Dear Editor,
I refer to the article captioned ‘Ramkarran’s call for repeal of anti-gay laws should be cue for other politicians –SASOD’ (SN, June 26).
We should immediately correct both Stabroek News and Sasod and advise that the online article ‘Universal periodic Review: Open letter to Guyana’s Parliamentarians September 2010’ adequately addresses the ‘cues’ that Guyana’s parliamentarians should accept on this issue.
As stated before, it is fact, truth, detail and evidence that should take centre stage when discussing ‘gay rights,’ not wilful deception and journalistic laziness.
The aim of the Christian community has always been to provide the people of Guyana with the information they need to make informed decisions. Stabroek News’s insistence on treating releases from Sasod as ‘news‘ illustrates that a complicit media is counterproductive to good public policy on the issue of ‘gay rights.‘
On this occasion, in disagreeing with Vidyaratha Kissoon and Sasod, we should point out that Mr Ramkarran’s colossal lapse in judgement and opportunistic political gawkiness has also been addressed in the online article, ‘Same Sex Lifestyles: Is Ralph Ramkarran Out To Embarrass Guyana’s PPP & Donald Ramotar…?’ The Stabroek News published an edited version of that letter on May 30, 2012 under the innocuous caption ‘Ramkarran ignores Scalia’s warning in the US.’ The facts therein remain unassailable. And Mr Ramkarran’s naïveté will now be used and abused by Mr Kissoon and the Sasod group.
As to Mr Simpson’s assertion of the American Psychiatric Association‘s (APA) confounding deception on this issue, we should refer him and other readers to the astonishing detail that invalidates their position in two articles: ‘Sexual Politics and Scientific Logic: The Issue of Homosexuality‘ and the law review ‘Why NARTH? The American Psychiatric Association’s Destructive and Blind Pursuit of Political Correctness.’
As if that is not enough, we should also refer Mr Simpson and Sasod to the book by Dr Jeffrey Satinover Homosexuality and the Politics of Truth. At Table 7 in that fateful exposé, he outlines no less than 15 secular outcome studies that illustrate success with the treatment of same-sex-attraction disorders. The APA continues to ignore the evidence, as it does the online article by Kathleen Melonakos, RN ‘Why Isn’t Homosexuality Considered a Disorder on the Basis of Its Medical Consequences?‘
We should also use this opportunity to remind the Stabroek News of its stated commitment to professionalism and fairness in journalism and debate, and advise that the rather ominous statement: “Notice: If you are having trouble viewing and submitting comments below, please ensure your browser is up to date. For Firefox users, especially, you should have at least version 13…“ cannot adequately explain in this day and age why comments in detailed opposition to Sasod’s are now being deleted from the comments page on its website. Stabroek News should not consider its mission to be the aiding and abetting of what Sasod and Mr Kissoon are committed to perpetuate. It should refocus on good journalism and fairness in debate.
Yours faithfully,
Roger Williams
