Support decriminalisation of Homosexuality at UN!

This is a good cause but here is why I am skeptical of this effort.

1. The UN general assembly has become a joke. Ridiculous motions such as the anti-blasphemy motion: calling all countries to make laws criminalizing any criticism of religious beliefs, gets passed. And they are not enforced in member states who do not really care.

2. The UN general assembly is a place for the non-super powers to be played around by the super-powers, in other words, "vote along with me or I'm cutting off aid or business"

3. Member states do not respect other similar declarations such as the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. If these Islamic nations respected this existing piece of UN "legislation" then homosexuality would be decriminalized ALREADY.

4. The true power behind any enforceable action is the Security Council. Get the security council to make a declaration, it will be enforced by military action.

5. This act is going to further the violence of terrorist organizations against the western society.

6. The result of any vote will be status quo in reality. Moderate and secular governments already decriminalized homosexuality, fundamentalist and theocratic governments will ignore yet another UN general assembly resolution.

 

The UN is a good place to keep the lines of communication open and use international pressure to prevent widespread conflict. But, its ability to act as a legislative body for the world is so minimal its almost non-existant.

 

I unfortunately cannot think of anything more effective except for some kind of worldwide gay alliance maintained through social networking and mass-movement of voters, money (boycotts or donations), protesters, and other political resources. Our needs are simple - equality for all mankind. It's a really easy platform to run, and it has democratic historical documents to back it up.

Who is going to run against "equality for all mankind"? Right out of the gate, you're immediately going to look like an asshole. You've already got a good start to an argument against this guy - it's 2011 and the separate but equal policy looks as ancient to most young voters as the Civil Rights Movement. Throw in some spirited, intelligent speech and you're suddenly the most rational person in the room.

The only thing that would keep a strong network of roughly 10% of humanity's inhabitants is our own reluctance to expose ourselves. It already sucks to be born into a persecuted minority, lots of people are unwilling to expose themselves to ridicule, discrimination, or social osctracization. Many of these people are capable of leading a double life and a lot of them are willing to do so because the alternative is too frightening or hurtful to bear.

So the visibility of humanity's leading inventors, artists, politicians, writers, scientists, teachers, leaders, and soldiers who happen to be gay is pretty low, even in 2011.

Honestly though, nations that seriously persecute gays (like Uganda) are not going to give a rat's ass if this is passed because they're all rogue states or third world countries anyway. They're still having religious massacres and whatnot. Gays will be fair game over there for a long time still.