Scott Lively's Crimes Against Humanity Trial Begins, Liberty Counsel Demands More Information From Ugandan Plaintiffs

The crimes against humanity lawsuit against Scott Lively began today with his Liberty Counsel lawyers demanding more information from the plaintiffs, Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG). Via MassLive:

Lively is being represented by the Liberty Counsel, based in Orlando, Florida, which bills itself on its website as "an international nonprofit litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family." It has provided pro bono legal assistance on these and related topics since 1989. Attorney Roger Gannam on Tuesday argued that lawyers for the plaintiffs were being so surreptitious in turning over documents - already subject to an "attorney's eyes only" restriction - that it was hindering Lively's ability to wage an effective defense.

"Scott Lively has no desire for the information except for this lawsuit," Gannam argued to U.S. Magistrate Judge Katherine Robertson. "SMUG has not proved that it's reliable in deciding what Scott Lively should see and shouldn't see." In particular, the lawyer cited an email relating to a SMUG fund-raiser geared toward paying fees in the Lively case, which he said was so heavily redacted even the subject line was blacked out. Gannam also referred to images the plaintiffs have withheld of participants at the 2009 workshop in Uganda, which he argued Lively couldn't confirm were there if he can't see their faces. Gannam also suggested the plaintiffs' representation of the significance of the 2009 workshop in Uganda was overstated.

Lively did not attend today's hearing. According to the above-linked report, he is planning to move his ministry from Springfield to Riverside, California in order to "expand the brand."

RELATED:  On May 11th SMUG issued a subpoena which demands that notoriously anti-gay Ugandan Pastor Martin "Eat Da Poo Poo" Ssempa appear to testify at the trial. The subpoena included a $1900 check to cover Ssempa's travel costs from Uganda. Normally a prolific many-times-per-day Twitter user, Ssempa has not tweeted since the subpoena was issued.

Subpoena Issued For Martin Ssempa In Civil Lawsuit Against Scott Lively

Last month the Center For Constitutional Rights surprised us with the revelation that Ugandan Pastor Martin "Eat Da Poo Poo" Ssempa is a US citizen and is therefore subject to a subpoena in their civil lawsuit against Scott Lively, who stands accused of crimes against humanity. The Ssempa subpoena has now been issued along with a $1900 check to cover his travel expenses to Massachusetts. Ssempa is very prolific on Twitter and has not yet publicly commented there about this development. (Via Equality Case Files)

Pastor Eat Da Poo Poo Subpoenaed In Scott Lively Crimes Against Humanity Suit

The Center For Constitutional Rights writes today with the surprising news that notorious anti-gay Ugandan Pastor Martin "Eat Da Poo Poo" Ssempa is actually a US citizen and is therefore subject to their subpoena which demands he appear at Scott Lively's trial for crimes against humanity. From the motion filed in Massachusetts by CCR's client, Sexual Minorities Uganda:

Mr. Ssempa is an anti-gay activist and longtime associate of Defendant. Mr. Ssempa is known for employing forced outings, and “homosexual exorcisms,” and showing graphic pornography to his church congregations, as well as for making threatening statements and taking other actions, in order to deny the humanity of LGBTI individuals. Mr. Ssempa has long conspired with Defendant and three others to deprive lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (“LGBTI”) people of their fundamental rights. Indeed, from at least 2002, Mr. Ssempa has known and worked closely with Defendant and others to develop anti-gay strategies and tactics. For example, as early as 2003, Mr. Ssempa was involved in an attempt to exclude LGBTI persons from governmental HIV/AIDS prevention programs and policies. In 2007, Ssempa began to publicize the names, photos, and address information of LGBTI advocates in an attempt to intimidate those persons. Mr. Ssempa also facilitated Defendant’s communications with the Ugandan Parliament about the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, which, among other things, criminalized advocacy of LGBTI rights and provision of various services to LGBTI persons, and provided that the death penalty be imposed for a second conviction for consensual sex between adults of the same gender.

Ssempa is very prolific on Twitter but so far it doesn't appear that he's yet mentioned the subpoena.

Tweet Of The Day - Pastor Eat Da Poo Poo

Brothers In Harms

Pastor Martin "Eat Da Poo Poo" Ssempa this morning sent the above jovial shout-out to his stateside comrades in hate. (Via JMG reader Scott)

But Can He Control Da Poo Poo?

