Iranian men to be stoned to death over gay sex

[FreeState]

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2011/01/18/iranian-men-to-be-stoned-to-death-over-gay-sex/

Two young men who filmed themselves having sex have been sentenced to death by stoning in Iran.

The film was discovered on the mobile phones of Ayub and Mosleh, 20 and 21 years old, by agents of the Iranian regime in the Kurdistan city of Piranshahr in northwest Iran.

...snip...

Reports say that the young men’s stoning was immediately ordered for this Friday “to instill fear in the people of Iran”.

...snip...

Soheila Vahdati, an independent human rights defender for Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the Iranian Queer Organisation based in San Francisco, said: “They don’t differentiate between rape and homosexual acts. As well, there is a culture of shame. The families won’t defend their loved ones from this brutal punishment.”

[truebrit71]

1. What century is this again?

Unbelievable...actually, no it's not..what's unbelievable is that this sentence would be applauded in some places in this country..

[Golden Raisin]

2. Don't think for 2 minutes

that if some of our delighful, home-grown Fundamentalists (as zealous as any Talibanites) and/or self-appointed "real Americans" could get away with stoning gays (or others: Blacks, Jews, Muslims, Mexicans, Christians of other denominations, etc.) to death right here in the good ol' USA they'd do it in a nanosecond.

[Nye Bevan]

5. WOW. And the obligatory "USA Fundies want to do that too" is the second reply!

That didn't take long!

[truebrit71]

6. I am missing your point? Do you agree or disagree with what I said?

FYI my comment was speaking more to the fact that I am personally depressed that as much as we would like to distance ourselves from the uneducated bigotted assholes "over there", there are in fact, probably almost as many "over here".

Is that wrong/incorrect/inaccurate in your estimation?

Do you disagree with that? If so I would love to hear your conunterpoint, if you have nothing other than snark to offer I bid you good day...

[Nye Bevan]

7. I was actually replying to Post #2

but I am personally proud to be a citizen of a country that allows gays to marry, as opposed to executing them barbarically. Try not to get too personally depressed over the existence of bigoted assholes; these people have always existed and always will. People getting executed for being gay, on the other hand, is worth getting upset about.

[QC]

13. It never takes long. n/t

[Occulus]

20. For good reason. n/t

[QC]

25. Yes, the Lutherans around here are always stoning people.

Afterward, they sit down and sample a variety of casseroles.

[Xenotime]

29. It's true, isn't it?!?

[cali]

11. it doesn't happen. sorry, it just doesn't.

[badtoworse]

16. Can you cite any evidence of that?

If not, I would say your post is pure bullshit.

[WillParkinson]

18. The important question is: Will you accept evidence that is posted?

American Family Association: It's Time To Return To A Biblical System of Justice

"If biblical standards of evidence were still followed in America’s judicial system, as they once were, you would have only an infinitesimal chance of sending an innocent man to death row. Too many are sentenced to die or to long prison terms today based on the testimony of a single witness. That’s exactly how you get innocent people sent away for life. Once again, the Bible is the solution, not the problem.

"The only exception was that when a man killed another man unintentionally - the death was accidental - he could flee for safety to a city of refuge until his trial was held. It’s worthy of note that there was no system of incarceration in ancient Israel. A crime against property was taken care of through restitution plus a substantial penalty. A crime against life was taken care of through execution. Think of the money we could save if we returned to something approximating this simple but elegant system of justice." - American Family Association radio host Bryan Fischer, channeling the Iranian justice system.

Right Wing Watch observes: "Is anyone surprised that Fischer wants to see our justice system modeled on these 'simple' Biblical principles which demand that adulterers, gays, those who curse their parents and those who worship other gods be put to death?"

http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2011/01/american-family-association-its-time-to.html

[hobbit709]

21. If the zealots could establish a theocracy here, there would be no difference

But of course too many people, even on DU, say "It can't happen here"

[Nye Bevan]

22. I think you accidentally posted the wrong link.

Your link points to where Fischer is arguing that people should *not* be condemned to death based upon the testimony of only a single witness; he is saying that *more* witnesses to a crime should be required before a death sentence is passed (as was the case in the biblical times he is referring to). He is not saying anything about homosexuals.

Please post the link where he says homosexuals should be executed. Thanks!

[badtoworse]

24. Not even close to backing up Golden Raisin's obnoxious post

There is much to condemn about the AFA, but I have not seen any evidence they have called for the execution of gays (or any of the other groups in GR's post).

I might add that nowhere in his post did GR condemn the Iranian authorities for this atrocity. What should we take from that?

