OAS resolutions on sexual orientation do not reflect the will of the citizens of the region

Dear Editor,

I refer to the article in the Stabroek News of June 11, 2009, captioned ‘New OAS Resolution condemns violence linked to sexual orientation, gender ID.’

The OAS continues on a path destined to alienate itself from the people of the Americas, but there is still time to reverse the current process of transforming its legitimate mandate into a hideous and confusing, gay rights imbroglio. It is hard to refute the extensive evidence that such a path is dangerous to its long-term political relevance.

Recently, we managed to reach all the attorneys-general of the Caribbean and their respective OAS representatives, with revised submissions of the response to Steve Hemraj’s letter (‘Caribbean countries did not sign the UN declaration on sexual orientation and gender identity’ SN, 21.3.09) titled, ‘Why Caribbean countries must not sign the UN Declaration on Sexual Orientation and   Gender Identity’(http://www. scribd.com/ doc/13552548/Why-Caribbean-Countries-MUST-NOT-sign-the-UN-Declaration-on-Sexual-Orientation-and-Gender-Identity).  The article speaks for itself.

We would now renew our 2008 efforts to have the OAS Representative for Guyana Dennis Moses, the OAS Secretary-General, and the OAS Civil Society interface, consider and respond to the elements of a protest outlined in the article: ‘Submission to the OAS Re June 3 2008 Resolution on Human Rights, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity’ . The arguments against such resolutions still hold, and are very compelling!

As more and more citizens peruse the evidence outlined in law reviews such as ‘Child Molestation and the Homosexual Movement’ by Steve Baldwin () they will find that these OAS resolutions do not reflect the will of the citizens of the region.

Ignoring representations counter to its gay-rights stand may not be the wisest approach the OAS can, or should, adopt. We have detailed some of the social policy imperatives in the online article ‘Arguments Against Pancap and the Decriminalization of Homosexuality.’

We repeat: the OAS may be jeopardizing its political relevance because of these highly undemocratic and under-researched positions on sexual orientation and gay rights.

Yours faithfully,
Roger Williams