Tag Archives: Africa
Jason Russell, KONY 2012 Filmmaker, Addresses Naked Meltdown and Gay Rumors With Oprah Winfrey
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Seven months after he became a household name, Jason Russell is hoping to be a viral sensation once again – preferably with his clothes on this time.
After shooting to fame with the release of his film “Kony 2012” in March, which racked up 100 million YouTube views in less than a week, Russell eclipsed his own project just 10 days later when a video of his naked meltdown on a San Diego street corner exploded online. (Click here to see that video)
Now the controversial filmmaker is back with a new movie about the Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony, and he wants to set the record straight about his former flameout.
“It’s hard to explain if people have never had an out of body experience, but it really wasn’t me,” he told Oprah of his meltdown, in an interview for “Oprah’s Next Chapter” that aired on Sunday. “That wasn’t me, that person on the street corner ranting and raving and naked, is not me. That’s not who I am.”
Russell says the wild success of the video led him to feel intense pressure that caused him to break down.
“My mind couldn’t stop thinking about the future. I literally thought I was responsible for the future of humanity,” he told the “Today” show on Monday. “It started to go into a point where my mind finally turned against me and there was a moment where, click, I was not in control of my mind or my body.”
Though he says he only remembers a few details of his dramatic public episode, Russell believes he was trying to hitch a ride.
“I thought, ‘I have to get to New York in the next 12 hours.’ That’s what I thought,” he told Oprah. “’Because I have to stop the war.’ So I ran out to the front and I think I was trying to ask cars to take me to the airport. In my underwear.”
Russell says he has no idea why he was naked.
“It was just very out of control,” he told Oprah, showing her that he pounded his hands on the street so hard he actually dented his wedding ring. “I look at that video and I think, how sad for him.”
When asked if he was gay, he said he was simply “theatrical” and denied rumors that he had performed a lewd act during his meltdown.
“There were rumors of masturbation, but no one who was there ever said that that was happening,” he told Oprah, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “I’m naked so it’s not a far extension of imagination that that would be happening but, no, I don’t remember any of that, and no one we knew there said that I was. I don’t remember anything except like a half-second. I don’t.”
Russell was later diagnosed as having a psychotic breakdown that caused temporary insanity, and says he has been doing yoga and therapy to recover.
“It’s hard for my wife to even talk about it still because it was so scary and traumatizing,”he told the Today show.
He says he’s going to be more watchful of his health this time around, as he promotes Invisible Children’s new film “Move,” which made its YouTube debut on Sunday. The film, which promises a behind-the-scenes look at KONY 2012, asks supporters to march against Joseph Kony on Washington on November 17.
“I don’t think anything can compete with the perfect storm of KONY 2012,” he said, “but we do hope that millions of people do see this next film and know that we’re still committed.”
What do you think? Is he being honest or doing his best to cover up a completely embarrassing story that may have impacted his KONY 2012 campaign of sorts. It’s hard to know because, as he said himself, he’s “theatrical”:
Hollywood Reporter - When Winfrey asked the married filmmaker about rumors he’s gay (“that you were running in the streets nude because you were gay”), he laughed, saying: “I grew up in theater, my parents started a large children’s theater organization, so I am animated, I am … theatrical. That’s me by nature. So when you take me, times it by ten … .”
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Atheism and Religion: Logical Insight
As many of you may already know, I am an Atheist. This doesn’t mean I dislike people who are religious, the same as I don’t dislike Conservatives (Republicans), just disagree with some of their opinions. I have many friends and family members who believe in religion and although I think it’s harmful to society, I would never disrespect them for coming to a different conclusion than I have come to on my own. But, seeing as I am a passionate person, I like to share what I believe with others, urge them to think differently and open their minds. I encourage myself to do the same, which just so happens to be the reason I have come to this conclusion.