Pastor Poo Poo Has The Uganda Sadz

Ssempa, not incidentally, has a NYC-born white wife. One wonders how his African ancestors feel about that.

UGANDA: High Court Hears Challenge To Brutal Anti-Homosexuality Legislation

Uganda's Constitutional Court is hearing a challenge to the Anti-Homosexuality Act, which calls for punishments up to life in prison for "crimes" such as "repeated homosexual acts."

The activists argue that the law was passed in parliament without the necessary quorum of lawmakers. The 10 petitioners – including two Ugandan rights organisations – also claim that the law violates the constitutional right to privacy and dignity, as well as the right to be free from discrimination and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. Judges have adjourned the hearings until Friday, when they are expected to rule on the quorum issue. Ugandan state lawyers defended the law on Thursday, the second day of the hearings, asking judges to dismiss the petition. "There is no evidence about the quorum," state attorney Patricia Mutesa told the court in the capital, Kampala. But prominent gay-rights activist Frank Mugisha, one of the petitioners, said he was optimistic that judges would rule in favour of scrapping the law. "I think that we could have a very good judgment tomorrow, and if we get that judgment then it's over – and we just have to celebrate," said Mugisha, who heads the Sexual Minorities Uganda group.

Sexual Minorities Uganda is the group suing Scott Lively for crimes against humanity. Lively is widely considered to have sparked the movement for the passage of the bill. Several nations including the United States have curtailed aid to Uganda is the wake of the bill's enactment. Ugandan Pastor Martin "Eat Da Poo Poo" Ssempa is losing his shit (see what I did there?) on Twitter over the prospect of the bill being overturned. Even if the bill is struck down on parliamentary technicalities, we can expect an attempt to have it re-approved.

Now They'll Be Sorry!

Uganda Celebrates Anti-Gay Crackdown

On Saturday Ugandan Pastor Martin "Eat Da Poo Poo" Ssempa smirkingly invited me to attend a parade in celebration of his country's brutal crackdown on its LGBT citizens. The festivities went off as planned yesterday, complete with a marching band and children that waved anti-gay signs.

 J. Lester Feder reports at Buzzfeed:

Fire jugglers, acrobats, and schoolchildren performed at a five-hour ceremony in the Ugandan capital on Monday called to celebrate the country’s new Anti-Homosexuality Act. Speakers paid tribute to President Yoweri Museveni, the official guest of honor, and linked Uganda’s fight against homosexuality with shedding its colonial past in an event that had the feeling of a campaign rally. [snip The event, called the “National Thanksgiving Service Celebrating the Passing of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill,” was organized by the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda (IRCU), an umbrella organization of the country’s major denominations, and other groups that had supported the bill, which punishes homosexuality with up to life in prison and essentially bans LGBT advocacy. The event comes amidst several moves by Museveni to consolidate his position as the unchallenged leader of Uganda and his National Resistance Movement party ahead of presidential elections in 2016.

Feder notes that President Musevni spoke at the event, which was also attended by numerous members of the Ugandan national legislature and other government officials. After Museveni told the crowd that gay sex causes intestines to fall out, he added another denouncement: "Oral sex is an idiocy, the mouth is for eating." Read much more and view many more photos at Feder's excellent report.

Uganda To Celebrate Anti-Gay Crackdown

This morning Pastor Martin "Eat Da Poo Poo" SSempa tweeted out the above notice of a parade to celebrate Uganda's crackdown against its LGBT citizens.

Setback For Pastor Eat Da Poo Poo

UGANDA: President Signs Anti-Gay Bill

Just yesterday the Guardian reported that Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni was putting off signing the anti-gay bill while he challenges US scientists to disprove that homosexuality is a choice. But today Museveni has signed the bill.

According to the Associated Press news agency, government officials clapped after Mr Museveni signed the bill at a press conference at State House. The BBC's Catherine Byaruhanga in Uganda says it is rare for the president to assent to bills so publicly. But the anti-gay bill has become so controversial that the media were invited to witness its signing, she says. Ugandan gay rights activist.

Earlier government spokesman spokesman Ofwono Opondo told Reuters news agency Mr Museveni wanted "to demonstrate Uganda's independence in the face of Western pressure and provocation". The sponsor of the bill, MP David Bahati, insisted homosexuality was a "behaviour that can be learned and can be unlearned". Homosexuality is just bad behaviour, that should not be allowed in our society," he told the BBC's Newsday programme.

