Going back to our roots – the only way to resolving the homosexuality paradox

Recent debates in the media over homosexuality in Ghana and whether or not it should be entertained caught my attention and I couldn't help but wonder at the diversity of views expressed from both sides of the divide.

While the pro-homos argue the right to be whoever they want to be as long as they hurt nobody, the anti-homos also have their point to make, mostly being about incurring the wrath of God.

One argument I find interesting, though, on the part of the anti-homos is the concern of MORALITY. Some argue that Africa is a land of values and tradition, and morality. Therefore such an act as has never been in our history should not be allowed to be.

I agree. The fact is that the very same people arguing tradition and morality may have contributed immensely to the blacklisting of traditional Africa. They have advocated for the acceptance of Westernism as against the concept of Africanism, or better-put, Pan-Africanism.

In every aspect of our lives today as Africans, we are pushing our values further away than necessary. In our lifestyle, fashion, religion, education, politics and so on.

The situation is so bad that in the media today, especially in the movie industry, traditional priests are symbolic of the devil. We have taken time to so denounce almost everything traditional that we are virtually extinct.

It is said somewhere in the Christian scripture, the Bible: “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free”. I agree and I say: “Ye shall know your HISTORY, and your history shall set you free. For history is the greatest truth you will ever be told”.

I believe most of us have lost our sense of history. We therefore do not know where we have come from, and as a matter of fact do not appreciate who we are today.

We have gladly embraced virtually everything foreign; in terms of religion, in terms of politics, culture and so on. Now we are living by an experimental political fallacy called DEMOCRACY. Democracy, as defined by Wikipedia, is “a form of government in which all citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives”. A close watch on the definitions by the proposers of this concept will reveal that at the core of the concept of democracy is the right to be whom you choose to be and in turn be respected for who you are, as long as this does not adversely affect the next person. In effect, anti-homos are regarded as going against human rights of homosexuals, as human rights is at the core of democracy.

We have also been brainwashed into believing that without democracy, a country will not develop, and that democracy is the only way to ensure freedom. How long has Ghana been democratic? Can we say we are better off than countries like China, Cuba or Libya?

The fact is that we were free citizens before democracy, even before colonisation. Is it not ironic that the very people who colonised us, after fighting and winning independence from them, come back and tend to teach us how to live as free citizens in our own country?

This country is governed by law, and even though the constitution mentions democracy a number of times, it doesn't define the term. Or are we to rule this country by someone else's definition of a concept that is debatable, and in fact has been debated over over the years?

I believe that to be a democracy, the constitution should not just mention, but define democracy and list the parameters of the purported democracy and, if possible, define sanctions for being undemocratic, for that matter.

Not even the United States Federal Constitution, with its 7 articles and 27 amendments mentions and/or defines democracy. And yet they go about preaching and toppling governments in the name of democracy.

Democracy, now, is serving the interests of the elite in society, against the interests and freedom of the poor.

In my humble opinion, we would have been better off with an improved traditional system, than this total revolution in our being and very existence.

As far as homosexuality is concerned, we may have two options only: denounce democracy (which seems almost impossible now due to a number of obvious factors), or let homosexuals be. For as long as we choose democracy, and so far as nobody is able to point out, beyond reasonable doubt, that someone else being homosexual affects him/her adversely in any particular manner, we have no business questioning what others decide to be under a democracy.

In fact, any law that has been, that is, or will ever be, that abolishes or outlaws homosexuality, and lesbianism for that matter, is undemocratic, and shouldn't be under a democracy.

A possible argument against homosexuality is the question of influence, and that a homosexual may influence someone else's child to be homosexual. This argument is sound, and only to minds that are not discerning. For if influence is the basis of rejecting someone's personality, then concepts like politics, religion, education etc. should not be allowed to exist. Since all of these are about influencing.

If tomorrow you or your son, or daughter, decides that he or she has been attracted to homosexuality or lesbianism because another person talked them into it, or that they have been attracted by some homosexual acts they have witnessed, so be it. For it is the same as a Muslim converting to Christianity (and vise versa), or an NPP converting to an NDC (and vise versa). Influence is what defines the basis of our very existence and should not be used as a justification for shunning a group of people.

What we should always remember is that homosexuality has NO PLACE in our tradition, the tradition we have so rejected and despised – a very valuable tradition. Let all preachers against the African tradition, culture, customs and values, leave homosexuals alone. For these are some of the consequences of forgetting who we are. We are Ghanaians. We are AFRICANS, and until we realise this we will always have a long way to go.

If you believe in Africa, join me in singing, this time with meaning: “God bless our homeland Ghana and make our nation great and strong!”

N ATTA KUSI ADUSEI

A Broadcast Journalist & Internet Entrepreneur

([email protected])