USA

 Bush Attack on Equal Rights For Sexual and Gender Minorities Must Be Viewed
In A Wider Context

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Yesterday, George W. Bush launched a campaign to amend the United States' Constitution defining marriage as between a man and a woman. Bush's latest attack on equal rights for sexual and gender minorities must be viewed in a larger context of his administrations on-going attacks on social justice and peace both here in the United States and around the world.

As Bush declares a war on equal rights for LGBT people, the United States also continues to occupy Iraq and Afghanistan in the name of "liberation." While continuing to fund repressive regimes that violate international human rights under the guise of a "war on terrorism," Bush's view of the world of "with us" or "against us" has polarized the globe, and created deeper ethnic and religious conflicts. 650 people are in legal limbo in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, thousands have left the United States since "voluntary interviews" were launched, hundreds have been deported because of minor immigration infractions and an unknown number of people are still in prison without legal representation as "government witnesses."

Since Bush took office in 2001, his administration has launched a domestic war - against the environment, reproductive health, domestic HIV/AIDS funding, health care, immigrant rights, equal rights for LGBT people, civil liberties, political free speech and human rights. More than three year's into Bush's term as president, our country continues to lead the world into a dark period of history.

Only on Monday, the Education Secretary called members of the National Education Association (teachers) "terrorists." Yesterday, the Pentagon denied the request of three human rights groups to monitor upcoming military tribunals of those imprisoned at Guantanamo. A few weeks ago, a congressional investigation was launched into the finances of major Muslim organizations in the US. And the FBI has recently launched an investigation into the activities of anti-war activists and academics critical of the administration. Perhaps this is George W. Bush's definition of "compassionate conservatism." Or maybe it is an outright attack on freedom of movement, freedom of speech, right to legal representation under the Geneva Convention, and our long-cherished civil liberties guaranteed to us by the same Constitution that our president wants to amend.

Thousands of people come to the United States every year seeking "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." But the dreams of people who believe in a secular, democratic and peaceful country
that respects the rights of all individuals regardless of their race, religion, ethnicity, gender, sex or sexual orientation, have been broken. Instead we live in a country that is bent on denying the basic right to love another human being and to express that love through a civil and secular marriage.

While the United States launches a war against religious and secular extremists in other countries, we should start paying attention to zealots in our own midst. Right-wing institutions in this country do
not differentiate between their attacks on LGBT rights and our government's support for countries that abuse human rights. The same institutions that hate sexual and gender minorities, also work tirelessly to block funding for comprehensive reproductive health and for votes in favor of LGBT human rights at the United Nations.

LGBT rights cannot be achieved in a vacuum and cannot solely be focused on achievements in the United States. LGBT organizations in the United States that decry Bush today, must work in coalition with other social justice-seeking organizations and global non-governmental organizations (NGOs) tomorrow. We live in a country with a wealth of resources and it is our moral obligation to pay attention to global challenges, while fighting for our own social, civil and political rights. To ensure equality, justice and liberation for every human being in this world, we must join hands with our sisters and brothers around the globe to demand true justice and liberation.

Al-Fatiha Foundation is dedicated to Muslims who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, questioning, those exploring their sexual orientation or gender identity, and their allies, families and friends. Al-Fatiha promotes the progressive Islamic notions of peace, equality and justice. Al-Fatiha envisions a world that is free from prejudice, injustice and discrimination, where all people are fully embraced and accepted into their faith, their families and their communities. Founded in 1998, Al-Fatiha Foundation is a registered US-based non-profit, non-governmental organization.

25 February, 2004