[WillParkinson]

27. Gee...

A quick check should supply you with enough information

American Family Association opened its airwaves to advocate for executing gays, adulterers, abortion doctors
http://mediamatters.org/research/200602140005

---

Emmer on anti-gay hard rock ministry: ‘These are nice people’
Bradlee Dean, told radio listeners recently that Muslim countries that call for the execution of gays and lesbians are “more moral than even the American Christians.”

---

American Vision
ATLANTA, Ga.
www.americanvision.org

Founded in 1978 by Gary DeMar, one of America's most prominent proponents of Christian Reconstructionism, American Vision produces a wide variety of "educational resources" designed to "restore America's Biblical foundation." Like R.J. Rushdoony, the founder of Reconstructionism (see Chalcedon Foundation), DeMar contends that the U.S. was founded as a "Christian nation" and that its democracy should be replaced by a theocratic government run by Christians who will strictly impose certain Old Testament prohibitions, including passages they interpret as opposing homosexuality and abortion.

"The Bible is clear on moral issues that are culture-killers: homosexuality, homosexual marriage, and abortion," says DeMar, who is closely allied with D. James Kennedy of Coral Ridge Ministries, where he frequently speaks.

While DeMar insists that homosexuals wouldn't be rounded up and systematically executed under a "reconstructed" government, he does believe that the occasional execution of "sodomites" would serve society well, because "the law that requires the death penalty for homosexual acts effectively drives the perversion of homosexuality underground, back into the closet."

====

Accept what you will. There ARE groups in the US that advocate for violence or even death of gays and lesbians. This includes members of the AFA or people they do business with.

[badtoworse]

28. Pretty atrocious stuff from American Vision...

... and pretty atrocious for AFA to give DeMar air time. I'll accept that there are "Christian" groups that are that extreme in their views. They are not reflective of any mainstream Christian churches of which I am aware and in my church, they would be condemned in the strongest terms.

[WillParkinson]

30. Mainstream

I would never say they were anywhere near the mainstream. Most people I know who hold any form of religious belief would condemn these people for how the interpret the beliefs they hold.

In fact, many of the groups that would like to see such laws passed in the US are actively participating in Uganda to try to get them to enact the death penalty for gay people.

[xor]

31. Good thing the majority of Americans would never follow his lead.

He'd have a hard time getting into any power legitimately.

[sarcasmo]

26. Golden Raisin is exactly right.

[struggle4progress]

3. IIRC Penal Code countenances stoning only for adultery; homosexuality is

punished by whipping/hanging


In any case, here's the link from the International Committee Against Stoning:

The Islamic Regime of Iran is to execute two young men for homosexuality by stoning
... Jan 16, 2011 ...
http://stopstonningnow.com/wpress/4323

[WillParkinson]

8. Thank goodness. Whipping and hanging is SOOOO much better...

:sarcasm:

[struggle4progress]

9. Accurate details would be a big help in trying to track down the story

The following two sites claim the story has been confirmed but don't say how or by whom:

http://queertoday.com/profiles/blogs/iran-to-execute-two-young-men
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2011/01/18/iranian-men-to-be-stoned-to-death-over-gay-sex/

[Sheepshank]

4. Reports say that the young men’s stoning was immediately ordered for this Friday “to instill fear in

We should probably realize the fear being instilled is one of being caught...not of the act itself. Men of Islam have had sex and will continue to have sex with each other.

[WinkyDink]

10. A "culture of shame"??? THESE MONSTERS HAVE NO SHAME.

[Old Troop]

12. Again DU says "fuck the victims" there is a political point to be made.

[Prometheus Bound]

14. So the original "report" says they are to be executed for raping another person.

Problems with this:

1. The newspaper that published this original report is not named.

2. "The original newspaper report claimed that the boys raped another."

3. According to the OP report, this has been confirmed by other sources, yet these sources are not mentioned.

4. "Reports say that the young men’s stoning was immediately ordered for this Friday “to instill fear in the people of Iran”." How do we know this? Where does it come from. Who said it?

5. What are these "reports"? What is their source?

In fact we know nothing.

[struggle4progress]

15. I tried to find an AI urgent action on it, in the hopes of being able to email appropriate officials

[applegrove]

17. I'm reading a biography of a woman who was a prisoner in iran. It is just chilling.

[The Wizard]

19. Islam is about where

Christianity was about 600 years ago. They just have better weapons. The only part of modernity they really like is the weaponry. In many ways they are a very primitive culture. And in may ways elements of our culture haven't evolved. For instance, the element that wants to bring back that American tradition of slavery.

[Nye Bevan]

23. Who wants to bring back slavery?

Some of these posts are just ridiculous. :shrug: