As noted in our Solas Newsbrief the president of Ghana visited Scotland last week. And several of our politicians managed to embarrass our beloved Scotland. Partick Harvie leader of the Greens complained about the President coming and wrote to the presiding officer ”
“We believe that the Scottish Parliament should be a place where everyone can feel safe”.
I have come across some dumb statements in my time but this one deserves to go in the top ten. Really? Are LGBT+ people in the Scottish Parliament really ‘unsafe’ because the President of Ghana comes to visit? The fact that we have elected representatives spouting such nonsense is deeply depressing. Of course Patrick Harvie was not cowering in fear because his ‘safe space’ had been violated – anymore than he was doing so when I addressed the parliament last week! (actually maybe he was…I didn’t see him there!). He is just using the language of ‘hurt’ in order to bully and exclude those who don’t accept his agenda.
But Ruth Davidson was even more embarrassing. The leader of the Tory party refused to clap the President and made her opposition public. In my view her actions (along with those of Partick Harvie and some other MSP’s) were rude, childish, hypocritical and indeed came with more than an alarming tinge of racism, that comes from the moral superiority of the white liberal elites, who just know that they are at the top of the progressive evolutionary tree. Ms Davidson belongs to and supports a party which gave a State welcome to the Chinese leader, whose policies on LGBT issues are not that much different from Ghana. For example the Chinese only this year banned images of homosexual couples in the Chinese media. Would the Tory leader object to the Chinese visiting the Scottish parliament? Did she made representations to the British government about the Chinese being given a State welcome to the UK last year? If not why not? Why protest about Ghana and behave in such a rude and ignorant manner? I am all for standing up for principle, but not what it is selective and hypocritical.
And its not just me. The Green’s, Tories and Nicola Sturgeon have in their petulant display of ‘virtue signalling’ done harm, even to the cause they are supposed to be espousing. It has backfired back hone in Ghana. One LGBT activist in Ghana wrote about the harm their actions had done.
These uncalled for statements and pressure has set us back, now the government and the LGBTI community will come under the spot light and any work with the government is in jeopardy, as politicians have already started to exploit the issue for election purposes. Just because Ghana is an African nation doesn’t mean all countries are alike – our community should have been consulted first about what we need, rather than what politicians in Scotland felt is needed. We do not need a white saviour complex but concrete and specific help. I also note that it was the UK, under colonialism, that introduced the anti-LGBTI legislation, maybe this is something our allies in Scotland need to think more carefully about.”
But that is the trouble with our moralistic politicians. Not only do they want to impose their particular morals on their own people, they are so convinced of their superiority that they feel they have a right to impose them on the whole world. Liberal Colonialism is alive and well!
I have a sneaking suspicion that in the terms of biblical teaching, Christian civilisation and morals, in the future it is going to be the Africans and the Chinese who are sending missionaries to us, helping us out of the endarkening that we are creating for ourselves. Meanwhile if by any chance, the Ghanian President happens to read this, can I as a Scot, apologise sir, for the rudeness and discourtesy of some of our politicians. We are not all like that. You are welcome here. Haste Ye Back.
I do hope, that before they send any missionaries here, that the Ghanaian Christians learn to treat all human beings with dignity. Making disability a spiritual problem is not a solution to the needs of disabled people. After all depending on what source you use, its been some time since prayer managed to actually cure a disabled person without the need for medical support and social change.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3176328/Tied-trees-given-electric-shocks-drowned-river-birth-shocking-reality-disabled-Ghana.html
I agree completely. Most of us don’t live in this black and white world of the fundamentalist humanists – there are rights and wrongs in every society. For example in our own – making disability a reason for killing a child in the womb is far more barbaric than anything that happens in Ghana!
It amazes me to read such comments from the so called civilised white elites. Why are you generalising every Christian in Ghana. Can I also say that the next time the Scottish ppl invite a black president or African into their country; they should make sure that racism is wiped out.
Disability is not considered a curse here in Ghana, the report is wrong
As a Christian and a Ghanaian, I find your comment very ignorant and stereotypical. Yes there are such issues of some Christians still attributing such unfortunate disability as witchcraft but that’s a very small percentage of Christians in Ghana and about 95% or more of Christians in Ghana in my experience do not condone such misbeliefs. In fact it’s probably a traditional belief that has crept into some regions but it’s not widespread. I have lived in the united kingdom for a number of years and I find that in places like this where people claim to be enlightened, in the age of the internet when you can research on your own , people still believe everything they hear on media and talk about it as fact. It’s a pity! Guess people in Ghana who do not have as available access to information as you do should think the UK is full of gangster youth and people stabbing others every where, the notion that local British are lazy and do not like higher education, and are all on benefits with silver spoons in their mouth etc that I kid you not as far as that is not all true, some do believe.I wonder how you feel about that. Maybe the next time you think about stereotyping you would actually seek to find the facts and not be narrow minded.
Prince – thank you for that information and correction for Douglas. The trouble is that far too many Western liberals get their info from their own sources on the internet and filter it out according to their prejudices. Doubtless there are lies and difficulties in every culture….thankfully Christ is the truth.
