Some time ago, on February 19, 2012 to be precise, an article captioned ‘Caribbean Plans Regional Approach to Abolish Gay Laws’ was written by Denis Scott Chabrol. This article was based on an interview with Dr Edward Greene, UN Special Envoy on HIV/AIDS to the Caribbean.
If all of the statements attributed to Dr. Edward Greene are true, this article should be a cause for very serious concern for all of us Caribbean people who cherish our sovereignty, value our democracies with their supporting institutions and who respect fundamental (human) rights and authentic freedoms.
As the homosexual agenda is being driven full steam ahead in the Caribbean it is important to examine this article in depth. The following are direct excerpts taken from Chabrol’s article and include statements made by Dr Greene:
1. “Caribbean countries, faced with a political and religious fall out plan to take a regional approach in scrapping laws against buggery and prostitution by 2015, according to a senior United Nations (UN) official.” (Reporter)
How so? How can a regional approach be taken to scrapping the laws of a sovereign nation? Isn’t each CARICOM country a sovereign State, operating with its own democratic system of government, legislating within its own parliament and accountable to its own citizens?
Even if this is an attempt to circumvent the wishes of the masses of the people so as to avoid a “political and religious fall out”, how can it be achieved unless, by stealth, the law is brought to every parliament without the knowledge of the people, (as, indeed, was done in regard to the change in the abortion law in Saint Lucia in 2003).
In proposing to take the circuitous route of a “regional approach” to avoid “political and religious fallout”, Dr Greene is clearly aware that Caribbean people across the board in every Caribbean country are not in favour of scrapping the laws against buggery and prostitution.
Does Dr. Greene’s circuitous route include bringing a test case to the Caribbean Courts so that what he cannot achieve by legislative authority he can achieve by judicial ruling and so circumvent the self-evident will of the people? This strategy would in crude terms mean that we are not governed by a parliamentary democracy but by a judicial oligarchy. Surely, Dr Greene has some explaining to do.
2. “Most of the former British colonies that are CARICOM member-nations have been coming under increasing international pressure to abolish those laws that also include cross-dressing…” (Reporter)
So, the reason put forward for abolishing these laws is “increasing international pressure.” I guess what is referred to is the clear threat that we will not receive development aid if we do not embrace the homosexual agenda being imposed on us from outside. Surely, this is naked blackmail and represents blatant disrespect for our people, contempt for our culture, disregard of our traditions and a trampling of our rights as sovereign nations. This should be rejected outright by our CARICOM leaders. There is a term for this – cultural imperialism! Dr. Greene, if you wish me to take a particular course of action, then convince me that it is in the best interest of our nations. Do not attempt to force it down my throat. I will only vomit!
3. “Politicians remain wary of losing votes from, among others, the religious communities and other people who argue against erasing those laws for moral and ethical reasons.” (Reporter)
“I think what we have to do is to project a regional position on revamping the laws which would be in tune with international trends and enunciate them in such a way that we save national politicians from having to put forward these views as if they were theirs.” (Dr Edward Greene)
Is Dr. Greene suggesting that in order to remain in power at all costs, individual politicians, though clearly aware of the views of the people who elected them and to whom they are directly accountable, should ignore and deceive the electorate by hiding behind a “regional position”? Is Dr. Greene encouraging politicians to act outside of, if not contrary to, the mandate given them by the people who elected them, whom they promised to represent and whose best interests they have a responsibility to serve? Is this Dr. Greene’s idea of what a Caribbean politician is or should be? A person who does not have the backbone to stand by his or her beliefs and convictions? A person who merely follows and does not lead? A person who abdicates his or her responsibility to the electorate, and who is motivated only by the crass desire to hold on to power at all costs? Could this be the reason why Caribbean politicians are so deafeningly silent on these critical issues? Exactly how is this agenda being quietly enunciated behind the scenes whilst politicians remain “insulated from criticisms”?
4. “UN Special Envoy on HIV/AIDS to the Caribbean, Dr. Edward Greene, however, notes that at least 20 percent of some Caribbean countries are gays, a cultural shift that must be considered.” (Reporter).
Twenty percent! This is an absurd statistic! Clearly grossly exaggerated and calculated to mislead, and, therefore an outrageous lie. In exactly which Caribbean countries has this “cultural shift” been seen? And when did it occur? Will Dr Greene please inform us? The percentage of homosexuals in the USA, in the United Kingdom or in any other country with such statistics is between 2-3 percent. In fact, the most up to date statistic for the UK shows a homosexual / bisexual population of 1.5 percent of which two thirds of these were men: The Observer, Sunday 26 September 2010.
Is Dr Greene suggesting that Caribbean men are between seven to ten times more likely to be homosexual than any other people, race or nation? Here, Dr Greene’s credibility is at stake. He should provide forthwith, as a matter of urgency, serious scientific evidence to back up his claims. I personally am willing to wager that he can never produce any serious scientific study to support his ridiculous and imprudent claim. If he is willing to quote such an outrageous statistic the question is raised as to how much of his agenda is backed by poor research and self-serving information that is fed to our people from biased sources.
5. Acknowledging that moral, religious and political reasons have forestalled the revision, revamping and rejection of the century-old laws, he (Greene) said the Caribbean plans to take a two-pronged approach. This strategy he (Greene) explained would include
i. Rallying support from Champions for Change such as vulnerable groups, Faith Based Organisations, and women’s groups as well as capitalizing on the convention that regional laws are more easily acceptable.
ii. Experts also intend to produce research on the impact of decriminalisation in other countries.
In that way, he (Greene) explained, politicians in each jurisdiction would be better insulated from criticisms. (Reporter)
Are we reading this right? Will Dr Greene ask Church leaders to team up with homosexual advocates to promote the homosexual agenda? Will Church leaders/ groups be asked to do what politicians do not have the “balls” to do? If so, who exactly are these church leaders/groups?
