As faith leaders ramp up a campaign to sign the “Uganda Declaration” to challenge state-sponsored violence against LGBT people in Uganda, Malawi and in 80 other countries, CURRENT TV’S VANGUARD media will premier “Missionaries of Hate,” a one hour documentary that exposes “ The American Architects of Uganda’s Anti-Gay Bill”-- evangelicals who export a message of hate to Uganda—and many other places in the world.
In the film, Ugandan LGBT people say this is a “witch hunt” and it could get worse. Despite various announcements that the bill will be modified, it is still pending in the Ugandan legislature. The names and photos of LGBT advocates have been in local tabloids under headlines like “Top Homos Named” and “Homo Terror.”
Long Johns, an LGBT advocate in the documentary says that, if the “anti-homosexuality” bill is passed, we are “finished.” He predicts that with a current list of LGBT activists, they could all be arrested on the day the bill passes. The bill proposes the death penalty for LGBT people and would require friends and family members to report anyone who is LGBT.
“Missionaries of Hate” features exclusive video of American Evangelical Lou Engle who visited Uganda on May 2 to support the major backers of the proposed legislation. Mariana van Zeller also interviews Pastor Martin Ssempa, one of the most famous religious leaders in Uganda and an anti-gay crusader, whose preaching methods include showing gay pornography in church. She also talks to Ugandan citizens (both gay and straight) about their feelings about gay people, the new proposed law, and the effect it will have on their lives.
"Missionaries of Hate" premieres on Current TV Wednesday, May 26 at 10/9c. You won’t want to miss this sobering look at the impact of homophobia.