A friend of mine, Anastasia, wrote something the other day that I found to be pretty great. I asked her if I could share it here and would like to know what some of you think, as well as express my support for everything that was said. I have shared it exactly as it was written below:
“I’ll tell you what else is on my mind. I recently watched the episode of “Louie” where, as a child, he attends a Catholic school and the teacher brings in a doctor to explain, from a medical stand point, the process of Jesus’ crucifixion. It’s brutal and horrific, and the best piece of mind-fuckery out there. How in the world does the idea that one man being physically tortured cancels out the “sins” of the world? (more on “sins” later. okay right now- not raping people is not one of the ten commandments. not using the lord’s name in vain is. uhm. what.?) Really think about that. More importantly, think about how many people have been physically/mentally/
I know that many people are getting tired of the political and religious posts that are on Twitter, FaceBook, etc; But personally, I think it’s great that our generation is becoming so involved and choosing to think for ourselves as opposed to just take what was told to us, as truth. Granted, there are definitely many people who still do this, it’s great to know that thanks to the advancement in social media, our generation is able to meet people who share the same views, values, morals, etc. and are open to discussing how they could be right and/or wrong.
Thank you Anastasia for allowing me to share your message and I hope others can see the humanity in your words as opposed to the “religious attack” you made “against” them.
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Kony 2012: State Propaganda For A New Generation | Vigilantcitizen
Many people have read many opposing facts about Joseph Kony, Invisible Children and the Kony 2012 campaign. I must admit that I feel the most accurate article that addresses most of these controversies was posted by Vigilantcitizen.com.
Like the video states, it was an experiment. Sadly, most people (including myself in the beginning) jumped on the bandwagon and believed that this video was an experiment that would see whether people would stand up against something bad and do something about it. So, what did they do? The did something: posted the video, signed the petition, ordered the kit, and donated funds to an organization they knew nothing about. What did they NOT do? Research the organization, investigate Joseph Kony, and sat back thinking they made an impact because of the fact that they did one of the actions I mentioned above.
My belief, is that the experiment was actually to see whether people would repost, donate and get involved without doing anything other than watching the video. Why was this done? To prove that people shared what was trending despite the facts. And if that wasn’t why, that was at the very least, the outcome.
The overnight viral sensation KONY 2012 brought worldwide awareness to the African war criminal Joseph Kony. Beneath this commendable cause, lies however an elaborate agenda that is presented in the video in a very manipulative way. We’ll look at the agenda behind KONY 2012 and how it uses reverse psychology to not only justify a military operation in Africa, but to actually have people demand it.
KONY 2012 is a viral sensation that swept the entire world in less than 24 hours. Its main subject is the African rebel leader Joseph Kony, his war crimes and the clearly defined “movement” to stop him. Countless celebrities have endorsed the movement, news sources have reported it and social media is buzzing with it. While the problem of guerrilla warfare and child soldiers has plagued Africa for decades, and several documentaries have already been produced regarding the issue, this particular 29-minute video made managed to obtain mass exposure and support.
KONY 2012 is less of a documentary than it is a highly efficient infomercial that is tailor-made for the Facebook generation, using state-of-the-art marketing techniques to make its point. Young people like “underground movements” and want to feel like they are changing the world. KONY 2012 taps into these needs to bring about something that is not “hip” or “underground” at all: A military operation in Uganda. Not only that, it urges the participants of the movement to order stuff, to wear bracelets that are associated with an online profile and to record their actions in social media. This makes KONY 2012 the first artificially created movement that is fully track-able, monitor-able and quantifiable by those who engendered it. In other words, what appears to be a movement “from the people” is actually a new way for the elite to advance its agenda.
A Propaganda Experiment
The video begins with an interesting statement: “The next 27 minutes are an experiment. But in order for it to work, you have to pay attention”. It is an experiment as it tests a new, groundbreaking way to get an agenda accepted by the Facebook generation. In the past, when the government needed to justify the invasion of a country, the President would sit in front of the camera and tell the public why war should be declared in this area of the world. In the case of KONY, the military agenda is disguised as grassroots activism, where the US army entering Uganda would be perceived as a “victory of the people”, effectively reversing the communications model.
Towards the end of the video, an image is displayed explaining how decisions (and messages) start from the top of the pyramid (the elite) and are communicated to the masses through mass media and such.
Due to the advent of social media, the above diagram has become a lot less effective to get a message across to the young generation. It is not CNN reports and the President addressing the nation anymore, it is about “liking” Facebook pages and viral YouTube videos. This is where messages now come across. Always studying, analyzing and exploiting the most effective ways to persuade public opinion, KONY 2012 appears to be an attempt to test out the effectiveness of a “viral” propaganda campaign. By creating this “movement” and making young people actually DEMAND the U.S. government intervene in Africa, the masterminds behind this campaign would manage the impossible: Reversing the propaganda model in order to make it emanate from the people. By doing so, the elite’s agenda is not only accepted by the masses, it is perceived as a victory by them.