But a gay rights activist in Uganda told the programme that he was "very scared" about the new bill. "I didn't even go to work today [Monday]. I'm locked up in the house. "And I don't know what's going to happen now. I'm talking to all my activists on the phone. And it's the same, they are all locked up in their houses. They can't move out. They are watching their back to see what happens."

Uganda MPs Approve Life In Prison For Homosexuality, Citizens Must Report Gays Or Be Jailed Themselves

The BBC reports:

Uganda's parliament has passed a bill to toughen the punishment for homosexual acts to include life imprisonment in some cases. The anti-homosexuality bill also makes it a crime punishable by a prison sentence not to report gay people. The prime minister opposed the vote, saying not enough MPs were present. The bill has been condemned by world leaders since it was mooted in 2009 - US President Barack Obama called it "odious". The BBC's Catherine Byaruhanga in Kampala says the government knows there will be an international outcry, which could see some countries suspend aid to the country. She says that Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi might follow up on his complaints about a lack of quorum, while it remains to be seen whether President Yoweri Museveni will sign the bill into law.

More from Gay Star News:

The bill will make it illegal to 'promote' homosexuality and will also jail anyone who does not report homosexual activities to the police. Ugandan LGBTI people are said to be 'panicked' and 'afraid for their lives'. It has already been predicted it will lead to more deaths in the LGBTI community. Members of Parliament (MPs) heard every clause in the Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2009. But debate which was expected to run all day was over very quickly. The bill is now an act of parliament and is just awaiting a signature from President Yoweri Museveni, which could happen as early as tomorrow. Uganda LGBTI activist Frank Mugisha said he was in ‘total shock’, saying the motion had caught every gay rights advocate off guard. He said Kadaga, who promised last year to make the bill law as a ‘Christmas present’ to the nation, had been ‘cleaning up’ any shelved legislation.

Stand by for victory laps by Peter LaBarbera, Scott Lively, and Bryan Fischer.

Ssempa Has The Ssupreme Ssadz

Mr. Eat Da Poo Poo is ever sso ssore!

Scott Lively Applauds Uganda (Again)

"In March of this year I had the privilege of addressing members of the Ugandan parliament in their national assembly hall when the anti-homosexuality law was just being considered. I urged them to pattern their bill on some American laws regarding alcoholism and drug abuse. I cited my own pre-Christian experience being arrested for drunk driving. I was given and chose the option of therapy which turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life. I also cited the policy in some U.S. jurisdictions regarding marijuana. 

"Criminalization of the drug prevents its users from promoting it, and discourages non-users from starting, even while the law itself is very lightly enforced, if at all. Additionally, I urged them to actively promote the marriage model in their schools as a form of inoculation to the anti-family messages flooding their country through Western media.  All of my suggestions were ignored (despite which fact I am being blamed for the proposed law as written by certain major media outlets and the 'gay' blogosphere.) Nevertheless, I commend the courage of the Ugandan people." - Hate group crackpot Scott Lively, who adds that he now hopes Uganda removes the death penalty from the proposed bill he inspired. Because prison and forced reeducation camps are what Jesus would want.

Britain Gives Ugandan Hater The Sadz

So says the cheerleader for Uganda's "kill the gays" bill.

UPDATE: Oh, now he's ever so pissed at me.

From Uganda's Biggest Hater

Gleefully retweeted by Matt Barber.

TRAILER: God Loves Uganda

Opening at Sundance this weekend. Clip description:

God Loves Uganda, a documentary by Academy Award winning director and producer Roger Ross Williams, is a powerful exploration of the evangelical campaign to change African culture with values imported from America's Christian Right. The film follows American and Ugandan religious leaders fighting "sexual immorality" and missionaries trying to convince Ugandans to follow Biblical law. God Loves Uganda is selected for the Documentary competition at the Sundance Film Festival, where it will premiere on January 18th 2013.

Visit the film's website.

Pastor Martin "Eat Da Poo Poo" Ssempa Begs Rick Warren To Support Scott Lively

Ssempa's bottom tweet is directed at the Center for Constitutional Rights, which represents Sexual Minorities Uganda in today's case.