Centuries of oppression has not changed us one little bit. We are the same people dragged in shackles and manacles into rat-infested stinky ships and sold like cattle in foreign lands. I wasn’t there, but I can still feel the pain. I can feel the pain of the whip on my great grandfathers back as he yelled out for help. And somehow, even today, I continue to bear the strips of the whip on my back. I continue to suffer the indignity and humiliation of subtle nuanced racism. So, I happen to have more issues to worry about in this world. My burden is so heavy, that I have no time to pretend to don the cloak of a sex policeman- to decide who should have sex, and in which hole.
What any two consenting adults decide to do in their own bedroom is none of my business. It is none of my business if one decides to enter hole number one or hole number two, or spend their lives with a man or woman. One would have thought that we, having suffered the indignity of years of oppression merely because of the colour of our skin, would be more considerate of others. Yet, we are the people using some obscure verse in the book the white man brought along with his gun to bay for blood of others of different sexual orientation.
A paedophile is a paedophile, homosexual or heterosexual, and they have to face the full rigours of the law. And yet, our schools have been plagued for years by teachers exploiting young females for sexual gratification who have often escaped with a wink and a gentle slap on the wrist. And yet our depth of homophobia means that we are suddenly beginning to pursue homosexual teachers with venom their heterosexual counterparts rarely have to endure. And Ghanaians are calling for lynching, imprisonment and harassment of people merely on the basis of their sexual orientation. The fact is that despite numerous theories, no one knows for sure why an individual risks everything to maintain a homosexual relationship. I am not going to pretend to understand. What I know, is that, as much as I despise being judged by the colour of my skin rather than by the content of my character, I am never going to judge another man merely on their sexual preference.
In a rather “unghanaian” manner, we seem to be enjoying the prospect of subjecting our fellow man to a life of secrecy, embarrassment, humiliation, depression and even suicide. We are kicking people while they are down and immensely enjoying our fleeting encounter with strength and power. But, in the end, when we have all ceased collecting our bribes, and sexually abusing our church people, and domestically abusing our wives, and started to look after our kids, and stopped raping little helpless girls, we can begin to throw stones at others.
If we cannot understand, as a people, that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights irrespective of colour, sex, race sexual orientation, language or religion, then I am afraid we should all be shackled and thrown back into ships. Because centuries of oppression would have taught us nothing.
My friend, what centuries of oppression are you referring to? When you talk about the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade, be careful you do not include us all in your diatribe! So some Africans suffered, so? Does that mean we should accept Homosexuality because some Africans were sold into slavery? That logic is an twisted as the similar logic that because we are animals too, humans should be allowed to marry their dogs? What transitional ideology do you hold with this pungent fabrication of intelligence? Please spare us your troubles with living abroad and looking down on us here in Africa. Please spare us your arrogance!
“I can feel the pain of the whip on my great grandfathers back as he yelled out for help. And somehow, even today, I continue to bear the strips of the whip on my back.”
Orfa! What??? Are you serious? You grew up in Ghana. Which ancestor of yours was whipped? Your parents are still in Ghana, your grandparents are in Ghana, their parents lived and died in Ghana. Their grandparents lived and died in Ghana. So what ancestors of yours are you referring to?
Be careful when in your bid to fight for the civil rights of homosexuals you do not make the equation that the rights for gay marriage and gay acceptance in modern society is the same as the civil rights movements of African Americans in America. The two are entirely different. I wish you would really reconsider the assumptions and the reiteration of racist ideologies you espouse here!
“If we cannot understand, as a people, that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights irrespective of colour, sex, race sexual orientation, language or religion, then I am afraid we should all be shackled and thrown back into ships.”
Brother, you speak like you have learned the language of the oppressor himself. Who is going to throw who back into ships? You mean the white man is coming back here to Africa to throw Black people back into ships because we fail to accepts Homosexuality as a cultural framework for our future? You are very interesting! You still don’t get it, do you?
Papa Appiah talks as if white people are the final authorities in our destiny. If we don’t obey them, gee, they are coming to throw us back into ships. Papa Appiah perhaps needs a copious dose of African history. He is mistaking our silence for ignorance.
My friend Papa, you can toss and turn, you can flip and bore, but homosexuality will have no place in Ghana culture. Period. Tweakai.
Manka na me bua, but Appiah, you are going in circles, you are chasing your tails, one after the other Appiah. You really support the transitional idea that whatever two people decide in the comfort of their bedroom should be none of anybody’s business? Really? The welcome to Africa! It seems you have been away for far too long drinking on their ice-water. Here in Ghana, here in Africa, everybody’s business is everybody’s business! We just like it this way and can you respect that? Thanks!
Here’s another idea for the new Africa liberal. What if I wanted to marry a monkey? What if I fell in love with a god? What if a wanted to marry my cat. Better yet, what if, just what if, I saw a rat and we immediately had a connection? Should we in Africa accept that too when and how it comes around, because sure the white people now have decided that homosexuality is good? Tell me ooo, tell me!
My friend, take your trumu trumu to La, don’t bring it here to Kumasi. Goddamn youself.
Hey hey hey! You gettaway!
Goddamn youseff too! Stay locked up in your ignorance Champion. Stay forever ignorant, its good for you. It will save you from yourself. I am sure and you my friend are darn sure of it.
Whatever you do do it with your might! God Bless you for sharing your story.