“We are living in a new world” indeed. The KONY 2012 logo aptly represents how a viral video and social media can reverse the propaganda model. Don’t be fooled however. Power is still not in the hands of the base of the pyramid … far from it. It is all about appearances.
When the war on Iraq was declared, a great portion of young Americans opposed the war. How is it they are now begging the government to send troops to Africa? A simple video, specifically conceived for the Facebook generation did the trick. As it is the case in most campaigns to justify a war, the first goal was to identify a bad guy.
Identifying the Bad Guy
By associating Kony with Bin Laden and Hitler in this poster, KONY 2012 is promoting war.
I have absolutely no intention of defending Joseph Kony or to say “he’s not that bad”. He, along with many other guerrilla factions across Africa, has committed despicable atrocities. However, the problem of child soldiers has existed for decades and there are literally hundreds of Joseph Konys across the African continent. In some cases, some of the armies are actually funded by Western countries. If we would truly go to the root of the issue, we’d discover that Africa has been plagued with the problem of warring factions and rebel guerrillas ever since Western forces “liberated” their colonies and divided the continent of Africa according to Western interests. Indeed, instead of setting the boundaries of each country according to the geographic location of the ethnic groups and tribes that live there, countries were created according to the economic needs of colonizing forces such as Great Britain, France and others. The net result is: A bunch of artificial countries that each contain several tribes, ethnic groups, languages and religions. When one group takes power, the others are repressed, which leads to violence and rebellion. Add to the mix extreme poverty due to resources being siphoned out of Africa by Western countries and you’ve got a breeding ground for merciless warlords. As long as this problem exists, Joseph Konys will continue to emerge in Africa.
But the video mentions none of this. All it says is that arresting Kony would “make the world better”. KONY 2012 is all about identifying a bad guy, “making him famous” and have people demand his death by U.S. forces. Fixing the true cause of problems in the third world has never been on the Agenda. But picking out a “bad guy” to justify military action has always been part of it. If in the case of Saddam Hussein, “facts” (that ultimately proved false) were given to justify the invasion of Iraq. A different technique is being used with Kony, one that originates from advertising.
Any marketing specialist will tell you: “Facts don’t sell, emotions do”. The first part of KONY 2012 solely addresses emotions. It is about making the filmmaker likeable, showing gut-wrenching images of African kids in pain, in misery and in despair. Then, the turning point: Joseph Kony is the cause of all of this. Not centuries of exploitation and devastation by Western forces in Africa that lead to chaos, lawlessness and poverty. No, it’s Kony. That bastard. George Clooney is really mad at him right now. He even tweeted about it.
Another marketing strategy is to appeal to the lowest common denominator. In other words, to get a message across, one must address the audience as if it was made of kids. KONY 2012 does exactly by ridiculously oversimplifying the problem to an actual child – who represents the viewers. This is not surprising though, as this is how the masses are perceived by the higher ups.
Here’s what this scene implies: “Look, dumb-ass, even this little kid gets it. So you better get it.”
Once the viewers had their emotions stirred, got infantilized and had the problem spelled out to them as if they were in kindergarten, the table is set for the true goal of the video: Defining the agenda.
Defining the Agenda
KONY 2012 is a movement backed by some of the world’s most powerful entities and has precise goals. As the movie’s intro states, it is an experiment. It is an opportunity to create a movement that can be fully trackable, quantifiable and manageable through social media whose culmination is a U.S. military intervention in Uganda. The carrying out of this mission will not only be perceived as a victory, it will restore young people’s faith in democracy. What the members of this movement might not realize is that they are helping the advancement of the elite’s agenda towards a New World Order.
This poster aptly summarizes how the Illuminati works. Political parties are irrelevant as both work towards the same Agenda.
The second part of the movie let’s go of emotions and describes to the viewers what the elite expects from them. U.S. troops are already in Uganda, but, according to the movie, Kony “changed his tactics”… Damnit Kony, you and your sneaky tactics. Apparently, high tech satellites, unmanned drones and all kinds of radars are not enough to catch this guy. Nope, in order to catch him, a complicated plan, involving the purchase of an “Action Kit” and the registering an ID bracelet on a website is required. Makes sense.
Those who want to “Stop Kony” are required to wear a bracelet bearing a unique code which needs to be registered at a website. Of course, personal information is requested.
Once the bracelet is registered, members can associate it with their Facebook account, which will keep track of all KONY-related actions. The end result is: every single member of KONY 2012 will be known, identified and easily tracked – with constantly updated information. All of this data will of course be collected, scrutinized and stored by those in charge.
Furthermore, members are asked to contribute a “few dollars a month” to TRI, an organization whose ultimate goal is American military intervention in Uganda.
TRI’s logo is an inverted “Peace” sign. In symbolism, an inverted sign means that it stands for the opposite of the regular sign. In other words, TRI is about war. Peace does not involve “equipping” and “training” government forces to fight rebel factions. As the novel 1984 states, WAR IS PEACE, FREEDOM IS SLAVERY, and IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH.
To support the cause and to make it popular, a bunch of elite-sponsored artists and politicians have been enlisted, including Lady Gaga, Jay-Z, Rihanna, Oprah, George Clooney, Bono, etc. Don’t be fooled, they are not there because they give a damn about child soldiers in Africa. They are pawns of the elite and used to promote its agenda. Basically, they are there to promote what the NWO wants.
Am I seeing warmongering George W. Bush in here? The dude that lied to the whole country in order to attack Iraq for its oil and stuff? Hmm. Weird.
After going past the celebrities and the emotions, the end result of this campaign is simple and steeped in real politik: Since the fall of rival superpower USSR, Western forces have sought to bring down and to control regional powers around the world, mostly in third countries. Uganda is part of that plan. The same way the spectre of Bin Laden was used to invade Afghanistan, Kony is being used to enter Uganda.
The video clearly shows what is the goal of this “movement”: U.S. troops taking charge of the Ugandan army, the same way it took charge of the Iraqi, Libyan and other armies in the past few years.
In Conclusion
KONY 2012 is a cleverly orchestrated campaign specifically aimed at today’s youth, the future citizens of the world. Using state-of-the-art techniques and new technologies, the campaign is a first attempt at “reverse propaganda”, where the agenda APPEARS to emanate from the people. By using emotions, irrational thoughts and superficial explanations, KONY 2012 attempts to trick well-meaning people, who desire to make a positive change in the world, to instead fuel a gigantic war machine that is controlled by the world’s elite.
Is KONY 2012 trying to eradicate child-soldiers or is it attempting to create a new kind of child-soldiers?
…Right.
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- KONY 2012 Becomes Most Viral Video EVER (blippitt.com)
- KONY 2012 Releases Video Addressing Critics [Video] (inquisitr.com)
- Kony 2012 video fastest to hit 100M views, draws scrutiny of BBB (venturebeat.com)
- ‘KONY 2012′ Tops 100 Million Views, Becomes the Most Viral Video in History [STUDY] (mashable.com)
[UPDATED] [VIDEO] Who Is Joseph Kony? PLEASE SHARE! It Is Important!
(For everyone who read up on KONY, please be aware that the Invisible Children Organization has their own skeletons in the closet. Not only do they work with Sudan People’s Liberation Army (who has a similar reputation as the LRA), they also exaggerate the statistics and refuse to let the BBB look into their operation. While I love that they raised awareness, I don’t know if their organization is what we should support, but rather the people of Africa as well as humanity. Research and awareness takes time and effort while following the majority takes nothing. Be aware and continue on fighting!)
When I first sat down to watch this amazing film, I had no idea what I was getting myself in for and very little knowledge on what it would actually be about. I must admit that a range of emotions have since overwhelmed me and I can’t help but to feel ashamed, saddened, angry, bitter, hopeless, hopeful, but more than anything, I am happy to feel compassion for humanity.
Joseph Kony is a despicable man coward, that preys on those who can’t fight him, controls their will, desires, AND freedom, all to gain nothing but power and superiority over the masses. What bothered me even more that Kony himself was the carelessness and inhumane way that OUR government, the Unites States of America, reacted when they first heard the pleas of this filmmaker (who is truly, much more than that). Financially and socially not a big enough issue for us to get involved?! Excuse me, but are you fucking serious?! Thank goodness you though otherwise during the time of Hitler or we may be a much different world today.
