    Thats a rhetorical question.

    by environmentalist on Wed May 21, 2008 at 10:59:55 AM PDT

    •  Wonder which McCain lobbyist lobbys The Gambia...

      by Jimmy Crackcorn on Wed May 21, 2008 at 11:22:24 AM PDT

      •  you're jokng but you're probably right

        given that his other employees lobby on behalf of Burma. Well, former employees. 2 of them quit.

        by OrangeClouds115 on Wed May 21, 2008 at 11:30:30 AM PDT

        •  Based on his campaign contributions,

          John Aycoth, The Gambia's lobbyist until they got into a dispute over $500,000, appears to have been a Huckabeesupporter.

          by another American on Wed May 21, 2008 at 11:38:20 AM PDT

        •  I heard Hagee was a consultant

          isn't this what the extremely wrong nut jobs would wish on America if they could ????

          by world dancer on Wed May 21, 2008 at 03:48:16 PM PDT

    •  It makes you wonder who his "man crush" of the

      moment is. History has taught us that the most virulently, anti-gay posers are usually pathetic, self-hating, closeted homosexuals who hope that by publicly railing against homosexuality their "dirty little secret" will remain hidden.

      

      by rontun on Wed May 21, 2008 at 11:31:13 AM PDT

      •  Yeah but

        You gotta admit, Ted Turner is hot. Just look at that tie!

        by greendem on Wed May 21, 2008 at 01:06:53 PM PDT

        •  I imagine Ted Turner is as revolted

          by this as we are, if he has heard.

          by TLS66 on Wed May 21, 2008 at 05:16:04 PM PDT

    •  Even better: Why is it so hard

      for people to call bullshit on that?

      by dnamj on Wed May 21, 2008 at 01:06:37 PM PDT

    •  Hell, it worked here

      in 2000 and 2004

      by AtlantaJan on Wed May 21, 2008 at 05:19:42 PM PDT

  •  Another...

    ...religious fundamentalist leader picking on minorities to gin up support instead of dealing with problems.

    Religion is on the march and leaving misery and destruction in its wake, just as it always has.

    by Rex Manning on Wed May 21, 2008 at 11:04:52 AM PDT

    •  Is it religious, or just "I hate gay men because

      they don't fit my definition of masculinity" xenophobia?

      by Shaviv on Wed May 21, 2008 at 11:31:16 AM PDT

      •  Probably the latter,

        but it's so much easier when you've got religion to back you up.

        by fritzrth on Wed May 21, 2008 at 11:34:44 AM PDT

        •  Yes, a combination of both.

          In a secular society and you say stuff like that guy has people just think you're a jerk.

          In a religious society if a religious national leader says it, it's a statement of their deep faith.

          Religion makes it easy to justify.

          by Rex Manning on Wed May 21, 2008 at 11:38:54 AM PDT

          •  Expedience also makes it easy to justify

            While I'm sure much of it is homo panic, it's also a very nice "out" for any political leader - accuse an enemy or competitor of homosexuality and get rid of them legally based on the strength of a rumour.

            by joseph rainmound on Wed May 21, 2008 at 03:19:12 PM PDT

      •  Could be a secular form of hate...

        ...but I think it fits more with the fundi-religious brand of hate and scapegoating:

        "We are in a Muslim dominated country and I will not and shall never accept such individuals in this country".

        by Rex Manning on Wed May 21, 2008 at 11:34:54 AM PDT

        •  Could be.

          It's funny, though, about fundies... I went to school with an openly gay and quite devout Muslim and nobody in his religious circle seemed to think much of it; while the campus Islamic Society was vocally being unwelcome to women who didn't wear hijabs and non-Sunnis, so lord knows what they would've had to say about gay Muslims. He was not a member.

          by Shaviv on Wed May 21, 2008 at 11:40:31 AM PDT

          •  One of the foundational...

            ...principles of fundamentalist religion. Hypocrisy.

            by Rex Manning on Wed May 21, 2008 at 12:19:35 PM PDT

      •  The two are linked too often

        by coigue on Wed May 21, 2008 at 11:49:02 AM PDT

    •  Religious fundamentalism is a problem

      And a bad one at that. But many fundamentalists are not religious at all. If you ever read anything about the Soviet Union under Stalin, you;ll see just how fundamentalist they were.
      People can take any belief, whether secular or religious, and turn it into fundamentalism by holding it up as the only truth there can be, and by trying to make others believe it, too..
      Religion isn't what's wrong; many religious people do wonderful things for people. Fundamentalism is what's wrong.

      by Mumphrey on Wed May 21, 2008 at 11:40:39 AM PDT

      •  The Soviet state...

        ...under Stalin was very religious.

        They turned a perverted form of socialism into a state religion. A religion based on faith which rejected rationalism.

        Eric Hoffer said it best in his book "The True Believer":

        "While the Soviet Union may be a godless state, it is the very opposite of irreligious."

        He goes on to describe the bizarre religious symbols and customs that were proscribed by the Stalinist state.

        by Rex Manning on Wed May 21, 2008 at 01:33:17 PM PDT

        •  "proscribed" probably wasn't the word

          you were looking for there.

          by ppluto on Wed May 21, 2008 at 01:38:49 PM PDT

          •  Yes.

            Correct.

            I was thinking 'promulgated' but wrote 'proscribed'.

            Thanks for catching that.

            by Rex Manning on Wed May 21, 2008 at 02:02:46 PM PDT

      •  Like I always say..

        I don't hate religion..

        It's the RELIGIOUS that scare me.

        by SFOrange on Wed May 21, 2008 at 01:52:02 PM PDT

        •  If I am a religious Buddhist,

          is the same thing true?

          Thomas Merton was an incredibly devoted religious man.  Is he also scary?

          Barack Obama is a religious man.  I hope you don't find him scary because of it.

          Please don't be afraid of religious people.  If someone is cruel or hateful, be wary of the cruel and hateful things that come out of them, and hold them responsible for those things.  By saying "its his religion that makes this possible" is no more helpful or accurate when you say it than it is when he says it.

          by BigSwami on Wed May 21, 2008 at 03:16:06 PM PDT

          •  Lets just say

            when you put too many of them in the same room...

            by SFOrange on Wed May 21, 2008 at 03:54:05 PM PDT

          •  I am afraid of so-called "religious"

            people in public office who use their religion as the basis for their public policy decisions. Merton did not hold public office. He also followed the spirit of his religion's teachings, even when they differed from his church's doctrines.

            Obama does hold public office and does say he will follow his religion's teachings as far as queers are concerned. That makes me afraid of him, especially when I see that his religion wants to keep queers as second class citizens. What this Gambian leader is doing is taking that bias to the nth degreee by offering to kill us all unless we leave. Is that any different than denying equal rights to queers? Absolutely. But it's grounded in the same bigotry.

            History is replete with examples of atrocities committed by the most "religious" of peoples. Don't be afraid of them -- be VERY afraid of them.

            by dykester on Wed May 21, 2008 at 05:06:05 PM PDT

            •  Wrights views on GLBT rights

              seem relevant here.

              by lonespark on Wed May 21, 2008 at 05:20:40 PM PDT

    •  Even though

      he is using religion as a cover I doubt he really is all the religious or really cares about that.

      This is about consolidating his power.

      Throwing down the gauntlet like he did will only put fear into the population.  Scared people are easier to control.

      This edict also allows him and people in power to get rid of all enemies...don't like someone? Accuse them of being gay.  Don't think the gay label will stick, say they use drugs, etc etc.

      I bet all of his political and otherwise enemies are running for their lives now less they be put on the extermination list.

      I think he's crazy all right (cure AIDS with bananas?) but not foaming at the mouth crazy and stupid.  He knows exactly what he's doing.

      by EastcoastChick on Wed May 21, 2008 at 12:04:33 PM PDT

      •  Sure.

        That's the primary purpose of religion. It's a tool for social control.

        The ultimate psyop.

        by Rex Manning on Wed May 21, 2008 at 01:34:29 PM PDT

  •  hey, it seems to work every time

    although I can't seem to figure out why

    by OrangeClouds115 on Wed May 21, 2008 at 11:29:54 AM PDT

•  People are so freaking weird!!

  I just dont understand this kind of shit.

  by environmentalist on Wed May 21, 2008 at 10:59:09 AM PDT

  •  hi there environmentalist

    I don't understand this sort of garbage either. It makes me wonder too, what this nutcase has been up to that we haven't been paying attention to before now.

    by OrangeClouds115 on Wed May 21, 2008 at 11:32:10 AM PDT

    •  The reason he is doing this is

      he is trying to distract people from food riots. It's the oldest story in the book. When faced with a financial/political crisis, find a scape goat. Gambia also has a major issue in that it has become one of the 3-4 major transhipment ports for cocaine to Europe, this is behind the "crime" crisis he mentioned. I'm sorry that he is abusing gays because he can't deal with these issues.

      His AIDS "cure" on the other hand, is just madness.

      by dopper0189 on Wed May 21, 2008 at 01:38:02 PM PDT

•  Kind of

  restores your faith in humanity, doesn't it?

  I really hate people sometimes...

  by jarhead5536 on Wed May 21, 2008 at 10:59:21 AM PDT

•  Holy crap