It would be better you come to Ghana and see what is happening first hand thank to sit in your haven and write anything about the country. Do you think we are monkeys living in the forest. Do not sit and make any generalised comments on the internet or believe quatre truths. Make sure you get the right facts. No Christian in Ghana considers disability anything of witch craft or curse and neither do they ignore them. And please make sure your country is free of racism before you talk of Ghana.
When a hyena wants to eat its children, it first accuses them of smelling like goats ~ African proverb.
Mclellan have you being to Ghana before? Did you cross check your facts before you came up with this poor post? I believe your education system should have thought you the importance of crossing articles from the media before taking stands. What was dignifying about the way Scotland treated our head of state? Whites comes to Africa we offer them the best of everything and yet when they get back they write senseless and imaginative lies about us just because it’s a story that will sell😤. Charity begins at home learn to respect humanity before you write about dignity.
It’s been never that euthanasia and assisted suicide could “cure a disabled person” but that is as much as some would offer us. All very equal – preborn, newborn, child, elderly person, deaf, blind, post-op and still distressed transgender, autistic, depressed, you name it. Medical support and social change is exactly what’s needed. Not secular missionaries of death from the “enlightened” world!
Is it true the Royal College of Midwives are supporting abortion for all reasons on demand, and decriminalising procuring a miscarriage? If so, that’s enough to make a woman feel rather “unsafe” in hospital – especially if her unborns were presumed disabled or she is not particularly well off.
Reblogged this on Talmidimblogging.
It was really a day of shame for Scotland! not Ghana!!! Apology accepted on behalf of the people of Ghana and the President of the republic. In case the president does not give you a response you can consider this as coming from one of his own(Ghanaian)
At least the shameful action of the Scottish few has given our president the boldness to reject the LGBT
Here comes a buffoon and an ignorant member of Parliament in the name of Ruth Davidson and Partick Harvie. When you do accept polygamy or polyandry in your society come and talk to me about LGBT rights.
Your statements and attitudes are most uncouth and self-righteous.
I am very much ashamed and saddened that Ghana was once colonized by people of this calibre. I dare the Scotish to change their governing monogamous marriage and accept polygamous marriage instead as we do here in Ghana. If not then why would they want everybody to accept that “madness” of LGBT. Even animals know what is good and respect the law of nature. Give us a break.
David Robertson – Why would you ever apologise for the people and politicians of Scotland ?
The right to demonstrate to a leader of any nation that their Human Rights record is frightfully deplorable and shameful, should be recognised and applauded. We live in a multi-national, multi-cultural, multi-sexual, multi-racial and multi-religious democratic society and should not fear the wrath of any nation which fails to treat its own people with equality and respect. Furthermore, this issue has nothing to with colour, race or religion as some of our brothers would like suggest
Jimmy – the question is not about the right to demonstrate – the question is about the behaviour of a senior politician and political leader when meeting a leader of another country. You miss the point of the article – which was a) to point out the hypocrisy of condemning a democratic country like Ghana, whilst welcoming China and b) to ask who determines what human rights are? You seem to think they are self-evident…in fact you seem to think that they are the values of the Western Liberal elites. And it has everything to do with race, colour and religion. The fact that you think your version of human rights is the self-evidently right one, only indicates how deep the problem is.
THUMBS UP @ theweeflea
I am amazed, stunned, and shocked to the marrow that in this day and age, so called enlightened people will think and act this way. At least, don’t showcase your ignorance, hypocrisy and stupidity and still believe what you think is gospel. Shameful, or rather more precisely, shameless Scots! Yes, I generalised as well!
That was my President you disrespected!
JUST IMAGINING THE BEHAVIOR OF THE SCOTS AND THE IMPACT IT WILL HAVE IN OUR INTERNATIONAL RELATIONSHIP, ESPECIALLY BUSINESS. GOD SAVE US ALL.
Remember Robert – it was not all Scots – there are those of us who warmly welcomed your President….(hence this blog)…don’t let the ignorant and prejudiced ones put you off the rest of us!
WELL NOTED @ THEWEEFLEA
Good piece @theweeflea. Deep respect for you. Tolerance is key.
Where I come from in Ghana, we do not treat a visitor that way. Even if he or she has no clue about our culture abound our heritage. Shame on you for disrespecting our president. And ohh we still will respect you if you ever visit us because we know better
Well Jimmy Free Church! Will you and your political elites accept polygamy?
Am amazed at such an absurd analogy of making shallow assumptions about disability being a curse in Ghana. If you actually have a clue about the actual happenings in “my Ghana” then you will know that the elected presidential candidate of major political party in Ghana slated to contest in the 2016 general elections is a person with disability who cannot use any of his two legs to walk. Please do not make such blanket statements about “people” you barely know @Jimmy
What bussiness does the scotish paliamentarians have in Ghanaians supporting LGBS,As a Ghanaian My culture forbids homosexuality and not in anyway will I support such a devilish act..
Scotland is just a stone throw from Sodom and Gomorrah. It is a nation in serious decay
You have no idea what you are suggesting – stop hiding behind a bible and welcome to the the real world
Jimmy, the question is; will you accept polygamy? Do people who have polygamous relationship have the right to indulge in that kind of marriage? and please give your reasons for your decision.