The film brings great insight into the advantages of technology in the modern world and how we, as a people, can use this to our advantage. No longer should the politicians, 1%, and media have the say in who or what we fight for, but rather, the people, are the ones who can now make decisions on a global level. Please watch this film and find a way to be a part of the change in our system! Don’t fight for America, fight for humanity!
UPDATE March 7th, 2012 at 3:05PM: I was hoping to do more research on this after I got home from work and was able to spend some time investigating, but have discovered, I shouldn’t wait that long. An article posted by Jezebel has already brought up many issues that I feel everyone who watches this video should be aware of:
Dubious Finances
From “Visible Children”:
“Invisible Children has been condemned time and time again. As a registered not-for-profit, its finances are public. Last year, the organization spent $8,676,614. Only 32% went to direct services (page 6), with much of the rest going to staff salaries, travel and transport, and film production. This is far from ideal, and Charity Navigator rates their accountability 2/4 stars because they haven’t had their finances externally audited. But it goes way deeper than that.
Exaggerated Claims
From Foreign Affairs magazine:
In their campaigns, such organizations [as Invisible Children] have manipulated facts for strategic purposes, exaggerating the scale of LRA abductions and murders and emphasizing the LRA’s use of innocent children as soldiers, and portraying Kony — a brutal man, to be sure — as uniquely awful, a Kurtz-like embodiment of evil.
Support for Military Intervention
From “Visible Children:”
The group is in favour of direct military intervention, and their money supports the Ugandan government‘s army and various other military forces. Here’s a photo of the founders of Invisible Children posing with weapons and personnel of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army. Both the Ugandan army and Sudan People’s Liberation Army are riddled with accusations of rape and looting, but Invisible Children defends them,arguing that the Ugandan army is “better equipped than that of any of the other affected countries”, although Kony is no longer active in Uganda and hasn’t been since 2006 by their own admission. These books each refer to the rape and sexual assault that are perennial issues with the UPDF, the military group Invisible Children is defending.
Marketing Tactics
From Yale Professor Chris Blattman:
“[The video] feels much the same, laced with more macho bravado. The movie feels like it’s about the filmmakers, and not the cause. There might be something to the argument that American teenagers are more likely to relate to an issue through the eyes of a peer. That’s the argument that was made after the first film. It’s not entirely convincing, especially given the distinctly non-teenage political influence IC now has. The cavalier first film did the trick. Maybe now it’s time to start acting like grownups.
…
There are a few other things that are troubling. It’s questionable whether one should be showing the faces of child soldiers on film. And watching the film one gets the sense that the US and IC were instrumental in getting the peace talks to happen. These things diminish credibility more than anything.
“Invisible Children is staffed by douchebags” (A woman after my own heart.)
From Vice:
“Now when I first watched the Kony 2012 video, there was a horrible pang of self-knowledge as I finally grasped quite how shallow I am. I found it impossible to completely overlook the smug indie-ness of it all. It reminded me of a manipulative technology advert, or the Kings of Leon video where they party with black families, or the 30 Seconds to Mars video where all the kids talk about how Jared Leto’s music saved their lives. I mean, watch the first few seconds of this again. It’s pompous twaddle with no relevance to fucking anything.”
I am still going to try and decide where I stand on this matter, because whatever the facts about Invisible Children are, they still made one difference: People all over the world now feel empowered to know that they can make a difference. One person can make change, (s)he just has to ignite the passion within another. Kony is a bad man. Invisible Children is an organization trying to make change (whether it be 2 stars or 4). You decide what you want to do, because YOU have the freedom to do so.
If Kony 2012 inspired you to donate money to the region, check out these charities, all of which received four star ratings on Charity Navigator: AMREF USA, Doctors Without Borders, and Water.org.
YouTube Description:
KONY 2012 is a film and campaign by Invisible Children that aims to make Joseph Kony famous, not to celebrate him, but to raise support for his arrest and set a precedent for international justice.
