The Season of Peace and Good Will to All?

Trump hates LGBT Americans as seen with his failed attempt to get them thrown out of the military. But he loves to shake his sword with the Middle East men who are trying to eliminate folks who are found to be LGBT. Just this past weekend Egypt sent 14 men to prison charged with the crime of having ,  ”abnormal relations.” That is code for being homosexual. Egypt is currently having an expansion in the crackdown on Gay and Transgender People. Last month it was reported that Egyptian authorities are cracking down on gay men by luring them through Grindr app. Two months ago it was reported that Egypt was to “conduct anal examinations on men accused of waving rainbow flags at a Cairo pop concert”. I am not making up this outrageousness folks. It is true and very present in these times where most of us are in a mode of acceptance no matter who you are. Well, except for Trump of course.

The lawmakers are considering the most expansive anti-gay bill ever there. They want to criminalize homosexuality. Even if you are straight and are caught waving a rainbow flag, you can be charged with a crime even if you are not gay! At a pop concert this past September at least 60 people were arrested and convicted with the crime of “inciting debauchery and homosexuality.” Hamed Sinno is the lead singer of the band who is openly gay. Mashrou Leila is the name of his Egyptian band. Their songs often talk about the need for women’s rights in Egypt. The band is popular there and will perform in front of at least 5,000 people at a time. The gay flags were waving at about 5 concerts and then the news reports said that “God is mad at you.” Then the arrests started without warning.

If you come out there, you will get threats of death, beatings even from neighbors in your village. Why does Trump condones a country that acts this way towards their citizens? They say this band is “spreading fornication.” The government say the concerts actually calls for sexual perversion. Samir Sabri,  an Attorney defending the gay people in the Supreme Constitutional Court is saying that the rules are infringing on people’s personal freedoms. He doesn’t have much of a case since in the criminal provisions of the penal code there, according to Sharia Law, the punishment for gayness would have been death. So far, arrests have been made.

The sentiment against gay people is spreading. In Jordan this past June they banned a Lebanese rock band from performing again after widespread criticism spread over the gay front man in the band. They also accused and canceled the performances of a band accused of devil worship in Jordan. What is the panic sweeping the world? If a gay band plays a performance will we all turn gay? Will we become devil worshipers? Trump supports white supremacists and alleged sexual predators. Is the world becoming so judgmental that our feelings and minds must be controlled as well as our behavior? Whatever happened to live and let live?  

Gay people are being held in solitary confinement since September. What is happening in Egypt should be shocking us all. There is no diplomacy just unabashed aggression going on. Our world should be a safer place for all law abiding citizens everywhere and should not be able to govern our bodies from sexuality to a choice for abortions. As long as we are non-violent, keep governments out of our personal morality and sexuality. We are in the season of peace and good will to all. When will people really feel that way?