Yuku free message boards

Mellow913 wrote:

---

Friday, May 01, 2009

An interesting story or potential for Disaster? So you probably know from my status updates that I am currently in Iraq for work. Tonight I had a very sobering reality check that I thought I would share. Tonight my coworkers and I had a dinner with some high ranking Iraqi Air Force military. The Iraqi airmen are guys that we work with on a regular basis here and I have gotten to know on a personal level, they are incredible men that have faced many hardships and tragedies over the years but are incredibly friendly, hospitable and have some amazing stories that they like to share. During our traditional Iraqi dinner the topic of American TV shows came up and it turns out that they love many of our programs specifically Reality TV. One of my team members thought it would be fun to tell them that I had been on the show Big Brother and began to tell the story when our Team Lead quickly changed the subject and basically stoped the story from being told. I understood why, if the Iraqi men did any research they might find out that I am gay which is completely not acceptable in the culture here. Again, I completely understood this and was a bit relieved that the whole subject wasn't discussed. What had not crossed my mind was the potential for disaster if the facts of my personal life were revealed in this environment. Here is why: There is a new agreement that has just gone into affect here in this country that deals with civilian contractors working for the US military. Basically under the agreement any civilian here is completely subject to Iraqi law while in the country, even while residing on a US military installation. Although I don't know the exact wording of the law, basically it is illegal to be a homosexual in this country and any accused can be jailed and from what I understand even executed for this "crime". Had it gotten out to the Iraqi gentlemen that we work with, if they choose to, they could have the Iraqi police come into the US military installation and arrest me. I would like to believe that these men have become my friend and would never do this to me, but I still have to sit back and wonder what if. Suppose they have strong feelings against homosexuality and decided it was best to report me, I could potentially be locked up here and prosecuted for simply being who I am, even if I was never actually caught in a homosexual act (not that I am getting any here). This makes me so thankful that I live in a country where I am free to be exactly who I wanna be. We are such a lucky people and we should never take for granite the freedoms that we have. Even though we are still fighting for some equal rights, such as marriage, we have to all realize that we could have it so much worse. I would ask that everyone reading this please take a few minutes and find a way to express your gratitude to our politicians that continue to pursue equality for everyone in our country regardless of race, gender or sexual orientation. In addition, find a way to thank the military personal that put their life on the line to uphold our freedoms and way of life. As Americans we are truley a blessed people and need to remember this everyday of our lives. Thanks for taking the time to read this.. Steven UPDATE: Found the Following on Wikipedia this morning concerning Homosexuality in Iraq, it litterally made me sick to my stomach.. 2009 In April 2009, it was reported that Iraqi militants were gluing shut the anuses of men suspected of being gay. The glue being used is an Iranian-manufactured glue that if applied to the skin, sticks to it and can only be removed by surgery. After the anus is glued shut, the person is given a drink that causes diarrhea. Since the anus is closed, the diarrhea causes death. Videos of this torture have been circulating throughout the country via cellphones.[11] Also in April 2009, it was reported that a new gang calling itself the "righteous people" began attacking young men who it says are violating Islamic law by "behaving like women". The "righteous people" distributed three lists in Baghdad's Sadr City containing the names of ten people they considered homosexual. The lists declared, "Sinner: we will doom you." Other slogans written in red on the city's walls threatened the men with death and torture. Security officials found three torture-ridden corpses of gay men in Sadr, Dawra and Karadah areas of Baghdad. Their killers were not identified. Al-Baghdadiya, a satellite television channel based in Cairo and one of the few media outlets to have reported the attacks, broadcast a report on 7 April saying that twenty young men accused of homosexuality were taken to Ibn al-Nafis hospital in Baghdad with mutilated genitals. A number of citizens who have witnessed attacks on young men say that officials and the media did nothing to stop or report the incidents despite the fact that the attacks represent a flagrant violation of personal rights and individual freedoms guaranteed by the country's constitution. Some of these attacks are even said to be carried out by the security forces themselves. One eye-witness said that "a police patrol in Shaab district, north east of Baghdad, stopped two young men "behaving like women" in mid March and forced them to take-off their clothes in front of other passers-by and made fun of them and their naked bodies."[

Edited to add this update. Steve needs to get out of Iraq.