HOW TO HELP:
Join TRI or Donate to Invisible Children: http://bit.ly/yp5Ffv
Purchase KONY 2012 products: http://invisiblechildrenstore.myshopify.com/
Sign the Pledge: http://www.causes.com/causes/227-invisible-children
FOR MEDIA INQUIRES ONLY: Monica Vigo pr@invisiblechildren.com
DIRECTOR: Jason Russell
LEAD EDITOR: Kathryn Lang
EDITORS: Kevin Trout, Jay Salbert, Jesse Eslinger
LEAD ANIMATOR: Chad Clendinen
ANIMATOR: Jesse Eslinger
3-D MODELING: Victor Soto
VISUAL EFFECTS: Chris Hop
WRITERS: Jason Russell, Jedidiah Jenkins, Kathryn Lang, Danica Russell, Ben Keesey, Azy Groth
PRODUCERS: Kimmy Vandivort, Heather Longerbeam, Chad Clendinen, Noelle Jouglet
ORIGINAL SCORES: Joel P. West
SOUND MIX: Stephen Grubbs, Mark Friedgen, Smart Post Sound
COLOR: Damian Pelphrey, Company 3
CINEMATOGRAPHY: Jason Russell, Bobby Bailey, Laren Poole, Gavin Kelly, Chad Clendinen, Kevin Trout, Jay Salbert, Shannon Lynch PRODUCTION ASSISTANT: Jaime Landsverk
LEAD DESIGNER: Tyler Fordham
DESIGNERS: Chadwick Gantes, Stephen Witmer
MUSIC CREDIT:
“02 Ghosts I”
Performed by Nine Inch Nails
Written by Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor
Produced by Alan Moulder, Atticus Ross, and Trent Reznor
Nine Inch Nails appear courtesy of The Null Corporation
“Punching in a Dream”
Performed by The Naked and Famous
Written by Aaron Short, Alisa Xayalith, and Thom Powers
Produced by Thom Powers
The Naked and Famous appear courtesy of Somewhat Damaged and Universal Republic
“Arrival of the Birds”
Performed by The Cinematic Orchestra
Written by The Cinematic Orchestra
Produced by The Cinematic Orchestra
The Cinematic Orchestra appears courtesy of Disney Records
“Roll Away Your Stone“
Performed by Mumford and Sons
Written by Benjamin Lovett, Edward Dwane, Marcus Mumford, and Winston Marshall
Produced by Markus Dravs
Mumford and Sons appear courtesy of Glassnote Entertainment Group LLC
“On (Instrumental)”
Performed by Bloc Party
Written by Bloc Party
Produced by Jacknife Lee
Bloc Party appears courtesy of Vice Records
“A Dream within a Dream”
Performed by The Glitch Mob
The Glitch Mob appears courtesy of Glass Air
“I Can’t Stop”
Performed by Flux Pavilion
Flux Pavilion appears courtesy of Circus Records Limited
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- Invisible Children’s Kony 2012 Video About Uganda Conflict: The Making Of A Viral Masterpiece (fastcompany.com)
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- Meet Kony: He’s a Ugandan warlord and he’s about to be famous (thestar.com)
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Nigeria Senate Votes To Ban Gay Marriage!
Although America seems to be making progress as far as Homosexuality and accepting it are concerned, there are still countries out there where religion outlines their laws. Although there are many that wish it were the same here in the United States, I’m happy to see this changing. There are still many states that don’t approve of same-sex marriage and it is illegal, but there are also places that homosexuals can marry and escape some criticism for their love life. Progress means everything though because it initiates a tidal wave of equality and acceptance, it’s just a matter of time.
Advocate -
Senators in Nigeria voted Tuesday to approve a bill that would criminalize same-sex marriage with prison terms of more than a decade for couples and those who help them marry.
The bill would penalize same-sex couples who marry with up to 14 years in prison, according to the Associated Press, while witnesses and others who assist them could be sentenced to 10 years. The House of Representatives still needs to pass the bill, and President Goodluck Jonathan has to sign it, but supports for the measure appears widespread in deeply religious Nigeria, the most populous nation in Africa.
Same-sex marriages and homosexuality already are illegal in the country, where in some parts of the north, gays and lesbians can be stoned to death under Islamic Shariah law. Countries throughout Africa have sought to criminalize homosexuality, most notably in Uganda, where an internationally decried measure would impose the death penalty for some gays and lesbians. Lawmakers in Nigeria have now tried three times to pass the law banning same-sex marriage, and a similar bill is being considered in Cameroon.
The Nigerian bill has drawn sharp opposition from international human rights organizations that, according to the AP, sent a letter to President Goodluck earlier this month. Advocates fear that the bill could hinder HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment efforts, stir violent antigay sentiments, and criminalize couples who live together without being married.