Anglican Bishops (Bishops of the Church of the West Indies), in a statement released on April 25, 2013, following the House of Bishops meeting in Barbados spoke out clearly and decisively on this subject matter demonstrating a firm grasp of the issues at hand whilst making it clear that “the West was not in a position to dictate its morality on the people of the Caribbean” and that “pressure on Caribbean political leaders to act according to the dictates of the political and moral sensibilities of overseas governments was intolerable.”
Archbishop Robert Rivas of the Archdiocese of Castries issued a clear Pastoral Letter in February last year articulating clearly the Catholic Church’s position. Other religious denominations have spoken clearly in similar terms on this issue.
Does Dr Greene know something that we do not?
Which of the women’s groups does he intend to use in his campaign to overthrow the sensibilities of Caribbean peoples?
How would producing research on the impact of decriminalisation in other countries help Dr Greene’s cause? What exactly has been the impact of decriminalisation in other countries? The research shows that as homosexuality has become more accepted in the USA the problem of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and HIV among homosexuals has gotten worse, in spite of education, treatment and testing. Experience shows that societal acceptance of homosexuality will increase STDs in that population.
Legalisation of homosexual practices between consenting adults took effect in England in 1968. J. L Fluker is a British doctor with tremendous experience in treating homosexuals. Fluker studied the male cases of homosexually acquired STDs at Cha-ring Cross Hospital (West London Branch) between 1962 and 1971 and noted “an explosive in¬crease in case load, particularly between 1968-1971.”(Fluker 1976) According to clinic re¬cords, in 1962 there were 105 cases of STDs among homosexual men; by 1971 the number had climbed to 1,773 cases. Fluker reported that male homosexuals had a
high repeat infection rate, “some patients having had 40-59 new infections over the years in the same clinic.”(Fluker 1981).
6. “The UN Official expects that Caribbean Countries will gradually overhaul their laws in time for 2015 when the world is expected to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in keeping with the principals of universal access and equity”. (Reporter)
What does promoting the homosexual agenda have to do with achieving the Millenium Development Goals, particularly in this case MDG 6?
The MDG 6 goal is to: “Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases”.
Question: How do we achieve this goal?
Answer: By actively pursuing and promoting strategies which have been proven to work such as: promoting behaviour change particularly among high risk/vulnerable groups, providing necessary support and treatment, such as essential antiretroviral drugs etc.
Not by encouraging the very behaviours, which fuel the epidemic! If we follow Dr Greene’s path we will move further away from achieving the Millennium Development Goal of combating HIV/AIDS.
In the last decade (more so in the last five years) the campaign for unlimited sexual rights (in the name of “fundamental human rights”) and the right to engage in the most irresponsible sexual behaviours has overtaken the MDG 6 goal of combating HIV AIDS. As more and more people contract HIV/AIDS worldwide, and suffering and death increases, so does the call for legalising buggery (and other harmful sexual orientations) and prostitution (“sex work”) the very behaviours, which have been clearly identified as significant drivers of the epidemic. The HIV AIDS epidemic has been hijacked by homosexual activists bent on advancing a radical sexual agenda and efforts are no longer primarily focused on combating HIV/AIDS by addressing the causes, but rather on advancing ideology in the name of controversial rights, which are not universally recognised.
By linking the legalisation of buggery to combating HIV/AIDS and achieving the MDG’s goals by 2015 (when all countries are expected to report on progress), Western countries mount increasing pressure on smaller, lesser-developed nations.
Is Dr. Greene aware that during the negotiations leading up to the UN High Level Political Meeting on HIV/AIDS, held at the United Nations in June 2011, that the bigger countries of the West threatened CARICOM that all funding for its HIV/AIDS Programmes, yes all funding, (including the provision of essential, life-saving, antiretroviral drugs!), would be withdrawn if language sympathetic to the homosexual agenda was not included in the Political Declaration?
7. “I believe we can incrementally move towards the position of revamping the laws. It might be a long struggle in some countries but once we get a couple of countries to move in a more enlightened way, I think we can move the process along.” (Dr. Edward Greene).
This picture painted of Caribbean people by Dr Greene certainly leaves a lot to be desired. Does he imagine us to be a people lacking conviction? A people not prepared to stand for what we believe in or even fight for what is beneficial for us and our children? A people who begin a “struggle” but are not man/woman enough to fight to the end? Which countries does Dr. Greene expect to move in “a more enlightened” way? Or does he really mean- but once we get a couple of confused and perplexed countries to move in a liberal direction the rest will follow?
Finally and most importantly, what does Dr. Greene mean by “a more enlightened way” which he hopes will overcome “moral, religious and political reasons”?
As we look back at a fractured Western Civilisation and our Caribbean societies characterized by broken families, joblessness for youth, indiscipline, a lack of moral responsibility in sexual matters, economic regression, greater income inequality, increasing murder rates, earlier and earlier sexual initiation for girls, abortion horrors being exposed in the USA – the question has to be raised about the “enlightened way” that persons like Dr. Greene are advocating. It would appear to me that the only ones
who continue to benefit from the “enlightened way” as they rupture our societies, have been the Dr. Greene’s with their power, pensions and perks.
In 2012, Dr Edward Greene was appointed UN Special Envoy on HIV/AIDS to the Caribbean. He previously served as Assistant Secretary General of CARICOM. Dr. Greene’s new “enlightened” approach is not surprising. After all he is no longer accountable to the people of the Caribbean, but to the United Nations – funded for the most part by the rich nations of the West – whose ideology and morality he is willing to thrust down the throats of his Caribbean brethren for a few pieces of silver, in spite of the overwhelming intrinsic evidence of the harm it is causing to their own and our societies!
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