New info on Iran Hangings and "rape" charge.

[blogactive]

Doug Ireland has done it again.

His story is a MUST READ.....

WORLDWIDE PROTESTS OVER IRAN HANGINGS OF TEENS AS NEW REPORTS FROM INSIDE IRAN QUESTION THE VALIDITY OF THE 'RAPE' CHARGE

http://direland.typepad.com/direland/2005/08/worldwide_prote.html

[nosmokes]

1. makes ya wonder how much jealously is a motive for

the radical religous right wanting to get their claws on iran too.

such a tragic story

[davidinalameda]

2. just another example of how fundies run things when they take over

do you think that the fundies here would treat gays any differently

[kweerwolf]

3. Historical context

I found this quote late in the article especially revealing:

There is also a long tradition in nationalist movements of consolidating power through narratives that affirm patriarchy and compulsory heterosexuality, attributing sexual abnormality and immorality to a corrupt ruling elite that is about to be overthrown and/or is complicit with foreign imperialism.

Throughout history homosexuality has been viewed as a "foreign vice" or connected with a currupt elite. Look at the controversy over German arms-maker Alfred Krupp after WWI. Or how the Nazis rooted out the "corrupt" element by murdering Ernst Roehm (and much of the rest of the Brownshirt's leadership). In England, homosexuality was referred to as "the French vice;" while in France it was called "the English vice." And then there's information in John Boswell's "Christianity, Social Tolerance and Homosexuality" that claims sexual minorities were tolerated in Christian portions of the world until the 12th century when it was connected with Moslems (who Christian leaders claimed were practitioners of homosexuality).

For the past millenium it has been common to associate one's enemy with homosexuality - much like the Repugnantcans do today - and so gay people throughout much of history have been seen as others and outsiders.

Interestingly, just last week the LGBT publication The Southern Voice ran an editorial about the Iran hangings accusing the gay community of rushing to judgment:

While mainstream media around the world have more accurately represented the outpouring of condemnation by Muslim organizations and institutions against the attacks in London, the gay and lesbian media in the U.S. have unfortunately succumbed once again to the false belief that Islam condones acts of violence, including suicide bombings, executions of civilians and even the killing of homosexuals.

http://www.southernvoice.com/2005/8-5/view/columns/column_ALAM.cfm