Related articles
- Nigeria Senate approves anti-gay marriage bill (thegrio.com)
- Senate bans same-sex marriage (vanguardngr.com)
- Nigeria Moves One Step Closer To Banning Same-Sex Marriage (lezgetreal.com)
- Nigeria ready to punish same-sex marriages with 14-year jail terms (guardian.co.uk)
- Nigeria: Senate Outlaws Same-Sex Marriage (allafrica.com)
- Nigeria Senate approves anti-gay marriage bill (sfgate.com)
Lion Cub Saved From Falling Off Cliff By His Mom, Amazing Photos!
These are amazing photographs that happened to capture the moment that a mother lion was able to save her cub.
Clinging on for dear life to the side of a vertical cliff, the tiny lion cub cries out pitifully for help.
His mother arrives at the edge of the precipice with three other lionesses and a male. The females start to clamber down together but turn back daunted by the sheer drop.
Eventually one single factor determines which of them will risk her life to save the youngster – motherly love.
The drama begins: The mother arrives at the edge of the cliff as her son cries out for rescue after being trapped when he slipped
On the brink: Four lionesses look over the edge before aborting their rescue mission because of the sheer drop
Slowly, agonisingly, the big cat edges her way down towards her terrified son, using her powerful claws to grip the crumbling cliff side.
One slip from her and both animals could end up dead at the bottom of the ravine.
Just as the exhausted cub seems about to fall, his mother circles beneath him and he is snatched up in her jaws.
She then begins the equally perilous journey back to the top. Minutes later, they arrive and she gives the frightened creature a consoling lick on the head.
The dramatic rescue, captured by wildlife photographer Jean-Francois Largot, was played out in Kenya’s Masai Mara game reserve.
Despite the presence of wardens to deter poachers, day-to-day life for the lions is not without its dangers … as the cub learned the hard way.
Rescue mission: The mother inches her way down the cliff face to rescue the terrified cub before locking him in her jaws and making her way back up the cliff face
Motherly love: The mother gives her son a lick to say that all is well in the pride following the drama
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Exorcists Congragate in Poland and Discuss Vampires
“Vampires, the devil’s deceit and mental illness are among the hot topics for some 300 exorcists who flocked to Poland this week from as far away as Africa and India for a week-long congress.
Held at Poland’s Roman Catholic Jasna Gora monastery, home to the venerated Black Madonna icon, this year’s congress “examines the current fashion for vampirism in Europe and the world-over, schizophrenia and other mental disorders as well as the devil’s deceit during exorcism,” according to the monastery’s radio station.
Also attending are “priests and lay people who work with exorcists or who are themselves practitioners in cases which do not involve possession but rather other forms of harassment by evil spirits,” Polish exorcist, Father Andrzej Grefkowicz was quoted as saying.
Hailing from India, world-renowned exorcist Father Rufus Pereira as well as chief exorcist of the Archdiocese of Vienna Larry Hogan are among the participants, the radio reported. The unusual meeting is held once every two years.
The Jasna Gora monastery’s venerated Black Madonna icon is believed by many Poles to work miracles.
Legend has it that it was painted by the apostle Saint Luke on a table top from the home of the Holy Family, according to the Jasna Gora website. Records suggest the icon arrived in Poland during the 14th century.
With around 90 percent of the population declaring themselves Roman Catholic, Poland remains one of Europe’s most devout countries.”
Source: Yahoo News
A New HIV Drug That Drastically Reduces The Risk of Transmission
The two drugs are marketed as Viread and Truvada, which is pictured here. They are available generically in many countries for as little as 25 cents per pill. (Paul Sakuma / AP)
A new study that has been done in Africa, has has ground-breaking results. In the Los Angeles Times, they share that “two studies in Africa have shown that a daily pill containing either one or two anti- HIV drugs can reduce transmission of the virus by as much as three-quarters among heterosexual couples.”
There was such a good response that they even stopped the study early, and gave all of the participants the new pill. Although, this isn’t a solution to the problem of having HIV, it is a great preventative tool that may be able to be used by many in the future. They have already established that the pills are available in nearly 25 countries at as little as 25 cents/pill.
For more information: http://www.latimes.com/health/la-he-aids-prevention-20110713,0,1099136.story